33 Animals of Santa Claus

Biography of the director

Laila Pakalniņa
Born in 1962 in Liepāja, Latvia. In 1986 she graduated from Moscow University’s Department of TV Journalism. She continued her studies in the Department of Film Directing at the Moscow Film Institute (VGIK), graduating in 1991. Laila is the director and scriptwriter of 21 documentaries, 5 shorts, 3 features.

Features: Silence (Klusums) 2009, Stones (Akmeņi) 2008, Fire (Uguns) 2007, The Hostage (Ķīlnieks) 2006, Water (Ūdens) 2006, The Python (Pitons) 2003, The Shoe (Kurpe) 1998, Anna’s Christmas (Annas Ziemassvētki) 1992.

Documentaries: Snow Crazy (Sniegs) 2012, 33 Animals of Santa Claus (33 zvēri Ziemassvētki vecītim) 2011, On Rubiks’ Road (Pa Rubika ceļu) 2010, Three Men and Fish Pond (Par dzimtenīti) 2008, Theodore (Teodors) 2006, Dream Land (Leiputrija) 2004, The Bus (Autobuss) 2004, It’ll Be Fine (Būs labi) 2004, Martins (Mārtiņš) 2002, Papa Gena (Papa Gena) 2001, Wake up (Mostieties) 2000, The Oak (Ozols) 1997, Ubans (Ubāns) 1995, The Mail (Pasts) 1995, The Ferry (Prāmis) 1994, The Church (Baznīca) 1993, The Pilgrimage (Iešana) 1991, The Linen (Veļa) 1991, The Dome (Doms) 1991, The Choice (Izvēle) 1990, And (Un) 1988.