Hercs Franks, interview
A story about the most famous Latvian film director in the world.
Hercs Franks is an elderly Jew born in Ludza, the most sought-after Latvian director in the world. His documentary films are still shown in many countries around the world.
Books are published and exhibitions are created about this classic of Latvian documentary cinema. Until May 2012, the exhibition "The Code of Hercs Franks" can be seen at the Riga Film Museum.
Hercs Franks has created about 40 films, many of which have received international awards at major world film festivals. The director is still often invited to lecture at many film schools around the world and to participate as an honorary guest at international festivals.
His calling card is often considered to be the 1978 film "Ten Minutes Older", made in tandem with cameraman Juris Podnieks. The film is so unusual that it gained worldwide fame. In a continuous ten-minute shot, the experiences of a small boy watching a puppet theatre performance are captured. This particular work served as a source of inspiration for world-famous directors at the Cannes and Venice film festivals - Jean-Luc Godard, Jim Jarmusch, Aki Kaurismäki, Wim Wenders, Bernardo Bertolucci and others - to create their own story about becoming ten minutes older.
"Ten Minutes Older" (1978).