Green Land/ Vihreä maa (2024, 30:00)

Green Land takes place in rural Latvia. Depicting a collective farm worker, it personifies both personal as well as state memory, in different ways. The main characters, former collective farm workers Irēna, Veronika and Lūcije, recount their experiences, offering us a glimpse of a bygone era and openly participating in the performance offered to them.

Films key image – the gestalt of history – is a concrete sculpture by Rasma Bruzīte from 1952. The title of the film comes from the concept of a green, verdant land. It is also the title of a classic book by Latvian writer Andrejs Upīts, a Soviet-era epic to which the young literary scholar Arnis, has devoted his life to.

VIHREÄ MAA (30', 2024)
GREEN LAND

Green Land is filmed in Latvia during the years 2017-2024.

Retired Kolkhoz Workers
Irēna Balode
Veronika Ābelīte
Lūcija Birzara

Interpreter and Choreographer
Agate Bankava

Literature researcher
Arnis Koroševskis

Photographer
Pēteris Lorencs

Dancers
Agate Bankava
Agnese Bordjukova
Terēze Zabarovska

Interviewer of the researcher
Jaana Kokko

The care takers of the Little Milda:
Antra Apsitis
Jānis Apsitis
Ralfs Apsitis
Emils Apsitis

Additional people in the moving image
Inta Balode
Aira Timlin

Script, research, editing, filming, producing
Jaana Kokko

Dramaturg
Janina Herhoffer

Sound recording:
Jaana Kokko
Aira Timlin

Sound editing
Hans-Günter Lock

Gabriel de la Cruz
Sound mixing and mastering
Hans-Günter Lock

Color and Mastering
Jaakko Rinne

Location manager:
Inta Balode

Sculptor
Rasma Bruzīte

Latvian transcription
Emīlija Morica

Close reading the interviews and script lines
Patrīcija M. Keiša

Interpreter in 2022 interviews
Liga Kozlovska

English proofreading
H. Ouramo

Photo albums
Irēna Balode and Veronica Ābelīte

Thank you

Inta Balode
Lisa Helminiak
Agnese Lūse
Maira Dobele
Sergeis Kruks
Pauls Dambis

Laura Horelli
Salla Tykkä
Gitte Villesen
Museum of Andrejs Upīts, Riga
Finnish Embassy in Riga,
Anne Saloranta and Jaakko Koivusaari
The Laukku Residency
Active Body Memories –residency at Lūznava Manor July 2022

Supported by

Linnamon säätiö
Avek, Milla Moilanen
Taiteen edistämiskeskus, Arts Council Finland

@ Jaana Kokko 2024