Spring is here, but it’s still Baltic at the Triskel

Ever been scrolling through a streaming service and thought, you know what I really want? A kung-fu comedy set in an Orthodox monastery in 1970s Soviet Union!

Well, it’s time to put down that remote and make plans to head into Cork city centre next weekend for the Baltic Film Festival.

Returning to Triskel Arts Centre on Tobin St for the second time, the festival runs from 4-5 April and will feature three vastly different and unique films.

Over the last decades, the film industry in the Baltic region has grown into a dynamic, creative, and artistic platform reflecting the complex history and rich culture of the region. Last year, Triskel Arts Centre partnered with the embassies of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia for the festival’s first outing on Leeside. This year again, each embassy has handpicked one film each to represent their country.

Chris O’Neill, Head of Cinema at Triskel, said: “We are honoured to be part of the second Baltic Film Festival. The three specially selected films from Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia will offer a unique opportunity to learn more about the lives, history, and culture of the three Baltic states.”

The festival opens on Friday 4 April with a reception followed by a screening of ‘Gardutė’ (Tasty), a lively culinary comedy from Lithuania that mixes cheesy TV drama, witty satire, friendship melodrama, and lively folk songs. Directed by Eglė Vertelytė, the film follows best friends, Ona and Saule, who work as chefs in a small canteen in Kaunas, called Tasty. Always going out of their way to please their customers, one day, Saule signs them up for a televised cooking contest by creating fake restaurant profiles, and they miraculously get in.

On Saturday 5 April, cinemagoers can watch director Juris Kursietis’ ‘Cildenie’ (The Exalted), the story of internationally renowned German organist Anna and her Latvian husband Andris, the head of a major state-owned company in Latvia. After Anna's concert in Germany, they return to Latvia to celebrate her birthday, only to be met with news of Andris’ involvement in a corruption scandal. As media pressure mounts, Andris struggles under immense stress, while Anna must navigate between her husband's damaged reputation and its impact on her own career as a musician. The screening begins at 5pm.

On Saturday evening, the festival’s final film, kung-fu comedy ‘Nähtamatu Võitlus’ (The Invisible Fight) will screen at 7.15pm. Directed by Rainer Sarnet, the film follows Rafael who is in the Soviet army on guard duty when the border falls under attack from Chinese kung fu warriors. It’s like a revelation to Rafael – flying long-haired Chinese, black-clad kung fu aces, Black Sabbath blasting from their portable radio – all that is forbidden in the Soviet Union.

Back home, Rafael wants to become an equally cool kung fu ace, so he joins a monastery, a rebellious and forbidden world in the Soviet Union. Rafael’s road to achieving the almighty power of humility is long and winding and his struggle is full of comedy, temptation, faith, and love, but most of all, joy.

All three of the festival’s films are subtitled.

After the festival, Triskel will screen two additional Latvian films, both animated and dialogue-free. On 6 April, there will be a screening of ‘Away’, an earlier film by Gints Zilbalodis.

Then, from 13-16 April there will be two daily showings of Zilbalodis’ Oscar winning ‘Flow’.

Tickets are on sale now from triskelartscentre.ie.