OREANDA-NEWS. Rietumu Bank traditionally supports Riga International Cinema Forum “Arsenal”, which takes place from September 12 to September 21, 2008. This year, the beginning of cinema era and the silent screen movies is a special theme of the intellectual cinema festival, reported the press-centre of Rietumu Bank.

The cinema forum programme comprises a number of silent films, including a masterpiece of world cinematography – a silent film “Salome” (1923) directed by Charles Bryant, an American film director, and starring Alla Nazimova, a Russian theatre and film actress.

“Arsenal” will showcase pioneering films by international directors. For instance, “2047 Prequel” dedicated to Hong-Kong cinematography, “Modern Arcadia” – to France, “I love, you love” – will open a world of Slovakian movies of 80s to its viewers, “Panorame” is an eclectic program comprising masterpieces of world-known movie masters.

The festival program also features the Baltic and international film competitions. The themed programs of “Arsenal” will showcase more than 100 documentaries, retrospectives, animated and other movies.

The main prize of Arsenal’s International Film Competition is USD 20 000 and drawing a lottery will traditionally choose the winner. Each of participating film directors will receive a special prize – “The Magical Crystal”. The Film Competition will be evaluated by an international jury of cinema professionals selecting winners in the following nominations: the Best Feature Film, the Best Documentary Film, the Best Animated Film, and the Best Baltic Film.

Rietumu Bank has supported “Arsenal” for several years. Previously the Bank sponsored Baltic Film Competition, programmes of American cinema of 1930-1970s, modern films of Northern countries, China and others.