Sea of Attractions

Colour, 35 mm
Latvia, 2005, 26 min
Section: Documentary Films in Competition

Synopsis

The film depicts a narrow stretch of marine coast, a no man’s land belonging both to the sea and the land. The inexpressible magic of this place attracts all living things, a place of absolute freedom and union with nature, at times serene, at others uncontrolled. With his gift for capturing the poetry of the moment, and using gentle irony, the Latvian documentarist observes activities in one of the lively areas on the shore of the Baltic sea. Soldiers, fishermen, motorcyclists, descendants of mediaeval knights and others come together here to open themselves up to a passion suppressed by the habits of civilisations.

About the director

Dainis Klava (b. 1965, Riga, Latvia) studied television direction at the Latvian Academy in the years 1987–1992. As a cameraman and director he gained experience working in Juris Podnieks’ film studios and for Vides Filmu Studija. He was also involved in video art and commercials and has been making documentaries since 1992. Select filmography: The Naivists (1992), Bird Man (1996), Bear Man – Andrejs (1997), All Rivers Flow to the Sea (1998), Squaring the Circle (2002), Sea of Attractions (2005).