The First Bridge

Pirmais Tilts

24th TDF: Greek Premiere

Krāslava bridge was the first bridge built over the Daugava River in the territory of Latvia – a gate of Belarus to the neighboring country, a strategically built and historically significant construction. This analytical documentary, immortalized in a series of suggestive, black-and-white, static shots and sounds, brings us closer to the life of the bridge in all its heaviness and lightness from various angles: through the eternally flowing river it arches over, we witness the endless movement of car traffic and pedestrians walking between two river banks as well as the call of the wild within close proximity to the manifestations of human civilization, for which it serves as a symbolic backdrop. Α film about frontiers, barriers, the ways to cross over and see what goes on, on the other side, but also a film about time, as it was shot on the leftovers of a 21-year-old 35mm negative.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.
Available at the Agora Market.
Direction: Laila Pakalnina
Script: Laila Pakalnina
Cinematography: Gints Bērziņš
Editing: Silvija Vilkaitė
Sound: Anrijs Krenbergs
Production: Hargla Company
Producers: Laila Pakalnina
Format: DCP
Color: B/W
Production Country: Latvia
Production Year: 2020
Duration: 12΄
Contact: Hargla Company

Laila Pakalnina

Laila Pakalnina graduated from the Moscow Film Institute (VGIK), Department of Film Direction, in 1991. A director and scriptwriter of 32 documentaries, five shorts, and six fiction features, altogether she has 43 films, two children, one husband, two dogs, and two bicycles; and many ideas for new films. Her films have been screened in official programs at Cannes, Venice, Berlinale, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Rome, Tallinn, and other international festivals, where they have won numerous awards.

Filmography

1988 Un | And
1990 Izvēle | The Choice
1991 Doms | The Dome (short)
1991 Veļa | The Linen (short)
1991 Iešana | The Pilgrimage
1992 Annas Ziemassvētki | Anna’s Christmas (short, fiction)
1993 Baznīca | The Church (short)
1994 Prāmis | The Ferry (short)
1995 Pasts | The Mail (short)
1995 Ubāns | Ubans
1997 Ozols | The Oak (short)
1998 Kurpe | The Shoe (fiction)
2000 Mostieties | Wake up (short)
2001 Papa Gena (short)
2002 Mārtiņš | Martins (short)
2003 Pitons | The Python (fiction)
2004 Būs labi | It’ll Be Fine (short)
2004 Autobuss | The Bus
2004 Leiputrija | Dream Land (short)
2006 Teodors | Theodore (short)
2006 Ķīlnieks | The Hostage (fiction)
2006 Ūdens | Water (short, fiction)
2007 Uguns | Fire (short, fiction)
2008 Par dzimtenīti | Three Men and Fish Pond (co-direction)
2008 Akmeņi | Stones (short, fiction)
2009 Klusums | Silence (short, fiction)
2010 Pa Rubika ceļu | On Rubiks’ Road (short)
2011 33 zvēri Ziemassvētki vecītim | 33 Animals of Santa Claus
2012 Sniegs | Snow Crazy (short)
2012 Picas | Pizzas (fiction)
2013 Četrdesmit divi | Forty Two
2013 Skurstenis | The Chimney
2014 Viesnīca un bumba | Hotel and a Ball (short) 2014 Īsfilma par dzīvi | Short Film about Life (short) 2015 Čau, Rasma! | Hi, Rasma! (short)
2015 Ausma | Dawn (fiction)
2016 Rumba | Waterfall (short)
2016 Sapnis | Dream (short)
2017 Zirdziņ, hallo! | Hello Horse! (short)
2019 Karote | Spoon
2020 Pirmais tilts | The First Bridge
2020 Spogulī | In the Mirror (fiction)
2021 Mājas | Homes