Miles of vast nature, hordes of birds, a wooden fishermen’s shed. And three middle-aged men, who in this Latvian ‘middle of nowhere’ do little more than what is strictly necessary. They catch fish, repair their tools and only say something if they really have to. Do the men live in harmony or in conflict with nature? Two water birds who cheerfully dance to their music could be an indication of the former. But gunshots resound constantly, making flocks of ducks fly up, and the men chase fish with small nets. It is clear: nature provides this tiny community with its daily bread. Director Laila Pakalnina and cameraman Maris Maskalans, who previously made the nature documentary ‘Dream Land’ on a garbage dump, relate ‘Three Men and a Fish Pond’ in images, rather than words.
Laila Pakalnina
Laila Pakalnina was born 1962 in Liepaja, Latvia. She studied television journalism at the University of Moscow and went on to study film at the Moscow Film Institute (VGIK), Department of Film Direction, graduating in 1991. She lives and works in Riga. She wrote and directed of 19 documentaries, five shorts, three feature-lentgh fictions. Several of her films have already been screened at previous ZagrebDox editions.
Maris Maskalans
Maris Maskalans is a Latvian cinematographer and director, he usually works with other well known Latvian directors Laila Pakalnina and Andis Miziss.
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Three Men and a Fish Pond
Latvia
2008, 52', color, video
Directed by:
Laila Pakalnina, Maris Maskalans
Screenplay by:
Maris Maskalans
Cinematography:
Maris Maskalans
Edited by:
Laila Pakainina
Producer:
Uldis Cekulis
Produced by:
Vides Filmu Studija
