81 meters
Spring 2021. A cinephile invites you on an intimate journey through the last surviving cinema houses in Latvia. This documentary essay, shot on Super 8, opens the locked doors of these theaters during what may be the most difficult period in the history of physical cinema spaces. They are closed to the public, but at times we can feel that they are still alive.
| Director | Jānis Ābele |
| Actor | Lauma Kaudzīte |
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81 Meters is a poetic cinematic essay celebrating the enduring spirit of Latvia’s cinemas during the pandemic. Shot on Super 8, its grainy, tactile images invite viewers on a personal odyssey through the few remaining film venues, blending nostalgia, the passage of time, and a quiet hope for revival. With an honest and intimate authorial voice, Jānis Ābele immerses himself in memories of the cinema as a space to experience childhood wonder, meet new friends, fall in love, and discover a lifelong passion for making and watching films. It is a director’s declaration of love for cinema itself and for the culture of watching films in a movie theater, with slowly dimming lights, among strangers.
Through this reflective lens, the film evokes memory, loss, and the joy of rediscovery, creating a tender, contemplative atmosphere. As the closing piece of the programme, its gentle playfulness and love for the silver screen leave audiences with a subtle, uplifting sense of wonder.
Lauma Kaudzīte
Head of RIGA IFF Short Film Programme
and SHORT RIGA Test Screenings
-
Français
14 mn
Language: Français -
English
14 mn
Language: English
- Année 2022
- Pays Latvia
- Durée 14
- Producteur Chaland films
- Langue Latvian
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court 2021. As the world is in lockdown, a cinephile invites us on an intimate journey through Latvia’s last remaining movie theaters.
- Ordre 4
- TLF_Applismb_CA 1
- Date édito CA 2026-03-27
81 Meters is a poetic cinematic essay celebrating the enduring spirit of Latvia’s cinemas during the pandemic. Shot on Super 8, its grainy, tactile images invite viewers on a personal odyssey through the few remaining film venues, blending nostalgia, the passage of time, and a quiet hope for revival. With an honest and intimate authorial voice, Jānis Ābele immerses himself in memories of the cinema as a space to experience childhood wonder, meet new friends, fall in love, and discover a lifelong passion for making and watching films. It is a director’s declaration of love for cinema itself and for the culture of watching films in a movie theater, with slowly dimming lights, among strangers.
Through this reflective lens, the film evokes memory, loss, and the joy of rediscovery, creating a tender, contemplative atmosphere. As the closing piece of the programme, its gentle playfulness and love for the silver screen leave audiences with a subtle, uplifting sense of wonder.
Lauma Kaudzīte
Head of RIGA IFF Short Film Programme
and SHORT RIGA Test Screenings
-
Français
Duration: 14 minutesLanguage: Français14 mn -
English
Duration: 14 minutesLanguage: English14 mn
- Année 2022
- Pays Latvia
- Durée 14
- Producteur Chaland films
- Langue Latvian
- Sous-titres French, English
- Résumé court 2021. As the world is in lockdown, a cinephile invites us on an intimate journey through Latvia’s last remaining movie theaters.
- Ordre 4
- TLF_Applismb_CA 1
- Date édito CA 2026-03-27
