Latvia's Oscar Hope 'Ulya' Opens Tallinn Film Fest

Latvia has chosen Viesturs Kairišs's film "Ulya" as its contender for the Best International Feature Film Oscar in 2027. The movie, which premiered at Cannes, stars Kārlis Arnolds Avots as the iconic Latvian basketball player Uljana Semjonova. Semjonova, a two-time Olympic champion, broke barriers by becoming the first non-U.S. woman inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The black-and-white film follows Semjonova's rise from an isolated rural community to the demanding world of professional basketball. "Ulya" will also serve as the opening film for the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) on Friday. This co-production between Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania is seen as a testament to the growing strength of Baltic cinema on the global stage.

Director Kairišs was inspired by a story about a remarkably tall girl from the countryside. He drew inspiration from filmmakers like Werner Herzog and Ingmar Bergman, aiming to capture Semjonova's inner world. The film has achieved significant box office success in Latvia, becoming a blockbuster and one of the most successful films of 2026 in the country's cinemas.