A punk-infused shot in the arm for documentary cinema – welcome to the world of artist Kara Popicon.

After five years studying in Tallinn, artist Karolina Peterson (aka Kara Popicon) returns to her hometown of Riga. Expecting a fun-filled reunion with the city of her youth, she instead finds herself feeling like a stranger in her own native city. With brutal honesty and true emotional openness, Kara turns the camera on herself, sharing stories of her past while joining a series of political protests to reconnect with home. Here, she flexes her creative muscles through bold artistic actions, from handing out balloons to creating five-litre bottles of fake semen, all while striving to rediscover her true self.

Raw, vulnerable, and unapologetically bold, “Riga My Love” is a fierce exploration of homecoming, self-invention, and artistic survival. Blending audacious, vibrant visuals with a pumping soundtrack and a generous dose of irony, this film is a bold slap in the face to convention, and an unfiltered window into the chaotic energy of youth.

Mike Arnott