Short documentaries about history of Latvia produced in Riga Summer School 2016 are available online

During the premier four short documentaries dedicated to difficult memories and identities were presented. Documentary “ABOUT THE FORGOTTEN” reflects the story of a young Jewish girl recalling in early childhood days, when her family was deported; “MEMORIES FROM STAGE” is dedicated to the one of Latvia's most important cultural landmarks: The Latvian National Theater; “VOICES OF REVOLUTION” is a short film about Singing Revolution focusing on the Barricades on Riga Dome square in January 1991. “SOMEBODY OUT THERE” is a short documentary about LGBTQ* in Riga. The film follows the development of the LGBTQ* Community from the Soviet Era throughout the Regime change until today. This documentary won the auditorium prize short after the premiere. Only two days after the premier the documentary “VOICES OF REVOLUTION” was demonstrated in the conference devoted to the 25^th anniversary of the de facto independence of the Republic of Latvia at the Museum of barricades of 1991 in Riga. The film received positive reactions from the audience. On Sunday, on anniversary of the de facto independence of Latvia this film was published on the official Facebook pages of Latvian institute – “If you like Latvia, Latvia likes you” and “Kaut kas mīļš no Latvijas”. These documentary films as well as films from previous years are freely available on Riga Summer School homepage www.rigasummerschool.eu and Youtube channel: RSS2016 About the Forgotten www.youtube.com/watch RSS2016 Somebody Out There www.youtube.com/watch RSS2016 Voices of Revolution www.youtube.com/watch RSS2016 Memories from Stage www.youtube.com/watch Premier event was presented by Riga Summer School director Kaspars Rūklis in hopes of organizing the 7th graduation of this summer school next year. In conclusion the auditorium was addressed by Goethe Institute representative Antra Balode and assistant professor Viktors Freibergs with director of Latvian institute Aiva Rozenberga presented their feedback on the documentary films. “I feel truly delighted about the successful cooperation between our project and Riga Summer School!” admits Professor, Dr. hist. Vita Zelče, the leader of Project’s "Living Together with Difficult Memories and Diverse Identities" or “LIVINGMEMORIES” research group from University of Latvia. Researchers involved in the working group are Dr. sc. comm. Laura Ardava, Dr. sc. comm. Didzis Bērziņš, Dr. soc. sc. Jurijs Ņikišins and Dr. art. Zane Radzobe, Mg. soc. sc. Sanita Burķīte and Mg. soc. sc. Aija Rozenšteine. The task of the research group of University of Latvia is to analyze society’s life after violent conflicts, the occupation, the Holocaust and repressions that led to the traumatic experience and the formation of new ways of living and practices of maintaining and reproducing memory. At the University of Latvia the project is implemented by the Social Memory Research Centre – interdisciplinary research unit of the Advanced Social and Political Research Institute of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Project “LIVINGMEMORIES” is an interdisciplinary social science and humanities project, which focuses on problematic social memory, as well as on the imprints of conflicts and protest movements on memory and identity. Within the project research groups from University of Helsinki, which is the leading partner, Perm National Polytechnic University, University of Tartu, Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main, Koç University in Istanbul and University of Latvia are working together. The co-ordinator of the project is Dr. phil. Kirsti Salmi-Niklander from University of Helsinki. This is the first social science and humanities project that is implemented in the program ERA.NET RUS PLUS (EU-FP7). This is the European Union’s 7th Framework Program, which focuses on the promotion of European Union member state scientific cooperation with Russian scientists.