Los Angeles, October 21, 2026 — Cinema Without Borders (CWB) is pleased to announce that beginning in 2027, its prestigious Bridging the Borders Award will also be presented at the Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS in Latvia, one of the oldest and most respected short film festivals in the Baltic States. This new partnership marks another important step in the international expansion of the award and strengthens Cinema Without Borders’ commitment to recognizing filmmakers whose work promotes understanding among people of different nations, cultures, religions, and backgrounds.
The addition of 2ANNAS to the growing family of international film festivals presenting the Bridging the Borders Award is particularly meaningful. For three decades, 2ANNAS has played an important role in supporting independent filmmaking, encouraging artistic experimentation, and introducing audiences to innovative, challenging, and socially significant cinema from around the world.
Founded in 1996 in Riga, Latvia, the festival began as a small event dedicated to youth and experimental filmmaking. Its first edition featured just ten short films, but its ambitions extended well beyond those modest beginnings. From the outset, the festival sought to provide a home for filmmakers interested in exploring new cinematic forms and expressing ideas that might not find a place in mainstream filmmaking.
In 2005, 2ANNAS expanded its programming beyond Latvia and became an international film festival. Over the following years, it established itself as an important cultural meeting place for filmmakers from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and other countries. By 2012, it had become known as the Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS, strengthening its position as one of the leading independent short film and audiovisual art events in the Baltic region.
The festival’s commitment to artistic freedom, originality, and cultural exchange has remained central to its identity. Unlike festivals primarily concerned with commercial success or celebrity appearances, 2ANNAS has consistently emphasized the creative possibilities of cinema and its ability to explore difficult social, political, and cultural questions.
Today, the festival presents an extensive program of international and Baltic short films, mid-length productions, children’s and youth cinema, and films exploring diverse identities and experiences. Its international competitions bring together filmmakers from different countries, while its specialized programs provide opportunities for emerging talents and established artists to present work that challenges conventional filmmaking.
2ANNAS is also recognized for its industry events, filmmaker discussions, professional workshops, and audiovisual art exhibitions. These activities have helped transform the festival into an important platform for artistic collaboration and professional exchange in the Baltic region, connecting local filmmakers with the broader European and international film communities.
The festival celebrated its 30th edition in April 2026 with a program devoted to the theme of “Alternative,” reflecting its longstanding dedication to independent thinking and new approaches to cinema. The festival’s Golden Anna Grand Prix was awarded to Latvian filmmaker Ildze Felsberga for Where Does the Sun Sleep at Night?, while the Best Baltic Short Film Award went to Children of Concrete by Lithuanian director Saulius Baradinskas.
The 31st edition of 2ANNAS is scheduled to take place April 2–8, 2027, in Riga, bringing together international filmmakers, critics, industry professionals, and audiences for another celebration of short-form cinema.
For Cinema Without Borders, the partnership with 2ANNAS represents a natural meeting of two organizations that believe in cinema’s ability to cross national, cultural, and social boundaries.
The Bridging the Borders Award was established by Cinema Without Borders to recognize films that encourage audiences to look beyond differences and discover the human experiences that connect people across the world. At a time when political conflicts, wars, discrimination, and prejudice continue to divide communities, the award honors filmmakers who use cinema to promote compassion, understanding, and respect.
Over the years, the Bridging the Borders Award has been presented at international film festivals in the United States, Europe, and Australia. Among its notable recipients are Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman, The Band’s Visit by Eran Kolirin, Terraferma by Emanuele Crialese, Wałęsa: Man of Hope by Andrzej Wajda, and Ave Maria by Basil Khalil. Several films honored with the award have also received Academy Award nominations and other major international distinctions.
The presentation of the Bridging the Borders Award at 2ANNAS will be especially significant because of the festival’s dedication to short filmmaking. Short films often provide an important opportunity for filmmakers to address urgent human concerns, examine cultural differences, and introduce audiences to unfamiliar lives and perspectives. With limited running times and resources, short filmmakers frequently demonstrate extraordinary creativity in communicating ideas that resonate far beyond their immediate surroundings.
For emerging filmmakers, international recognition can also open doors to wider audiences and new professional opportunities. By presenting the Bridging the Borders Award at 2ANNAS, Cinema Without Borders hopes to draw additional attention to filmmakers whose stories challenge stereotypes, confront prejudice, and remind audiences of the humanity they share.
The festival’s strong connection to the Baltic film community adds another dimension to this partnership. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have developed distinctive cinematic traditions shaped by their histories, cultural identities, and experiences of political and social transformation. Through its international programming, 2ANNAS places these regional perspectives in conversation with films from other parts of the world, creating opportunities for meaningful artistic and cultural exchange.
This commitment closely reflects the philosophy behind the Bridging the Borders Award: that cinema can help people better understand one another, even when they are separated by language, geography, politics, or different historical experiences.
With the addition of Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS in 2027, Cinema Without Borders continues to build relationships with festivals that share its dedication to independent filmmaking and international cultural understanding.
The new partnership will also create opportunities for outstanding short films presented at 2ANNAS to gain additional recognition through Cinema Without Borders and its international network of filmmakers, critics, festival organizers, and cinema enthusiasts.
For Cinema Without Borders, the message behind the award remains as relevant today as when it was first established: Cinema has the extraordinary power to bring us closer to people we may never meet, in places we may never visit, and to remind us that beyond our cultural, religious, and political differences, we share the same human hopes, fears, and dreams.
With its thirty-year history of supporting creative independence, discovering new talent, and celebrating films that challenge established boundaries, Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS provides a fitting new home for the Bridging the Borders Award.
Further details about the presentation of the 2027 Bridging the Borders Award at Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS will be announced as preparations for the festival move forward.
