Ulya
Nominees and Awards
- ★ 2026 Cannes FF
- ★ 2026 Jerusalem FF
Synopsis
Soviet Union, Latvia, 1964. Ulya, an Old Believer teenage girl nearing two meters tall, grows up on a faraway country farm. Her unusual height troubles her family, who wonder if there’s a place for her in the world. When her class photo reaches basketball coaches, Ulya is whisked to the capital Riga to join a famous basketball team. Struggling with her height and identity, she trains hard, but realizes basketball can’t fulfill her dream of a normal life. After fleeing back home, Ulya discovers both village life and basketball see her only for her height. Accepting herself, she faces a choice: hide or aim to be the best basketball player in the world.
Team
Director
Viesturs KAIRIŠS
Viesturs KAIRIŠS is a Latvian director whose debut feature Leaving by the Way (2002) premiered at Karlovy Vary and won Raindance's Best Debut. His acclaimed films include The Chronicles of Melanie (2016), January (2022), and Ulya (2026), selected for the Cannes Film Festival.