Logline
A young rafting instructor takes a film crew to shoot a commercial in the river valley, but things take a wild turn when all his clients suddenly disappear. Now, he has to delve into the forest, fighting inner demons and exterior forces, to find the missing people – and himself.
Synopsis
Andrejs is an adventure guide who is afraid of real adventures. But that’s what he gets when his sister, an influencer, goes missing in the valley of a wild river, together with a vegan sausage advertising crew. Facing ancient forces of nature, Andrejs’ deepest anxieties awaken as he engages in a futile search that pushes his body and mind to the extreme. During his journey, the young man will meet locals such as a silent cabbage fermenter and a weird brotherhood of hunters who speak a language totally of their own. They are the protectors of a wondrous natural phenomena, haunting and beautiful at the same time. Andrejs doesn’t know that every path in this strange forest leads exactly to the thing you are looking for – but to find it, you must first get lost.
Technical Information
2021; Mythological thriller, Drama; Latvia; 85 minutes; DCP 4K, ProResHQ; Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1; Mix: 5.1; Original Language: Latvian, Lithuanian; Subtitles: English
Director
Uģis Olte
Written by
Uģis Olte
Story by
Uģis Olte, Bojana Babič & Lucas Abrahão
Cinematographer
Valdis Celmiņš
Production Designers
Jānis Kalniņš, Lāsma Olte
Sound Designer
Artis Dukaļskis
Original Music
Reinis Sējāns
Editor
Gatis Belogrudovs
Costume Designer
Jurate Silakaktiņa
Makeup Artist
Maija Gundare
Visual Effects
Nauris Ašenkampfs, Aigars Gercāns, Uģis Olte
Producers
Uldis Cekulis, Raitis Ābele
Production Company
VFS Films
Andrejs
Igors Šelegovskis
Eva
Inga Tropa
Matiass
Rihards Sniegs
Mara
Elvita Ragovska
Oskars
Reinis Boters
Inspector Salins
Morten Traavik
Ugis Olte
Uģis Olte = drummer → journalist → editor → director → writer = creative docs + music video + shorts + auteur TV formats + fiction.
FILMS
“Upurga” / writer, director (feature, 2021, 85’, VFS FILMS)
“2018” / director / editor of one segment (documentary, 2018, 90′, VFS FILMS)
“Liberation Day” / co-director, editor (documentary, 2016, 98′, VFS FILMS)
“Double Aliens” / director, editor (documentary, 2015, 56’, VFS FILMS)
“King Of The Wild Things” / writer, director (fiction short / music video, 2014, 7′)
“Instrumenti. Procrastination Live” / director, editor (concert film, 2014, 80′)
“Birth Of Amber” / writer, director (video installation, 2014, 5′, VFS FILMS)
“Ramin” / editor (documentary, dir. Audrius Stonys, 2012, 58’, VFS FILMS)
“Snooze” / writer, director (fiction short, 2009, 3′)
“KK2678” / co-writer, director (fiction short, 2008, 16′, KFD)
“The Red Spot” / co-writer, director (fiction short, 2008, 8′, KFD)
“Stuck In Stikine” / director, editor (documentary, 2006, 83’, KFD / VFS FILMS)
November 2021 @POFF, Black Nights Film Festival, Baltic competition
Fantaspoa 2022
Night Visions
Dundead
Crossing Europe
Slash Film Festival
![Upurga_Andrejs_Kayak [key_visual] copy](https://www.eastwest-distribution.com/wp-content/uploads/Upurga_Andrejs_Kayak-key_visual-copy-1024x428.jpg "Upurga_Andrejs_Kayak [key_visual] copy")