From January 7 to March 15, the Pompidou Cultural Center in Paris, will screen an extensive retrospective of Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian poetic documentary cinema – a total of 52 films shot in the second half of the 20th century. The program is opened with "Is it easy to be young?" (1986), the most internationally known work by Juris Podnieks. Latvia is also represented by the works of six other directors, a separate block of screenings highlights the recent films by Laila Pakalniņa.
Published: 07.01.2026.
In one of the largest centres of contemporary art in Paris, the Centre Pompidou (Centre Pompidou) on Wednesday, January 7, the documentary film screening cycle starst - Baltic Poetics – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, which will continue with regular demonstrations until mid-March. The curator of the programme, French film scholar Arnaud Hée, writes on the website of the Pompidou Centre: "The choice in 2026 to focus on the cinematography of the Baltic States in the period from the 20th century onwards. The 60s to the early 2000s are no coincidence. The goal is not to compare eras, much less to declare that history repeats itself. But this program contains many and fruitful echoes both from history and from the current geopolitical tensions in these countries, which have a direct border with Russia – a country that has not given up on the restoration of its 'empire'."
In the poetic cinema programme, Latvia is represented by 17 documentaries (1961-1993), which are shown in various programmed screenings together with Lithuanian and Estonian classic films. The Latvian directors whose works are included in the selection are Juris Podnieks, Herz Frank, Aivars Freimanis, Ivars Seleckis, Ansis Epners, Ivars Kraulītis and Dainis Kļava, and the Latvian State Archive of Audiovisual Documents has provided very significant assistance in the technical support of the programme.
While major repairs are underway at the Pompidou Center, the films are shown in the art-house cinema Forum des images, the name of which is indicated on a poster and booklet. The opening film of the cycle on the evening of January 7 is the legendary cinematic work of the Latvian film director Jurs Podnieks Is it easy to be young? (1986), the very next day at the Embassy of Latvia there will be a theoretical discussion on Latvian documentary cinema – from poetics to politics, which will be chaired by the French film critic and director Sophie-Catherine Gallet, promising an analysis of history and today's processes.
In February, Zane Balčus, a Latvian film scientist and documentary film specialist, head of the Baltic Sea Docs, will go to the Pompidou Centre to participate in film screenings with introductory words and answers to questions from the audience.
Within the framework of the cycle, the latest documentaries of the internationally renowned film director Laila Pakalniņa – Spoon (2019), First Bridge (2020), Homes (2021) and Termini (2024) – will also be shown in several screenings, the director herself will also go to meet the audience of her films in France. The Return – as a reminder that in May 2019, an extensive retrospective of the director's documentaries was already shown at the Pompidou Center – 20 films (1991–2017) selected by specialists from the Pompidou Center's documentary cinematheque in 14 screenings.