Latvian Oscar Submission ‘Ulya’ Sells Wide Ahead of Opening Tallinn: ‘This Film Is a Blockbuster’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Latvia’s Oscar submission, *Ulya*, has secured distribution deals across 11 territories and will open the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Its international sales and strong audience response matter for a film that takes an unconventional approach to the life of basketball player Ulyana Semjonova.
Directed by Viesturs Kairišs, the black-and-white film premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. It casts actor Kārlis Arnolds Avots as Semjonova, who stood seven feet tall and died in January 2026; the director says the film is now the second most-watched in Latvian history. Kairišs describes it as a subjective story about identity and feeling like an outsider, rather than a conventional sports biopic.
In short
- *Ulya* has sold to 11 international territories.
- It will open Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.
- The director says it is Latvia’s second most-watched film.
Explained simply
Ulyana Semjonova was a Latvian basketball player who became one of the sport’s most prominent figures. At seven feet tall, she stood out on and off the court, and her life has drawn interest beyond her sporting achievements.
Ulya, directed by Viesturs Kairišs, is a black-and-white film that takes a personal approach to Semjonova’s story, focusing on identity and feeling different rather than following the usual format of a sports biography. It was selected as Latvia’s entry for the Academy Awards and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film’s distribution deals in 11 territories and its planned opening at Tallinn’s Black Nights festival bring it to audiences beyond Latvia. Its reception also matters to Latvian cinema, where the director says it has become one of the country’s most-watched films.
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