The 7th Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns this November continuing its tradition of bringing the best new films from the Baltic region to New York audiences. The leading Baltic film festival in the U.S. will take place November 6-17, 2024, offering both in-person and virtual screenings. In-person screenings and events will take place November 6-10 at Scandinavia House in New York. The online version will once again be available to viewers across the U.S. via the Elevent streaming platform from November 9–17.
The Festival’s Opening Night Celebration on Wednesday, November 6 will feature the U.S. Premiere of Life and Love (dir. Helen Takkin, Estonia, 2024). Set in 1933 amid the Great Depression, the film follows a young woman, Irma, who leaves her rural background to become a writer in the city, where she is seduced by her employer at a local printing house. As toxic behavior and power games pull her into a web of manipulation, rising political tensions remind Irma and her loved ones that romantic illusions come at a very high price.
The closing night of the in-person programs on Sunday, November 10 will feature the New York Premiere of Flow (dir. Gints Zilbalodis, Latvia/France/Belgium, 2024). In this thrilling animated spectacle about friendship and community amid environmental fragility, a courageous cat teams up with a capybara, lemur, bird and dog to survive after their homes are devastated by a great flood. Hailed as “one of the most moving animated films in recent memory (Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire) and “a joy to experience…a deeply affecting story (David Rooney, THR), Flow has been named a contender for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.
This year’s festival will feature films exploring Baltic connections to other cultures, as well as the many worlds that exist within Baltic societies. ASF Program Manager & NYBFF Co-Curator Kyle Reinhart states, “While we do not always know what tomorrow will bring, cinema’s ability to show the humanity and passion of our fellow man — whether through the hopes and dreams of individuals and communities, or the shared struggles of our neighbors — introduces us to new ideas and perspectives, and ignites our imaginations.”
As we celebrate the continued global success of Baltic films at major international film festivals, we invite you to join us at Scandinavia House and see the world through Baltic eyes.
IN-PERSON SCHEDULE
WED—NOVEMBER 6
6:30 PM: Opening Night Celebration, Life and Love (Elu ja armastus, dir. Helen Takkin, Estonia, 2024)
U.S. Premiere; reception follows
THU—NOVEMBER 7
7 PM: The Mammoth Hunt (dir. Aistė Stonytė, Lithuania, 2024)
Film talk with director Aistė Stonytė; NY Premiere
FRI—NOVEMBER 8
6 PM: A Postcard From Rome (dir. Elza Gauja, Latvia, 2024)
Film talk with director Elza Gauja; North American Premiere
8:15 PM: 8 Views of Lake Biwa (dir. Marko Raat, Estonia, 2024) *Academy Award Contender*
Film talk with producer Ivo Felt and costume designer Reet Aus; North American Premiere; reception follows
SAT—NOVEMBER 9
12 PM: Life and Love (Elu ja armastus, dir. Helen Takkin, Estonia, 2024)
Film talk with director Helen Takkin
3 PM: Short Films (On Weary Wings Go By; Ootid, The Ones Who Know;
The Weight Of Light; Blank Page Syndrome; Sacrificial Lamb)
5 PM: Maria’s Silence (dir. Davis Simanis, Latvia, 2024)
Film talk with director Davis Simanis; North American Premiere
7:30 PM: Toxic (dir. Saulė Bliuvaitė, Lithuania, 2024)
Film talk with director Saulė Bliuvaitė; New York Premiere; reception follows
SUN—NOVEMBER 10
2 PM: Parade (dir. Titas Laucius, Lithuania, 2022)
Film talk with director Titas Laucius; New York Premiere
4:15 PM: Kelly — Someone Else’s Dream (dir. Helen Lõhmus, Estonia, 2024)
Film talk with director Helen Lõhmus; U.S. Premiere
7 PM: Flow (dir. Gints Zilbalodis, Latvia/France/Belgium, 2024) *Academy Award Contender*
Film talk with co-writer and producer Matiss Kaža; NY Premiere; reception follows
PASSES & INSTRUCTIONS
IN-PERSON PASS
($125/$95 ASF Members)
Access to all in-person screenings at Scandinavia House except opening night. Film talk with director Saulė Bliuvaitė; New York Premiere; reception follows
5-FILM PACKAGE
$60/$40 ASF Members
Access to any five (5) films screening in-person at Scandinavia House or virtually.
VIP PACKAGE
($425)
Access to all in-person screenings at Scandinavia House and all virtual screenings. Package includes 2 opening night tickets, 6 additional in-person guest passes, a complimentary NYBFF mug, and acknowledgement on balticfilmfestival.com.
INSTRUCTIONS
To use your Ticket Package to get individual tickets, log in to your Elevent account here. After logging in, go to your Account page to see your Ticket Package(s) and press “Fulfill Package” next to the package you want to use. Then, browse the event schedule and you will see a free ticket option listed for each event which accepts your Ticket Package. Add the free ticket(s) to your cart and complete the order — no additional information or purchase is required. You can use some or all of your Ticket Package at once.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK BALTIC FILM FESTIVAL
Established in 2018, the New York Baltic Film Festival is presented and organized by Scandinavia House in collaboration with the Embassy of Estonia, Consulate General of Lithuania, and Permanent Mission of Latvia to the United Nations in New York. Financial support for the festival comes from the Estonian Film Institute, National Film Center of Latvia, and Lithuanian Film Center, with additional sponsorship by the American-Scandinavian Foundation, American Latvian Association, Edhard Corporation, Estonian Ministry of Culture, Estonian American National Council (EKRÜ), Honorary Consulate General of Latvia in New York, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Baltic Film Media and Arts School at Tallinn University, Narbutas, and Sondra Litvatytė.
For program announcements, please subscribe to the festival newsletter and Scandinavia House newsletter. For more immediate updates, follow NYBFF on Instagram and Facebook.