The Monument

Viesturs Kairišs’ 2004 documentary The Monument investigates the interpretation of Riga’s Soviet Second World War memorial in the post-Soviet era. The “Victory Monument” was established by the Soviets to celebrate freeing Latvia from Nazi Germany. However, for Latvians, this didn’t mean “freedom”, it meant the beginning of another occupation of their country – this time, by Soviet Union.
Included in the collection “Europe’s old new faces : Ten countries, ten young directors. Ten stories about monuments situated somewhere between yesterday and tomorrow”.