Latvia's 'Ulya' Sells Rights to 12 Regions Before Tallinn Debut

The Latvian film 'Ulya' has secured distribution rights in 12 territories as it prepares to open the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The black-and-white feature is Latvia's official submission for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

Buyers include New Mountain Films for North America, Destiny for France, Invisible Carpet for Italy, and ASFK for Slovakia. Five Star Distribution holds the rights for former Yugoslavia, while Hea Film covers Estonia and GPI covers Lithuania.

Additional deals include Teleview for the MENA region, Cinema Orion for Finland, 1989 for Poland, and Belas Arte for Brazil. The international sales are handled by B-Rated International. The film was produced by Ego Media, Allfilm, Staroń Film, and Tremora.

Director Viesturs Kairišs stated he avoided the format of a traditional biography. He described the project as a 'Werner Herzog-esque story about a giant girl living in the countryside.' The plot draws from the life of Ulyana Semjonova, a basketball player who stood seven feet tall and died in January 2026.

The film uses 'crazy cameras' and out-of-focus shots to depict Semjonova's inner world. Kairišs noted that the project began when actor Kārlis Arnolds Avots expressed a long-held desire to play the role. Avots later explained the concept to the director of photography, prompting Kairišs to greenlight the production.

Kairišs said the film has become the second most-watched in Latvian history. He cited strong audience reactions in Latvia, Cannes, Rome, and Los Angeles. The director linked the reception to modern social pressures, urging viewers to embrace what makes them different rather than conforming to a standard look.