ISFF 2ANNAS warns of the risks of art censorship in Riga City Council’s policy for support of culture
Responding to recent discussions about support for private cultural and artistic events, the team behind the Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS expresses concern over the attempts of certain Riga City Council deputies and their political parties to introduce a discriminatory approach to decision-making, which could lead to art censorship and pose a threat to civil society as a whole.
On Tuesday, January 14, heated discussions broke out among deputies at a Riga City Council meeting regarding the allocation of co-financing for cultural and artistic events organized by private individuals. This was triggered by a statement from council member Jūlija Stepaņenko (Sovereign Power/AJ) that pressure was being exerted on committee members to make decisions about who would receive support. The 2ANNAS festival, which, in the deputy's opinion, demonstrates primarily "queer films," was highlighted as a particularly negative example. Riga Deputy Mayor Edvards Ratnieks (NA) pointed out the need to amend the documents so that deputies could vote in accordance with their political convictions.
The team behind 2ANNAS festival are firm in their beliefs that such statements made by deputies, set a dangerous precedent for both Latvian culture and civil society as a whole, their proposed or preferred way of judging the submitted candidates is rooted in their subjective convictions and personal agendas, opting to ignore the criteria set in the competition rules.
“At the Riga City Council meeting, arguments were made about the so-called ‘moral law’ and claims that the public should not be shown anything that someone ‘would not want their children to see’. I would like to emphasize that queer people and their families are and will continue to be part of Latvian society. We will not stand by while yet another attack on free and diverse cultural practices in our country takes place," says Zulijen Nuhum Kulibali, curator of the "Pure Queer" program.
The festival team emphasizes that the 2ANNAS program "Pure Queer" is now in its third year and is just one of several programmes of the festival. Alongside international competitions and focus programs, a significant place is also reserved for content intended for children and young people. The festival serves as an international platform that gives Latvian audiences the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in world cinema, including Ukrainian cinema, as mentioned in the project application for the Riga City Council co-financing competition.
2ANNAS is one of the oldest short film festivals in the Baltic States. In 2026, it will celebrate its 30th anniversary, offering viewers innovative and socially significant film programs, as well as a wide range of audiovisual events. Over the years, the festival has grown into one of the most important platforms for the film industry in the Baltic region and has gained considerable recognition in the European and global film festival scene.