In the Shadow of Death

Black and white, 35 mm
Latvia, 1971, 79 min
Section: Baltic Films

Synopsis

One of the most original movies ever to come out of the Latvian film industry. Director Gunar Piesis’ 1971 movie focuses on a group of tough village fisherman. They go out on an ice floe to fish but when the ice breaks away and floats out to open sea, they know it means certain death. Hardy Grintals, Birkenbaum, young Karlens, father and son Augusts and Juris Dald, and stingy Zalga know that if a miracle doesn’t happen they’ll all die within a few days. Only when face to face with the end are the true men revealed, those able to leave the world with a clean slate and their heads held high. Not everyone can bear the desperate thought of never returning home. The film stars Eduards Pavuls, Gunars Gilinskis, Karlis Sebris, Alfreds Videnieks and Girts Jakovlevs.

About the director

Gunars Piesis (1931 – 1996) studied direction at the VGIK in Moscow in 1962. His feature debut Grey Ossiers in Blossom (1961) provoked a controversial response. After that, Piesis spent a lengthy period making scientific-educational documentaries. With the film In the Shadow of Death he made his grand comeback into the field of feature film. His films are typical for their psychological introspection and their exploration of emotion, particularly at extreme existential times. In the last years of his life, in cooperation with Barrandov Film Studios, he made two films for children. Select filmography: Grey Ossiers in Blossom (1961), No Need to Go Anywhere (1963), In the Shadow of Death (Naves ena, 1971), Blow the Winds (Put, vejini, 1973), Your Son (1978), Millstones of Time (1981), Tom Thumb (1985), Maija and Paija (1990).