EUR 20.00

MY BELOVED RIGA

LAST COPY!
Documentary tells stories of love for Rīga
The standard tourist film about a country or city often seems to inform but at the same time lull the viewer into a gentle slumber. It’s often hard to remember the main points—and main attractions—the film has tried to bring to our attention. The problem is usually too much information in too short a time span. The documentary Mana mīļa Rīga (My Beloved Rīga) certainly does not fall into this category.

The film is two hours long, so it has plenty of time to elaborate on specific themes. These give the viewer a good insight into various aspects of Rīga. There’s “Art Nouveau Rīga” and “Historical Rīga”, both with commentaries by experts; “Rīga’s Beautiful Cemeteries,” with commentary provided by a gravedigger; and the nation’s symbol , the Freedom Monument. The unhurried flow and sincerity of these commentaries, coupled with background music that blends in perfectly with each theme, make the title of the DVD seem fitting. One more added bonus is good-quality English subtitles, a detail that can often make or break a product.

You catch the feeling that Rīga is in a state of flux. The film has no pompous attempt to exaggerate Rīga’s attractions nor an undertone of apologising for its shabbiness and neglect as a result of Latvia’s Soviet legacy. Emphasis is on the future, on Rīga’s dynamic changing nature and the possibilities that lie ahead.