Final shoot underway in Carnikava for feature film 'Sidrabbalts'
From 3 to 7 August, the final stage of filming for the international feature 'Sidrabbalts' is taking place in Carnikava, near the mouth of the Gauja River. The film is directed by Estonian filmmaker Marti Helde and is based on Lennart Meri's book 'Hõbevalge'.
Between 3 and 7 August, the final shooting days of the feature film 'Sidrabbalts' are underway in Carnikava, on the left bank of the Gauja River estuary within the Piejūra nature park. The project is the latest work of internationally acclaimed Estonian director Marti Helde and is inspired by politician and writer Lennart Meri's book 'Hõbevalge'. The film is a co-production between Estonia, Latvia, Finland and Sweden and has received support from Eurimages, the Council of Europe's cinema fund.
One of the film's most ambitious and visually striking sequences is being shot during this stage. Around 200 extras are involved, including roughly 150 singers from the choirs 'Stella Vitalis', 'Jumis', 'Gaudeamus', 'Mundus', 'Vēja balss', 'Undīne', 'Saknes' and members of the folklore group 'Cēlāji'. Under chief conductor Ivars Cinkus, they will perform an original song written especially for the film by Estonian composer and singer Mari Kalkun.
The narrative takes viewers nearly 3,000 years into the past and follows four Finno-Ugric communities in different eras. Drawing on Lennart Meri's work, the film explores the origins of the Baltic Sea region, humanity's relationship with nature, myths and collective memory. Two of the four stories are being filmed in Latvia. One was already shot near Ķūķu cliffs in Cēsis district, and another has been filmed on Saaremaa in Estonia and in Karelia, Finland. The final stage is now taking place at the mouth of the Gauja, where finding a setting with a primeval wilderness feel was essential — water, fire, ancient ceremonies and nature play a major role, with Latvian nature becoming a full dramaturgical element.
A broad team of Latvian professionals is involved in the production. Animator and computer graphics artist Konstantīns Višņevskis is creating the animation sequences and digital visual layers. The shooting crew includes lighting artist Pēteris Skujiņš, on-set sound recordist Mārtiņš Rozentāls, Latvian location manager Ieva Eihe and photographer Andrejs Strokins. Latvian actor Armands Berģis plays the Northern King, while actor and crowd casting is led by Gunita Groša. Latvian co-producers are Antra Gaile and Līga Gaisa.
Lennart Meri's book 'Hõbevalge' was first published in 1976, and its English translation 'Silverwhite: The Journey to the Fallen Sun' appeared in 2025. The book is considered one of the most significant cultural and historical works in Estonia. To mark its 50th anniversary, an exhibition 'Hõbevalge 50' will open on 25 September 2026 at the Estonian Maritime Museum Lennusadam in Tallinn, with Marti Helde as creative director and Mart Meri, Lennart Meri's son, as consultant. The film will be part of the anniversary events, with its premiere planned for the first half of 2027. Latvia is represented in the co-production by the studio Air Productions, with support from the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia and the National Film Centre.
