Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF)

Overview

The Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF) is Latvia's leading international film festival and one of the most prominent film events in the Baltics. The 13th edition runs October 15 to 25, 2026, in Riga, Latvia. Founded in 2014, the festival has grown into a boutique industry meeting point for Baltic and Nordic cinema, with a Feature Film Competition restricted to films from the Baltic Sea region, Nordic countries, and Ukraine, and an international short film competition open to filmmakers worldwide.

The 12th edition (October 16 to 26, 2025) screened 78 films across its competitions, with 9 feature films from the Baltic Sea region competing for the top prize. The 2025 Feature Film Competition was won by "The Visitor" (dir. Vytautas Katkus, Lithuania/Norway/Sweden), a Lithuanian majority co-production that also won the Best Director Award at its earlier premiere. The jury included French curator Thibaut Bracq, Estonian director Anna Hints, Latvian producer Alise Gelze, Norwegian producer Gudny Hummelvoll, and Christian Jeune, director of the Film Department at Cannes.

RIGA IFF is organized by the association Rigas Starptautiskais kino festivals with support from the State Culture Capital Foundation, the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme, the Riga City Council, and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia. The festival's home venue is the Splendid Palace, a historic cinema in central Riga, with additional screenings at Forum Cinemas.

For filmmakers, RIGA IFF offers one of the most accessible competition platforms in Northern Europe. Submission fees are low (free for early bird, EUR 10 to 15 for regular and late submissions), the festival accepts submissions through FilmFreeway, and the Feature Film Competition is specifically designed for Baltic Sea and Nordic region productions, limiting competition to regional peers rather than global submissions.

Submission Details

RIGA IFF accepts submissions through FilmFreeway and its official entry portal. Key details for the 13th edition (2026):

Feature Film Competition Eligibility

• Feature films (minimum 60 minutes) where the majority of production financing comes from Baltic Sea region countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden), Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, including Greenland, Faroe Islands, Aland Islands), or Ukraine
• Films completed on or after July 1, 2025
• Must not have been screened in Latvia prior to RIGA IFF 2026
• Exception: films produced or co-produced in Latvia may have a national premiere at the festival (preferred but not mandatory)
• No genre restrictions: fiction, documentary, animation, and hybrid works accepted

Short Film International Competition Eligibility

• Short films up to 30 minutes, from anywhere in the world
• Films completed on or after January 1, 2025
• No genre or format restrictions: documentary, animated, narrative, and hybrid works accepted
• Films from the Russian Federation and Belarus are not eligible
• Preference given to short films not previously screened publicly at any international event in Latvia
• Selected films must provide a digital copy with English subtitles by August 15, 2026

Short Film National Competition Eligibility

• Up to 10 short films from Latvia
• Open to Latvian citizens, those born in Latvia, long-term residents (minimum 2 years), or films produced in Latvia with Latvian director involvement
• Films completed on or after January 1, 2025
• Maximum 30 minutes runtime
• No genre restrictions
• Films from the Russian Federation and Belarus are not accepted

Competition Sections

• Feature Film Competition - up to 10 feature films from the Baltic Sea region, Nordic countries, or Ukraine, competing for the RIGA IFF Feature Film Award (EUR 5,000) and a Special Jury Mention. Curated by artistic director Sonora Broka. The competition focuses on films that reflect on the cinema of tomorrow while covering distinctly different schools and traditions of cinema from the region.
• Short Film International Competition - international short films up to 30 minutes, competing for the RIGA IFF Short Film International Award (EUR 2,000) and Special Jury Mentions
• Short Film National Competition - up to 10 Latvian short films, showcasing the Latvian short film scene
• Baltic Music Video Competition - music videos by Baltic directors and musicians, exploring the interplay between moving image and music. Awards include the main prize, an Erica Synths incentive prize (Echolocator sound effects synthesizer), and the Oulu Music Video Festival Special Award

12th Edition Award Winners (2025)

The 2025 awards ceremony took place at the Splendid Palace, directed by Gerds Laposka. Key winners:

Feature Film Competition:

• Winner (EUR 5,000): "The Visitor" (Svecias, dir. Vytautas Katkus, Lithuania/Norway/Sweden) - produced by M-Films, co-produced by Staer and Garagefilm International, supported by Lithuanian Film Centre, Creative Europe MEDIA, Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Film Fond Nord, and Swedish Film Institute
• Jury Special Mention: "Special Operation" (Spetsialna operatsiia, dir. Oleksiy Radynski, Ukraine/Lithuania) - a documentary using CCTV footage of Russian troops entering Chernobyl

Short Film National Competition:

• Winner: "Where Does the Sun Sleep at Night?" (Kur saulite nakti gul?, dir. Ildze Felsberga)
• SWH Audience Award: "The Observer" (Verotajs, dir. Arnis Kalnins)

Short Film International Competition:

• Winner: "Drifting, South" (Nan Fang Pian Nan, dir. Di Zhang)
• Jury Special Mention: "tiny film about rape" (dir. Nebe Motylova)

Baltic Music Video Competition:

• Winner: "Dragas" by Lapkricio dvidesimtosios orkestras (dir. Robertas Nevecka)
• Erica Synths Incentive Prize: "Zeme griezas" by ANNIKA (dir. Ieva Aleksa)
• Oulu Music Video Festival Special Award: "Interval III" by Tesa (dir. Ieva Balode)

Industry Program Awards:

• RIGA IFF SHOWCASE Winner (TV3 prize): "The Wedding Day" (Ligava, dir. Marta Elina Martinsone)
• RIGA IFF SHOWCASE Winner (BBRental/BBPostHouse prize): "Hardsub" (dir. Novruz Hikmet)
• SHORT RIGA Test Screenings Winner: "Last Days" (Paskutines Dienos, dir. Kornelijus Stuckus)

Industry Program: RIGA IFF Forum

RIGA IFF Forum is the festival's industry arm, running alongside the public programme. It includes:

• RIGA IFF Showcase - a pitching and works-in-progress platform for Latvian and regional projects, with awards from TV3 Latvija and BBPostHouse/BBRental
• SHORT RIGA Test Screenings - a works-in-progress program for short films in post-production, with jury awards for finishing services
• Industry meetings and networking events - connecting Baltic and Nordic producers, directors, and sales agents

The industry program is smaller and more focused than the markets at major European festivals, which is an advantage for filmmakers seeking direct, one-on-one connections with regional industry professionals. The festival's boutique scale means that selected filmmakers have meaningful access to jury members, industry guests, and fellow participants rather than competing for attention in a large market setting.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Baltic and Nordic Filmmakers

The Feature Film Competition is the most targeted competitive platform for films from the Baltic Sea region, Nordic countries, and Ukraine. Because the competition is restricted to films where the majority of financing comes from these regions, you compete against regional peers rather than the full global festival circuit. This makes RIGA IFF one of the most accessible competitive festivals for Baltic and Nordic productions.

The EUR 5,000 top prize is modest by international standards but the festival's industry connections are the primary value. The jury consistently includes high-level international industry figures (the 2025 jury included Christian Jeune from Cannes and producers from Norway and Latvia), which means selection puts your film in front of decision-makers who can influence international festival invitations and distribution.

The free early-bird submission period (until March 31, 2026) eliminates the financial barrier to entry. There is no reason not to submit during this window. The Latvia premiere requirement (films must not have screened in Latvia before RIGA IFF) is the primary constraint, but since Latvia has a limited number of festivals, this is rarely a strategic problem for international filmmakers.

For International Short Filmmakers

The Short Film International Competition is open to filmmakers worldwide (excluding Russia and Belarus). The EUR 2,000 top prize and the free early-bird submission make this one of the most accessible short film competitions in Northern Europe. The 30-minute maximum runtime is standard for international short film festivals.

The festival's focus on artistic vision over commercial appeal means that experimental, documentary, animated, and hybrid short films are all welcome. The selection committee specifically looks for films that demonstrate a distinct artistic vision and deliver a unique audiovisual experience.

For Latvian Filmmakers

The Short Film National Competition is the most important competitive platform for Latvian short films. With up to 10 films selected, the competition provides concentrated domestic exposure and the opportunity to screen at the Splendid Palace, one of Riga's most prestigious venues. The SWH Audience Award provides additional recognition based on public voting.

The RIGA IFF Showcase and SHORT RIGA Test Screenings provide pathways for Latvian projects in development and post-production to connect with regional industry professionals and receive finishing awards.

Practical Considerations

Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltics, with direct flights from major European hubs (Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Warsaw). The city is known for its Art Nouveau architecture, its UNESCO-listed historic center, and its cultural scene. The festival's venues (Splendid Palace, Forum Cinemas) are in central Riga within walking distance of most hotels.

The festival's October timing places it alongside the fall festival circuit, after San Sebastian (September) and before the winter festival season. The 11-day duration (October 15 to 25, 2026) is longer than many festivals of similar scale, providing ample time for networking and industry meetings.

The festival is organized with support from the State Culture Capital Foundation, Creative Europe MEDIA, Riga City Council, and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia. This institutional backing provides stability and ensures the festival's continuity, but it also means the festival operates within the constraints of Latvian cultural policy, which prioritizes Baltic and Nordic regional cooperation.

Festival History

RIGA IFF was founded in 2014 by the association Rigas Starptautiskais kino festivals. The festival was created to provide a competitive international platform for Baltic and Nordic cinema in Latvia's capital, filling a gap in the regional festival landscape. The festival's founding came 26 years after Latvian independence in 1991 and reflected the country's integration into European cultural structures, including the Creative Europe MEDIA programme.

The festival has grown over 12 editions from a small regional event into a recognized boutique festival with international juries, industry programs, and a focused competition structure. The Feature Film Competition's restriction to Baltic Sea region, Nordic, and Ukrainian productions gives the festival a distinct identity separate from larger European festivals that accept global submissions.

The RIGA IFF Forum was developed to provide industry infrastructure for Baltic and Nordic producers, with the Showcase and Test Screenings programs offering concrete pathways for projects in development and post-production to receive finishing funds and industry connections.

The festival's bronze statuettes, designed by artist Ervins Broks, are awarded to competition winners across all categories. The festival's slogan, "SEE. SHIFT. BECOME.", reflects its programming philosophy of selecting films that transform viewers through refined cinematic experience.

See Also

Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. Estimate your acceptance probability with the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival circuit strategy and Baltic premiere planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For European film market analysis, see International Film Markets. Submit through RIGA IFF on FilmFreeway or visit the official website.