Riga International Film Festival, 2026 and 2027

forthcoming

The mission of Riga International Film Festival (RIGA IFF) is to create an internationally recognised film event that promotes Riga, enriches Northern Europe’s cultural space, and advocates for the development of an intelligent, open, democratic and active society. The RIGA IFF was established in 2014, and has become one of Latvia’s premier cultural events. It is a celebration of film that introduces the international film industry to the current body of work coming out of the Baltic Sea region and the Nordic countries, and in turn, introduces local audiences to the latest findings and trends in world cinema. The festival advances public interest in current events taking place in the contemporary cinema landscape, and encourages dialogue between audience and filmmakers. In the RIGA IFF programme, contemporary cinema meets the classics, and assertive debut works mingle with festival hits. Moreover, the industry section of the festival – RIGA IFF FORUM – provides a platform for film professionals from around the world in which to develop sustainable collaborations with the Latvian and Baltic filmmakers as well as discuss the future challenges facing the world of film. RIGA IFF FORUM is tailored to fit the needs of the film industry in the Nordic region focusing on creating new cooperations and strengthening existing ties. Both the latest and upcoming feature-length and short film projects are presented here. Around 100 public screenings organised into one national and five international competitions gather a local audience of over 25 000 people each year. The professional jury presiding over the festival’s international competitions for feature-length films, international and national short films and music videos salutes uniquely expressive filmmakers and works that communicate new tendencies and advances in the language of cinema. Every year, an international jury awards the festival's main prize, the Golden Rooster, to a feature film from the Baltic Sea region