Juris Podnieks Studio

A headstrong young woman is married to land baron. Her feelings for her son's tutor becomes a complex web of unrequited love.

In 1986, Juris Podnieks made his film "Is it easy to be young?". The film became extremely popular and very soon was shown in 85 countries, which was a tremendous success for a Latvian film. It was even regarded as "the first bird of Perestroika". In 1998 the follow up film was made. It was extremely interesting to find out how the new economic system after the fall of the Soviet regime in Latvia had changed the lives of the persons filmed 10 years ago. "Is it easy to be...? After 10 years" also got an international recognition. The question 20 years later was- does anything change in this world or perhaps there are things that never change?! What has become of these brave youngsters who had once helped to destroy the Soviet system and who are now the generation of forty?

Film takes us deep inside the world of Latvian teenagers in 90s: combining the intimate diary of a teenager Jānis trying to find himself by joining a subculture, as well as a skillful, detailed and almost documentary-like depiction of the beginnings of the second independence of Latvia. “Jelgava ’94” is a portrait of a generation in the 1990s who are searching for their own identity and are fans of alternative culture. This is a touching story about us as youngsters, when everybody is against the whole world and tries not to become “one of them”. But can one keep the promise? The story is based on the best seller by Jānis Joņevs set in the 1994 in the Latvian city of Jelgava.

A film about the attack on the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1991 when Latvia was regaining its independence from the Soviet Union. Several people were killed in the attack, including two cameramen, Andris Slapiņš and Gvido Zvaigzne, who were part of Juris Podnieks's team. Who was behind the attack, and why has this matter not been solved yet?

A father who has just been released from prison strives to reconnect with his son. Good intentions are hindered by unexpected obstacles. An unforgettable day spent by the two together might turn into the very last day for one of them.

The film is a sequel of the legendary documentary “Is It Easy To Be Young?”, which was created in the year 1986 by Juris Podnieks. You once again meet the heroes from the first film. How their lives have changed, have their dreams fulfilled? The film received prize in Leipzig film festival, FIPRESSI prize, nominated for Prix Europa.

Vyacheslavs Kashcheyevs is a man who feels the world with each single one of his atoms and breaks the stereotype about physics as a dry and impersonal field of science. In parallel to splitting electrons in the laboratory, he seeks a connection to the Almighty, and is a dreamer, an exceptional scientist, family man and educator, socially active and civically minded. What allows him, unlike most of us, to be so harmonious and seemingly omniscient? Together with quantum physicist, theological authority and Latvian patriot Vyacheslav Kashcheyev, the film searches for the code to modern-day life.

Even if you’re born to fly, it's not an easy thing to learn. And not everyone succeeds.

A little girl’s father has to go to London. The little girl and her toy rabbit would like to go with him. Of course that’s out of the question. Yet little girls aren’t into giving up and even the smallest suitcase proves big enough.

Artis Baranovskis is a "registrator". He helps his clients by setting up fake companies. An hour before leaving to his own wedding, Artis has to find Jana, who's a fake shareholder of a company with a million euros on its account. Once she's found and her looks changed to those of a rich lady, Jana realizes her power and starts to play her own game.

Imants Veide is writing a script about con artists and their schemes. Together with his friend Harijs Kuharjonoks he's trying them out for real for greater authenticity, but gets too entangled in real criminal schemes. More and more colorful characters appear on the horizon, but Imant's main adversary on the road to criminal excellency is his Neighbour, a true iron lady with balls bigger than all those involved combined.

How the Stripped one and the Dotted one were playing in one sandbox and how it all ended.

At the end of World War II, many Latvians, Lithuanians, and Estonians fled the Soviet rule. They stayed abroad for many years. Now, after the regaining of independence of the three Baltic states, they are coming back. Their stories vary.

A story about Penguins. About their ‘consolidated’ society and unified thinking. About fashion and the crowd instinct. Yet despite all this, the protagonist is the Penguin who has always been regarded as the black sheep of the group. He is different…he has his own opinion.

Sometimes even those who are used to crawling, get to fly.

Sometimes we got lost. And then we have to be found again, so that no one is sad.

“Under the Upturned Moon” is a documentary that tells an outstandingly gripping story of two journalists investigating the depths of Islamic community in a country as small and seemingly insignificant as Latvia.

A film examining the game of doubles of democracy and capitalism since the restoration of independence in Latvia. Freedom from the USSR, pilfering the state, victory in Eurovision, joining the EU and NATO, the greatest crisis in the world – a quarter century of contrast and challenges.

A documentary about Latvian partisans ("forest brothers") who were fighting against the Soviet occupation long after the end of WWII.

Jānis was an actor – respected and in demand. Dina came to the Liepāja Theatre to become an actress. In the summer of 1992, Jānis fell off the roof of his house, broke his back and was partially paralysed. The doctors promised things would get better but they didn’t. They now live in a harsh reality which seems unbearable.