Uļa film premieres in Latvia

The film ‘Uļa’, directed by Viesturs Kairišs, held its Latvian premiere at the Splendid Palace cinema on September 15. The biographical film tells the life story of legendary Latvian basketball player Uļjana Semjonova, exploring themes of identity, loneliness, and belonging alongside her athletic achievements.

The premiere was attended by various figures, including Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs. President Rinkēvičs described the film as a ‘powerful and thought-provoking story’ that is not something one would watch with a ‘bucket of popcorn in hand.’

Kārlis Arnolds Avots, who co-wrote the script and stars in the lead role, was unable to attend in person as he is currently working abroad, but provided a video greeting to the audience. The film follows a successful run after its premiere in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section at the Cannes Film Festival and has been submitted as Latvia’s candidate for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.