I discovered this film in a small theatre during my film-study years. There was wine available in the theatre, and I was very happy that day. There are many things to say about this Japanese underground pink-porn musical. The main thing is the one-take technique — every scene is shot once. I think having “one chance” mimics how life is — it embraces imperfection, becoming more instinctive and bringing out raw energy from the cast. The film itself is a playful musical with amazing music by Stereo Total in it. (Check out Stereo Total if you haven’t.)

It’s the first Latvian Oscar nomination and the first Oscar win. A proud moment for our country and our film industry. The film takes you on a continuous journey without a word spoken and makes you contemplate your own life while sitting in the boat alongside a few cute animals.

The Dogma95 movement inspires me a lot. It is a reminder that the story and the performance of the actors come first. It is a reminder that drama can be created without pulling out a gun, without cheap tricks, and without visual cosmetics. Besides that, it is a fun film to watch about a First World existential crisis.

Roy Andersson’s world simply makes me happy; it gives me hope, it makes me laugh, it calms me down. It’s like visiting your grandparents’ country house, where suddenly all your existential problems become seamless and absurd.

“I see life as an illusion, and we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously” — a quote from the film that I take with me. The film treats human life as a surprising miracle that is full of games. I tend to look for a game when life gets overly serious.

“It’s both beautiful and strange” — it’s David Lynch describing what he seeks in art. This video is a cinematic experience that moves me when I feel stuck. It evokes the imagination of possibilities, like the feeling one has when being on an endless road.

This short passion project is a self-sufficient island that travels somewhere on the internet and reflects a certain moment in time that the crew once experienced. It reminds me of what I love about independent filmmaking — capturing strong moods and impressions that embody life in a raw and beautiful way.

To me this is a brilliant dance film – a passion project by Gasser Brothers. It is very simple but very strong. It embodies the feeling of complete peace – a forgiveness, an end of the day, a completion of a long monotonous task, a glance at the moving treetops.

There are commercials that go against time. The storytelling and visual elements in this commercial are an absolute class. I love when this level of filmmaking squeezes into commercial spaces.