This year, director Kristīne Briede’s film “Svārstības” was nominated in the documentary film category of the National Film Award “Lielais Kristaps” and received the jury’s special recognition award. The film brings to the fore the question of the role of women in the church and the topic of ordination, focusing on the personal narratives of ministry and experience of Dace Balode, Rudīte Losāne and Agrita Staško. We offer a glimpse of media reports covering the film “Svārstības”.
The documentary movie “Svārstības” (Fluctuations, 2023. Director Kristīne Briede) recently received a special recognition by the jury of the Latvian National Film Award “Lielais Kristaps”. Fluctuations is a documentary film that draws attention to the complex history of women’s ordination in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, and focuses on three personal narratives of women (Dace Balode, Rudīte Losāne and Agrita Staško) who presently serve in the Church and challenge the status quo of inequality and exclusion of women from Church ministry. Latvia is one of the rare countries in the world where its official Lutheran Church, despite several decades of experience with ordained female priests, has reversed its decision, and currently bans women from becoming ministers in the Church.
Event coverage by the online magazine “Satori”.
https://satori.lv/event/liela-kristapa-atklasana-dokumentalo-filmu-pirmizrades
On Latvijas Radio 1’s programme “Augstāk par zemi”, journalist Anda Buševica talks with director Kristīne Briede and one of the protagonists of the film “Svārstības” – minister Dace Balode, about the topic of women’s ordination, the human relationship with God, and injustice in the secular and the spiritual world.
Latvijas Radio 1 journalists Ingvilda Strautmane and Santa Lauga on the programme “Kultūras rondo”, about two documentary films (“Svārstības”, dir. Kristīne Briede, and “Nr. 105555”, dir. Andrejs Verhoustinskis) that opened the programme of the National Film Award “Lielais Kristaps”.
Latvijas Radio 3 journalist Marta Elīna Martinsone on the programme “Piejūras klimats” reports on three new documentary films, including director Kristīne Briede’s film “Svārstības”.
The column “Par svārstībām. Un sievietēm” by Laima Spridzāne, editor-in-chief of the magazine “SestDiena”.
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/sestdiena/sonedel-sestdiena/par-svarstibam.-un-sievietem-14294866
The “SestDiena” salon interview “Otrās rindas svārstības” by journalist Sarmīte Kolāte with Kristīne Briede. About the film “Svārstības”, about a woman’s calling and role in the church, about differing opinions and the director’s relationship with the church.
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/sestdiena/sestdienas-salons/otras-rindas-svarstibas-14294873
The National Film Award “Lielais Kristaps” opens with the premieres of the documentary films “Nr. 105555” and “Svārstības” (with photos).
The results of the National Film Award “Lielais Kristaps” ceremony. In the category of best feature-length documentary film, the jury’s special recognition was awarded to director Kristīne Briede’s documentary film “Svārstības” (producers “Baltic Balkan Productions”, Rucka Art Foundation).
The article “Svārstības. Pēc viņu noteikumiem.” by theologian and writer Ilze Jansone in the magazine “Kino raksti”.
Would it seem normal to us if women were allowed to work as doctors or teachers only under the supervision of men? Why, then, is that considered normality within the Lutheran church and in the work of a minister? Director Kristīne Briede’s documentary film „Svārstības” prompts us to reflect on this.
https://www.kinoraksti.lv/domas/latvijas-filma/svarstibas-pec-vinu-noteikumiem-1062
Tue Steen Müller’s commentary on “Lielais Kristaps” and the film “Svārstības” on the Danish blog Filmkommentaren.
http://www.filmkommentaren.dk/blog/blogpost/5108/
Reflections by University of Latvia Faculty of Theology student Līga Puriņa on the social network Facebook about the premiere of the film “Svārstības” at the “Splendid Palace” cinema on 23 February.
The review “Sieviešu pieskatīšana” of the film “Svārstības” by LSM author and artist Ieva Raudsepa.
A description of the film “Svārstības” on the website of the National Film Centre.
https://www.filmas.lv/movie/4215/
Santa Remere’s review of the film “Svārstības” as a starting point for a broader conversation about human calling, relationships and eternity.
https://www.kinoraksti.lv/domas/recenzija/kristines-briedes-filma-svarstibas-zem-vienam-debesim-1071
Māra Bandeniece’s article “Patiesības meklējumi filmā Svārstības”.
https://telos.lv/patiesibas-meklejumi-filma-svarstibas/
Anna Auziņa’s column on the “Satori” portal