In Toronto’s multicultural heart, Canadian Latvian immigrants unite across generations in the “Daugaviņa” dance group to preserve their ancestral traditions through folk dance and journey to Latvia to participate in one of the biggest folkdance festivals in the world.
The Latvian Nationwide Song and Dance Festival, held every five years, is one of the world’s largest folkdance events, with nearly three times the participants of the Olympic Games but rarely seen globally. It represents the enduring preservation of Latvian culture—a tradition fiercely upheld by the diaspora during Soviet occupation. More Than a Dance follows the Canadian Latvian dance group Daugaviņa as they prepare for this momentous festival. The documentary captures their journey to Latvia, exploring their search for belonging between two homes, the challenge of maintaining cultural traditions in a globalized world, and their profound reconnection with their roots.
The film’s director, Pauls Dombrovskis, shares his thoughts on the film’s concept: “For better or worse, I have lived in Germany, New Zealand, the USA, Australia, Canada, and India during my life, but I’ve always found myself between these countries and Latvia. Like the film’s main character, Selga, this has led me to ask the same question—where is my true home? In seeking the answer to this and other questions about belonging, I share a common goal with these characters – the preservation and promotion of Latvian culture.”
KULTFILMA, led by acclaimed director and producer Dzintars Dreibergs, is a distinguished Latvian production company with over 15 years of industry experience. The studio gained international recognition for its hit historical war drama Blizzard of Souls, which broke Latvian box-office records, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the Best Score category, and was featured in Variety’s Top 25 Best International Films. KULTFILMA is known for its expertise in creating historically rich narratives and films that explore culture, heritage, and history, as well as highlighting people who make significant contributions to society. The studio also has an extensive portfolio of documentaries and TV programs that reflect its commitment to quality and storytelling excellence.
Trailer with English subtitles: https://vimeo.com/999514946
Contact Ilze Faļkovska, KULTFILMA Producer at ilze@kultfilma.lv