Original Title: MANS MĪĻĀKAIS KARŠ
Short Synopsis
This is the personal story of the director, Ilze, growing up in Cold-War Latvia, USSR. It’s a coming of age story, a personal escape route from the mighty authoritarian regime’s brainwashing. An antiwar film, emphasizing the importance of an individual’s freedom being a democratic society’s fundamental right.
Synopsis
My Favorite War is an animated documentary telling the personal story of its director, Ilze, about her growing up in the Cold-War USSR. It is an exciting coming-of-age story about finding one’s own identity, truth and loyalty.
First, we meet Ilze as a little girl playing war at her granddad ́s farm, then she is faced with the horror of war threats at school. Ilze lives in a clash between the Soviet reality and pro- paganda denying what people actually are experiencing. Moreover, Ilze also finds out how opposite in their beliefs are people whom she loves the most.
The film is about choices a girl has to make in a very young age, then getting wiser and finding courage to speak out.
Technical Information
2020; Animated documentary; Norway, Latvia; 82 minutes; DCP, ProResHQ; Mix: 5.1; Original Language: English, Latvian, Russian; Subtitles: English
DIRECTOR
Ilze Burkovska- Jacobsen
WRITER
Ilze Burkovska- Jacobsen
CONCEPT ARTIST
Svein Nyhus
ANIMATORS
Krišjānis Ābols
Neil Hammer
Arnis Zemītis
Kerija Arne
Toms Burāns
LEAD BACKGROUND ARTIST
Laima Puntule
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Andrejs Verhoustinskis
Trond Jacobsen
Mārcis Ābele
EDITORS
Julie Vinten
Reinis Rinka
SOUND DESIGNER
Ernests Ansons
COMPOSER
Kārlis Auzāns
PRODUCERS
Trond Jacobsen
Guntis Trekteris
coming soon…
Latvian born film director living and working in both Norway and Latvia. She has done eight documentaries and more than 20 hours of TV animation-/ documentary series. The last ten years Ilze and her production company Bivrost Film have worked on “My Favorite War” as well as on several animated documentary series for children with topics like abuse and violence. She and her team won an International Emmy Award for “My Body Belongs to Me” in 2018.
– Winner of Annecy Contrechamp Competition
– French Critics Prize, Annecy
– Special Distinction Prize, Bucheon IAFF (Korea)
– Grand Prix / Feature Films, New Chitose Animation Festival
– Best Animation Director, Best Animated Film, Latvian National Film Prize
– Animator of the Year – Palm Springs Animation Film Festival
VARIETY, 02.03.2021
Director Ilze Burkovska-Jacobsen used animation for her documentary-memoir “My Favorite War,” which tells her story of growing up in Latvia during the Cold War.
DEADLINE, 23.02.2021
Annecy Award Winner ‘My Favorite War’ Lands At EastWest Filmdistribution
VARIETY, 21.01.2021
Impressive animated memoir looks at an authoritarian society through a young girl’s eyes.
LE PARISIEN
“Pépite inclassable, perle de cinéma qu’il ne faut pas rater”
POSITIF
“Héritant de Valse avec Bachir et Persepolis”
PARIS MOMES
“Touchant”
LA CROIX
“Évoque avec beaucoup de force l’enfance de la réalisatrice“
LES INROCKS
“Un film d’animation sur l’émancipation par la pensée, aussi singulier en termes d’esthétique
que pertinent par son témoignage historique.”
CULTUROPOING
“A la fois original et malin”
FAMILLE CHRÉTIENNE
“Un cinéma inventif et intelligent”
UNIFICATION
“Une œuvre incroyable d’une grande puissance”
ON SE FAIT UN CINE
“Raconte avec beaucoup de délicatesse la petite histoire qui rencontre la grande”
LE JOURNAL DE L’ANIMATION
“Une épopée de l’intime et du travail de mémoire, magnifiée par la direction artistique”
MIRETTES
“Une œuvre juste, tendre et passionnante, pleine de l’espoir d’une jeunesse”
BAZ’ART
“Un bijou de l’animation” –
CITAZINE
“Une vivifiante leçon d’histoire”
LE POLYESTER
“Remarquable”
LE BLEU DU MIROIR
“Récit touchant d’une réalité assez méconnue”
