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What do you do when you are a professional physicist enchanted by the world of moving images? You become a producer trying to make the best of your rational and emotional sides. That’s what happened to me.
Uldis Cekulis created the independent production company VFS FILMS almost 18 years ago and later won the International Trailblazer prize at MIPDOC in Cannes, which recognises the best documentary makers. He has worked on almost fifty creative documentaries and author-driven prime time TV projects both as a producer and sometimes as a cameraman. As producer, most of his films such as Roof on the Moonway, Theodore, The Deconstruction of an Artist, Double Aliens, Ukrainian Sheriffs and others have travelled and received awards around the world, including nomination for the European Film Academy Documentary Award 2005 for Dreamland by Laila Pakalnina and the Lithuanian official Academy Award entry Ramin by Audrius Stonys in 2012 for Best Foreign Language Film. Several times, his productions have received Best Documentary Prize at the Latvian National Film Festival. He has co-produced documentaries with Ukrainian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Russian, German, Italian, French, Greek, Icelandic, Finnish, and Georgian production companies. A big plus facilitating his career, was the EURODOC training programme as well as the Institute of Documentary Film initiatives. A member of the European Documentary Network (EDN) since 1998, Cekulis also served on its Executive Board. In addition, he is a member of EFA. Other activities include lecturing at the Riga International School of Economics and Business Administration and tutoring at many EDN organized workshops in Europe and the Caucasus. Currently he is working on five documentary co-productions. 



Selected work

/All /Producer/Cinematographer/Documentary/Image Films/Television/Various

Uguns aplis Ring of Fire

Ceļojums šamaniskajā un klauniskajā teātra trupas “Kvadrifrons” pasaulē.

The Jump Lēciens

Through rare archival footage and a dramatic first-person re-enactment of one of the biggest Cold War muddles of the 1970s, Lithuanian sailor Simas Kudirka...

The Rossellinis Es piedzimu Rosellīni

A laid-back journey in search of a unique family, descendants of the man who rewrote the history of cinema.

Latvijas raidījums TE!

Saglabājot piedzīvojuma garšu, rotaļīgumu un izteiktu klātbūtnes sajūtu, jaunais TE! meklēs atbildi uz vienu galveno jautājumu: kur īsti Latvija dzīvo vairāk – pagātnē, tagadnē...

Upurga (2021)

Mythological thriller set in the wilderness, focusing on the main character Andrejs, who works as an outdoor adventure guide.

Standard Open Access Cleanrooms

Insight into the cleanroom complex of resources the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia

Pusaudžu raidījums Zūmeri

No 9. maija sestdienās LTV1 kanālā plkst. 12:15 jauns pusaudžu raidījums “Zūmeri”.

Documentary series “The Keys” [English subtitles]

In 2018, Mārtiņš Ķibilds and the team at VFS Films created historical television series “The Keys”. We will publish an episode with English subtitles...

All My Friends Are Dead Visi mani draugi miruši

Violets are blue, Roses are red, all my friends are dead...

AlmaMater.lv

Jaunajā raidījumā brāļi Oltes iepazīs augsti izglītotus cilvēkus, kuru dzīves pamatus ielikusi Latvijas Universitāte.

The Immortal Nemirstīgie

The film, set in an industrial town in Russia, reveals the mechanism that entices human beings to voluntarily become a resource to the state....

2018

A unique poetic vision based on analogy with the documentary “235 000 000”, a classic of the Riga school of poetic documentary cinema.

Literatūre

Jaunajā raidījumā “Literatūre” Marta Selecka un Gustavs Terzens kopā ar rakstniekiem un grāmatām ceļos latviešu literatūras dārgumu pasaulē.

Restorāns 3

Promo clip for "Restaurant 3"

THE STORY OF THE FREEDOM MONUMENT

A piece of Latvian history, filmed for the Latvian Institute.

Bridges of Time Laika tilti

Kristīne Briede and Audrius Stonys’s meditative documentary essay portrays the less-remembered generation of cinema poets of the Baltic New Wave.

Wonderful Losers. A Different World Brīnišķīgie lūzeri. Cita pasaule

The documentary poem tells the story of the undiscovered world of the ''domestique'', wonderful losers, true warriors, knights and monks of professional cycling.

Atslēgas

Atslēgas stāstīs par Latvijas valsts vēstures nozīmīgākajiem jeb «atslēgas» notikumiem, personībām un pagriezieniem no 1918. gada līdz mūsdienām.

Lidija

A half an hour close-up of a life spanning almost a century and persevering under the harshest trials.

The Fairytale of Empty Space Pasaka par tukšo telpu

A documentary fairytale which tells the story of the life and work of accomplished European scenographer and educator Andris Freibergs.

Flying monks temple Lidojošo mūku templis

A Latvian architect and a Chinese businessman are about to complete an ambitious project – the world’s first structure for human levitation.

Contemporary Laikmetīgā

What prevails in contemporary art: the art or the present moment and what determines it.

LIBERATION DAY Atbrīvošanas diena

''ALL ART IS PROPAGANDA'' George Orwell ''… AND ALL PROPAGANDA IS ART'' Laibach

Talkers Runātāji

People speaking their local dialects eradiate the whole beauty of Latvian language in which one thought can be pronounced in so many different ways.

KARALISTE

Raidījuma TE! komanda aicina doties jaunā ceļojumā uz "Karalisti", kopā ar Māri Olti, Paulu Timrotu un Gustavu Terzenu.

Raidījums TE!

Latvijas jaunatklāšanas raidījums kopā ar Martu Selecku, Gustavu Terzenu, Paulu Timrotu, Daci Salnāju, Māri Olti un Māru Sleju.

Ukrainian Sheriffs Ukraiņu šerifi

There is no police in small Ukrainian village. The mayor of the village took two guys and gave them power to keep discipline.

Double Aliens Dubultie svešinieki

A breathtaking road movie about an isolated region in Georgia, where Georgians and Armenians live together in suppressed hostility.

Årabrot – Tall Man

Sadarbībā ar režisoru Mortenu Trāviku ir tapis mūzikas video norvēģu noise-rock grupas Årabrot dziesmai Tall Man.

Tīru mežu himna “Mēs nekļūsim par cūkām!”

Cīņā pret mēslošanu dabā Latvijas valsts mežu tēls Cūkmens apvienojis spēkus ar bērnu auditorijā populāro mūzikas, dejas un dzejas programmu "Brīnumskapis".

Īsfilmas “Spoguļvīrs” pirmizrāde 4. maijā

Filma tiks izrādīta Splendid Palace Lielajā zālē plkst .20:30 Latvijas Filmu maratona programmas ietvaros.

LR Ārlietu ministrija. Attīstības sadarbība – mūsu pasaulei, mūsu cieņai, mūsu nākotnei.

2015.gads ir Eiropas tematiskais gads, kas veltīts attīstības sadarbībai.

TE! un DNB

Raidījums TE! sadarbībā ar jaunās sezonas atbalstītāju DNB banku un reklāmas aģentūru Publicis Rīga radīja klipu sēriju, kur TEtiešus uzmeklē viņu vecumdienas…

Obliging Collaborators Uz spēles Latvija

This is a story about collaborationists in post-war Latvia and how they helped the KGB to kill off the anti-Soviet resistance movement.

DAUGAVIEŠI – ekspedīcija 4. sērijās

Piedzīvojumu ekspedīciju sērijas, kurās deviņi latvieši dodas uz Valdajas augstieni Krievijā, lai pirmo reizi mērotu ceļu no Daugavas iztekas līdz Baltijas jūrai.

LONES SOMS

Fila par bēgļu gaitās dzimušo Viktoru - uzņēmēju no Lones ar unikālu vērienu un teicienu: "Laukos cilvēks vienmēr izdzīvos!".

Sākusies īsfilmas “Spoguļvīrs” uzņemšana

Stāsts par 21.gs. identitātes problēmām un sabiedrības augstājām prasībām pret indivīdu.

Planet Amber Planēta Dzintars

Two young Latvians go on a journey along the ancient Amber Road to get to know the many edges of this magic material.

“Ramin” won Grand Prize in Estonian Film Festival

The film won Grand Prize for its social message and artistic achievement at the oldest annual film festival in Estonia Pärnu.

Padomā, pirms pērc (BaltInfoHaz)

Baltijas informēšanas kampaņa par bīstamajām vielām, kas uzsver izvēli pasargāt sevi un arī apkārtējo vidi no kaitīgām ķimikālijām.

Oki – Okeāna vidū

8.aprīlī Kino Citadele nacionālajā pirmizrādē piedalīsies filmas galveno varoņu lomu atveidotāji Kaori Momoi un Andris Bulis, filmas mūzikas autors Viljams Goldšteins un radošā komanda.

Brīnumskapja skola Muzikāls raidījums bērniem

Raidījums top sadarbojoties VFS Films, Latvijas Televīzija un Brīnumskapis

The National Touch Nacionālais pieskāriens

Latvian director involves a Norwegian colleague in helping him understand Latvian “Russians” and coming up with an integration plan.

The Wet Guy Mitrais

Mitrais is one of the first professional nature inspectors in Latvia. His name is associated with an image of a real ranger.

TRU: RELIVED

A documentary about the creative process behind the band Instrumenti concert show "TRU LIVE 2011"

Cukurvate

Riga. The Style Lives On

It is a style of life. A style that lives on in modern day Riga.

Share Riga

Everyone is sharing one single message from the city where buildings are beauteous, food is delicious and people are gentle. Everyone wants to share...

Lauku atbalsta dienests

Promo clip for state rural regions support department

Latvijas finieris

Industrial film about plywood production

Human – Flying Squirrel

First ever wingsuit jump from Riga TV tower

Icebreaker Krišjānis Valdemārs Ledlauzis Krišjānis Valdemārs

The story of an icebreaker allows viewers to the look at the history of Latvia between wars from a new angle.

Active / Radioactive

A performance act to raise awareness on environmental topic

Snow Crazy Sniegs

There is a popular Latvian folksong “I was singing out high on a mountain”. The irony of it is that there are no mountains...

Three Jewels of Zemgale

For a traveller crossing the flat plains of Zemgale, Rundale Palace rises in front of his eyes from nowhere, like a mirage.

Playing Together

Promotional clip for cross-border cooperation program

Riga Story

800 years of Riga history in a 30 minute documentary film.

Ramin Ramins

Ramin, an old Georgian wrestler, is getting ready for the fight with his last and most formidable opponent - Loneliness.

Best Enjoyed Slowly

Two swedes enjoy Latvia slowly. Promo film made for Latvian Tourism board.

Stuck in Stikine Stikine ledus slazdā

The coolest Latvian canoe trip ever! Adventure documentary

RSU / Erasmus Experience

A promo film for international students department of Riga Stradins university

RSU Student Life in Riga

A promo film for international students department of Riga Stradins university

Jaguar’s Corner Jaguāra kakts

In 1946, a group of Latvian Brazilian missionaries arrived to Rincon del Tigre to preach God's word to the Ayoreo Indians.

Why Riga

They say that an image is worth a thousand words.

RSU Graduate’s Story

A promo film for international students department of Riga Stradins university

Grammar, Girls and All That Jazz Un džess

A film about the generation of the 1970s, about its teenage dreams, hopes, choices and its adulthood reality.

Ēst ir tavā dabā (TV Series / Book)

TV series & award-winning cookbook that married gourmet cooking with going outdoors.

Zaļais punkts / Golfs

A social campaign clip to promote sorting of waste. Produced in 2005.

Lamprey Fishing

A mini doc about one of Latvian national crafts

Bread Baking

Short documentary about the most important of latvian crafts

Ziemeļu puse (TV Series) Nordic Style

Two young latvians on a quest for all things nordic.

Three Man and a Fishpond Par dzimtenīti

Three elderly country bachelors idle away their time amidst semi-wild nature, closer to birds and pond fish than to humans.

Klucis – The Deconstruction of an Artist Klucis - nepareizais latvietis

A deeply personal view on the life of Gustav Klucis, one of the foremost representatives of early 20th century Russian avant-garde art.

Aigi Gana laiks

52’/26’ rež. Dainis Kļava

Church Will Arrive in the Evening Vienkārši POPS

52’ rež. Andis Mizišs

Theodore Teodors

29’ rež. Laila Pakalniņa

inBreath ieElpot

A short poetic documentary about greatest miracle in the world - birth.

Sea of Attractions Piejūra

26’ (35mm) rež. Dainis Kļava

Dreamland Leiputrija

35’ (35mm) rež. Laila Pakalniņa, koprodukcija ar NDR/arte (Vācija)

Seda – People of the Marsh Seda - purva ļaudis

56’ rež. Kaspars Goba, koprodukcija ar filmtank hamburg (Vācija)

Ievainotā Saule

52’ rež. Urmass E.Līvs, koprodukcija ar Vesilind (Igaunija)

Skanošie gadalaiki

26’ rež. Aija Bley, koprodukcija ar NDR Naturfilm (Vācija)

Lubans – Squaring the Circle Lubāns - Cīņa par centimentriem

Roof on the Moonway Jumta likums

The attitude of the birds is clear - they view things form above.

Mostieties

20’ rež. Laila Pakalniņa