
Known for
NRThe film follows Matīss Kaža during a period when his professional life has taken him from one country and continent to another. Together with Gints Zilbalodis, the director of the film Flow (Straume), he spent nearly a year caught in a whirlwind of international award ceremonies, events, and meetings—a journey that included the film’s path to the Academy Awards. Yet, this is only one facet of Kaža’s life and work. During the same period, he made his debut as a theatre director at three different venues in Riga and crafted the Lielais Kristaps (Latvian National Film Awards) and Spēlmaņu nakts (Latvian Theatre Awards) ceremonies as multimedia performances. The camera follows Kaža as he constantly creates, travels, and engages in new projects, all while maintaining an ironic perspective on both himself and the world around him.
Matīss Kaža. The Impossible Self-Portrait
2026
NRWalking through the streets of Riga, you meet all kinds of people, some may support Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Depending on where and when you are, these people could be on every corner in the city center. But you also come across those who are ready to resist a possible invasion. Some are more hesitant, others more confident. Do we all - friends, acquaintances, strangers - share the same values? Or are we sometimes interacting with people driven by hatred or completely different beliefs to ours? A passionate defender of Ukraine might find love in Riga, but her thoughts are still consumed by the war she escaped. She’s caught between fighting the enemy and struggling with her own emotions. How can you love someone who might be your enemy?
The Moment Before
2025
Film credits
Behind the camera
NRWalking through the streets of Riga, you meet all kinds of people, some may support Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Depending on where and when you are, these people could be on every corner in the city center. But you also come across those who are ready to resist a possible invasion. Some are more hesitant, others more confident. Do we all - friends, acquaintances, strangers - share the same values? Or are we sometimes interacting with people driven by hatred or completely different beliefs to ours? A passionate defender of Ukraine might find love in Riga, but her thoughts are still consumed by the war she escaped. She’s caught between fighting the enemy and struggling with her own emotions. How can you love someone who might be your enemy?
The Moment Before
2025
NRWalking through the streets of Riga, you meet all kinds of people, some may support Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Depending on where and when you are, these people could be on every corner in the city center. But you also come across those who are ready to resist a possible invasion. Some are more hesitant, others more confident. Do we all - friends, acquaintances, strangers - share the same values? Or are we sometimes interacting with people driven by hatred or completely different beliefs to ours? A passionate defender of Ukraine might find love in Riga, but her thoughts are still consumed by the war she escaped. She’s caught between fighting the enemy and struggling with her own emotions. How can you love someone who might be your enemy?
The Moment Before
2025
