Blizzard of Souls

A sweeping and deeply human historical epic, Blizzard of Souls follows sixteen-year-old Artūrs as his world is torn apart by World War I. After witnessing his mother’s execution by invading German forces, Artūrs and his father enlist in the Latvian Riflemen battalions of the Imperial Russian Army, driven by grief, revenge, and youthful idealism.

Thrown into the brutal realities of trench warfare on the Eastern Front, Artūrs endures unimaginable loss, including the deaths of his father and brother. Disillusioned by the promises of glory and justice, he briefly joins the Bolsheviks, only to confront their cruelty and moral emptiness firsthand. Forced to choose between obedience and conscience, Artūrs deserts and returns home to fight for Latvia’s newly proclaimed independence, determined to rebuild both his shattered life and his nation.

Directed by Dzintars Dreibergs and adapted from Aleksandrs Grīns’ autobiographical novel, Blizzard of Souls is a powerful coming-of-age story set against one of the most turbulent periods in Baltic history. Shot partly on the original battlefields, the film delivers visceral realism, emotional depth, and breathtaking cinematography.

Latvia’s official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards, the film won Best Picture at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and received multiple international accolades, including awards for cinematography and its acclaimed score by Lolita Ritmanis.

RECOGNITION

Winner of Best Picture at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and recipient of multiple Latvian National Film Awards, including Best Fiction Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actor (Oto Brantevics), Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Makeup, and Best Sound. The film was Latvia’s Official Selection for the 93rd Academy Awards and also received international honors for cinematography (IMAGO International Awards – Valdis Celmiņš) and original score (Hollywood Music in Media Awards and Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards for composer Lolita Ritmanis).