Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Oto Brantevics | ... | Arturs Vanags |
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Greta Trusina | ... | Marta |
Martins Vilsons | ... | Vanags | |
Rezija Kalnina | ... | Mother | |
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Raimonds Celms | ... | Edgars Vanags |
Jekabs Reinis | ... | Mikelsons | |
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Gatis Gaga | ... | Konrads |
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Renars Zeltins | ... | Spilva |
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Vilis Daudzins | ... | Col. Sala |
Ieva Florence | ... | Mirdza | |
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Natalija Buha | ... | Ola |
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Evita Goze | ... | Lola |
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Ziedonis Lochmelis | ... | Apsitis |
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Sandis Pecis | ... | Melcs |
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Martins Liepa | ... | Spelmanis |
The love story of the sixteen-year-old Arturs gets interrupted by the First World War. After losing his mother and his home, he finds some consolation in joining the army, because this is the first time the Russian Empire permits national battalions. However, war is nothing like Arturs imagined - no glory, no fairness. It is brutal and painful. Arturs is now completely alone as the war takes the lives of his father and brother. Also, no progress is made in the promised quick resolution of the war and timely return home. Within the notion that only he alone cares about returning home and that his homeland is just a playground for other nations, Arturs finds strength for the final battle and eventually returns home to start everything from scratch, just like his newly born country. Written by National Film Centre of Latvia
Fantastic film. Tough, but it's our history. In my opinion, every citizen of Latvia should see this film. Indeed, one of the best Latvian films I've ever seen. Yes, some battles, especially the Isle of Death and the Battle of Cesis, could have been more depicted, but the scenes of the Christmas fights were something wow.
The only thing I didn't like was the filming style - I don't know if it was done by purpose, but the camera was very often shaking , and at some moments I wasn't able to enjoy the film by 100%. Especially in fighting scenes.
But it's a great movie all over. 9/10
Thank you.