This apparently simple yet subtly painful tale of childhood memories shows life in Soviet-occupied Latvia during the 1960s and 1970s. At times the bitter secrets of the Soviet dictatorship invade the childhood of this small, inquisitive, mischievous girl named Ulsiks. Through an environment of culture – her father’s vast cultural knowledge; the immense combined Song Festival choir conducted by Ulsiks’ mother’s knowledgeable hand; and the many individuals from the art world (though anonymous figures in this child’s world, known to her only by their nicknames) – the characters who surround Ulsiks work to keep the cultural DNA of the nation safe, and keep little Ulsiks and her childhood safe, too.

Contacts: Inguna Ula Cepīte, cepite.inguna@gmail.com