The documentary provides a captivating insight into the architectural ensemble of the Riga Central Market. The market, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the historic centre of Riga, was built by transforming old Zeppelin hangars that had been left by the Germans after World War I. Consisting of five large pavilions housing 3 000 stalls, it is considered to be the largest covered food market in Europe.
Photo: Uldis Cekulis
The Riga episode of the In the Belly of the City series also highlights traditional Latvian products such as hemp butter, rye bread, healing herbs, sparkling birch sap wine and fried lampreys. It follows these products on their journey from farmers and fishermen to restaurant tables in Riga.
The main characters of the documentary are Mārtiņš Sirmais, Jānis Melnalksnis and Kārlis Celms, who are well known Latvian chefs, Signe Meirāne, the author of several cookbooks, and ordinary Central Market traders such as the owner of the Ādažu desu darbnīca sausage factory, Jānis Sauka.
Photo: Uldis Cekulis
The film was created by the Latvian production company VFS Films in cooperation with leading European documentary producers – the Italian film studio STEFILM International and the Franco-German cultural TV channel ARTE.
The first five episodes of the In the Belly of the City TV series made in 2013 received the US TASTE AWARDS for Best Foreign Language Program, and the journey now goes on to reveal further beautiful, colourful and tasty markets in Florence, Freiburg, Zagreb, Toulouse and Riga. The film promotion campaign in Europe began at the EXPO 2015 in Milan, since this year’s world exhibition is dedicated to food.
The Riga premiere of the film has been organised by the Rīgas Centrāltirgus company in cooperation with VFS Films and the Secretariat of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council. The event is open to invited guests and media.
The Food Markets: In the Belly of the City. Riga Central Market film project forms part of the Latvian EU Council Presidency cultural programme which aims to present Latvia as a reliable partner in cooperation, a cultural tourism destination and a source of inspiration, top-class professionalism and cultural achievement.
