Karmic Knot

1990 is a defining year for Latvia. History records that on May 4th, the country declared independence from the Soviet Union—a promise of renewal. Yet thousands of Latvians left soon after. Why flee instead of rebuilding? I was one of them. With Karmic Knot, I explore life before and after the Soviet collapse through the lens of my family’s experience. It is a 25-year journey of survival, shaped by shifting political and emotional realities. Animation allows me to tell this sweeping story while capturing inner worlds that live-action cannot. The film carries a mood of anxiety, claustrophobia, and looming dread, balanced with touches of dark humor. I combine stop-motion for the present with 2D animation for memories and imagination. A voiceover anchors the narrative, allowing the visuals to move freely between reality and the surreal.

Director’s statement
1990 is an important year for Latvia. The history books proudly say “On May 4th, 1990, Latvia declared independence from the Soviet Union.” What promise for a new beginning! But it is followed by another fact: thousands of Latvians left the country right after independence was established. Why would they flee their own country rather than work toward rebuilding it?
I am one of those Latvians who fled in the 1990s. With KARMIC KNOT, I examine the time before and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. For me, this tale is inseparable from the tale of my family and the decisions it made as it tried to survive the Soviet regime, and later its brutal dissolution. The story is quite epic – a 25-year journey as a family navigates these ever-changing circumstances. Animation is uniquely suited for sweeping historical stories and showing how the characters change.