Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS 2025
Among the most dynamic festivals in Riga is the International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS — a bold and boundary-pushing celebration of short-form cinema.From April 4 to 10, 2025, the festival returned for its 29th edition, transforming the city into a hub for fresh ideas, visual experimentation, and global storytelling. Known for spotlighting daring and innovative works, 2ANNAS gave filmmakers a unique stage to challenge conventions and connect with diverse audiences.
Riga: Where Art and Tech Meet Cinema
Latvians are pretty keen on using technology as a playground for art and fun. Take virtual reality, for example – it has become a popular way to experience storytelling in totally immersive ways that go beyond traditional screens.Even newer digital trends, like online casino gaming, have been greatly accepted this year. Casino gaming in particular has found a big audience since it enabled faster and easier access to this form of entertainment.
But even with all these digital diversions, nothing quite captures Riga's heart like film. And the best proof of that is the Riga International Short Film Festival, known simply as 2ANNAS.
When 2ANNAS comes to town, Riga buzzes with cinematic excitement, putting short films centre stage and showing just how powerful and expressive they can be.
Starting Small, Growing into a Legacy (Since 1996)
How did 2ANNAS grow into the influential festival we know today? Its story goes all the way back to 1996, when director Viesturs Grazdanovics founded it at the Center of Creative Learning ANNAS 2. What started as a small, grassroots event — screening just a few experimental short films — quickly began to gain momentum.The original idea was simple but meaningful: to spark an interest in cinema among young Latvians and give them a space to explore filmmaking. Over time, that vision expanded, and 2ANNAS gradually evolved into a major force in the Baltic film scene.
In 2005, they started showing more international movies. The festival made a big stride in 2006 when it started placing greater emphasis on quality, adaptability and new ideas.
Next, in 2007, they organized a dedicated film competition for short films from the Baltic area and Green Anna, a program especially for young filmmakers under eighteen. In 2015, the festival included the International Medium Length Competition, allowing it to include more unique and high-quality films.
But through it all, 2ANNAS remains dedicated to short films, celebrating them for their raw artistic spirit and their often bold, memorable stories.
Recapping the 2025 Festival
The 2025 edition of 2ANNAS, held from April 4th to 10th, was a vibrant, high-energy week that brought together creativity, conversation, and a real sense of momentum around short-form cinema. This year’s theme — symbiosis — couldn’t have felt more fitting.Across the board, the films showcased a rich variety of styles, genres, and perspectives — all united by one key element: they were recent, made in 2023 or 2024, keeping the program dynamic and in tune with the current moment.
One of the standout features of this year’s festival was the continued development of the 2ANNAS FORUM — a space created to bring filmmakers, critics, and audiences together for real conversations and creative exchange. Inclusivity also remained a priority, with the Pure Queer section once again offering a platform for LGBTQ+ voices and stories, grounded in honesty, identity, and artistic freedom.
Stories That Inspire Conversation
The festival’s focus on showing fresh and reflective art is one of its greatest features.It is where filmmaking comes together with a wide variety of international films. Films at the festival touch on significant subjects, personal or social and can include politics, using unique approaches to filmmaking.
Because of this, 2ANNAS’ programs are known for challenging participants and every year pays special attention to specific subjects to inspire more conversation.
The event has shown importance in helping new filmmakers from the region express their feelings through their films. Besides the main competition, the festival also presents other engaging stories from different backgrounds.
Moreover, 2ANNAS takes its programs outside Riga, sharing the best movies with people everywhere in Latvia.
