HERZ FRANK
Member of the Filmmakers Union of Latvia since 1964
Herz Frank
A Merited Artist of the Latvian SSR (1975).
Has been awarded the Latvian SSR State Prize (1967).
He is a documentary film director, a scriptwriter, photographer,a lawyer according to his educationand, and a cameraman.

He was born in Latvia, in 1926, studied law in Moscow. Graduated from the School of Law in Moscow, USSR (1945 – 1947).
Worked as a journalist, lecturer and advertisement designer in Vladimir from 1952 till 1954.
Worked in the newspapers "Padomju Jaunatne" and "Rigas Balss" in Latvia from 1954.

Starting from 1959 worked at Riga Film Studios as a photographer, editor and a documentary film script writer and director. Directed more than 30 documentaries. His debut as a director of documentary films is THE SALT BREAD (1965).

Since 1965, Herz Frank works solely as a film director, and he is famous by his fine understanding of human psychology Characteristic features of Frank's films are philosophical generalisations, his ability to get into the depths of human soul, and the desire to discover secrets in relations between a human being and the surrounding world, Being an author of more than 30 films, he has received a number of international prizes at various film festivals. Since 1993, Frank resides in Israel and in Latvia. In 2002, Frank was elected member of the TV Academy of Eurasia, In 2002, Frank founded his own production company "Studio EFEF" that will continue and keep up the traditions of the Riga School of Poetic Documentary Cinema.

Herz Frank is also writing the theory of documentary filmmaking. Frank has written the book "The Map of Ptolemy" (Moscow, 1975) about the documentary cinema as art. Besides, more than 160 publications in books, magazines, newspapers in the USSR, Poland, Germany, France, USA, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, and Israel are devoted to the art of Herz Frank, including an article in the four-volume History of Soviet Film Art (Moscow, 1980) and the Encyclopaedia of Cinema (Moscow, 1986).

Herz Frank was a member of the Editorial Board of the magazine Art of Cinema (Moscow) until 1993. Herz Frank is one of the beginners of the Riga School of Poetic Documentary Cinema. The main theme of his creative work is the destiny of mankind, the tragic in life, even criminality. However, the films of Herz Frank appeal to kindness and faith as eternal values.
Herz Frank- Dialogue with Epoch, People, and Oneself
by Abrams Kleckins, Dr.Art
Filmography
Selected titles
2004
Aufenhalt Germania
52' Beta SP colour
script, director, director of photography
2004
28' Beta SP colour
script, director, director of photography
2002
102' Beta SP colour / b/w
script, director, director of photography
2001
10' Beta SP b/w
2001
The Man of Wall
58' Beta SP colour
1992
The Jewish Street
52' Beta SP colour
1990
A Prayer
10' 35 mm
1989
10' 35 mm colour
script, director
1989
There Were Seven Simeons
90' 35 mm b/w / colour
script, director
1987
73' 35 mm b/w
1984
Till the Dangerous Verge
53' 35 mm b/w
1980
The Last Celebration
46' 35 mm b/w
script, director
1979
The Awakening
10' 35 mm colour
1978
10' 35 mm b/w
script, director
1975
66' 35 mm b/w
script, director
1974
The Joy of Being
21' 35 mm b/w
1973
10' 35 mm b/w
1972
22' 35 mm b/w
1971
Your Pay-Day
54' 35 mm b/w
1967
Without Legends
38' 35 mm b/w
1967
110' 35 mm b/w
script
1967
Catolicism in the USSR
30' 35 mm b/w
script, director
1965
Noon
16' 35 mm b/w
1964
20' 35 mm b/w
script, director
1962
The White Bells
30' 35 mm b/w
script
Awards
"Once There Were Seven Simeons"
1991
Grand Prix at the IFF in San-Sebastian, Spain
1991
The Runner-up Prize at the IFF in Yamagata, Japan
1991
The Special Prize of La Sept at the IFF Cinema du Reel in Paris, France
1990
Grand Prix, "Golden Dove,"at the IFF in Leipzig, Germany
"The Last Judgement"
1989
IFF in Sverdlovsk, Russia
1987
Grand Prix, at the IFF in Nyon. Switzerland
"The Trace of the Soul"
1973
First Prize at the IFF in Oberhausen, Germany
Honorary Diplomas
1993
"The Jewish Street"
1979
"10 Minutes Older"
1975
"The Joy of Being"
1967
"235.000.000"
1963
"The White Bells"
at IFF in San Francisco, Leipzig, Paris, Krakow, Washington, Bornholm, and Jerusalem
Participation in International Events
2002
Workshop in the Documentary Film Centre in Stuttgart, Germany
2001
1999
1996
Workshop in the Film School in Moscow, Russia
2000
Filmmakers Meeting "Transit Zero" in Vickleby, Sweden and Liepaja, Latvia
2000
1999
Workshop in the Film School in Jerusalem, Israel
1999
Workshop in the IFF in Bornholm, Denmark
1997
Participation in the International Holocaust Film Programme, Jerusalem, Israel
1996
Retrospective in the Cinematheque in Jerusalem, Israel
1995
Seminar in the Film Institute of Sweden in Stockholm
1994
Retrospective in the "7e festival du Cinema Nordique" in Rouen, France
1991
Retrospective in educational program together with Richard Lickok in Augsburg, Germany
1989 -
1991
Retrospective and participation in the "Glasnost" Film Festivals in Washington, New York, Glasgow, Lubeck, Edinburgh, Vienna, Amsterdam, Madrid, Bilbao, and Graz
1988-
1990
Workshop in the Academy of Art in Berlin, Germany
1988
Member of the first official
delegation of the USSR cinematographers at the IFF in Jerusalem, Israel
1987-
1988
Retrospective in the framework of the International Film Festivals in Nyon-Berlin
Member of Jury
2000
IFF "Dok-Aviv," Tel-Aviv, Israel
1998
IFF "Eurasia," Almaty, Kazakhstan
1996
IFF Petersburg, Russia
1994
IFF Jerusalem, Israel
1992
IFF Bilbao, Spain
1990
IFF Oberhausen, Germany
1989 IFF
of European prize "Felix," Berlin-Paris

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