Zita Kaminska

A highlight of Baltic culture, the festival dedicated to Latvian song and dance celebrates its 150th anniversary in Riga.

'Žagari' traces the lives of Andrejs and Juris Žagars, brothers from the city of Cēsis, who both became distinguished in the arts as actors and administrators of art institutions, while both also found success as entrepreneurs. The original plan of the filmmakers was to show two strong personalities with their characteristic relationship and rivalries. However, fate intervened during the filming process, transforming the result into a powerful and touching portrait of brotherly love and the importance of family ties.

The film follows the Maestro's work on the concert program "Shakespeare. Sonnets. Pauls. Busulis. Keišs" during rehearsals, radio recordings, and the premiere. The camera also follows Raimonds Pauls during the creation of the Midsummer Eve and Christmas programs, capturing the Maestro's insights, conversations with colleagues, instructions to young soloists and actors, and his inevitable jokes.