Sidrabbalts Film Shoots Final Sequence in Carnikava With 200 Extras

Filming for the international feature film Sidrabbalts / Hõbevalge has entered its final stretch in Latvia. Production teams and a massive crew of local participants gathered in Carnikava near the mouth of the Gauja River, turning the coastal landscape into a 3,000-year-old stage for the ambitious historical project.

Carnikava Coastal Filming Brings Together 200 Extras and Choirs

The current production phase in Carnikava represents one of the most visually impressive and complex sequences in the entire film. Around 200 extras joined the shoot, a group that includes approximately 150 singers drawn from multiple choirs—such as Stella Vitalis, Jumis, Gaudeamus, Mundus, Vēja balss, Undīne, and Saknes—alongside members of the Cēlāji folklore group. Under the musical leadership of conductor Ivars Cinkus, the ensemble performs an original song composed specifically for the movie by Estonian singer and composer Mari Kalkun.

Pan-Baltic Coproduction Adapts Lennart Meri’s Historic Masterpiece

Directed by internationally awarded Estonian filmmaker Marti Helde, Sidrabbalts / Hõbevalge draws inspiration from the legendary book Hõbevalge by statesman and writer Lennart Meri. First published in 1976 and issued in English in 2025 as Silverwhite: The Journey to the Fallen Sun, the book remains a cornerstone of Estonian cultural history. The film itself functions as a joint production involving Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Sweden, with financial backing from the Council of Europe’s Eurimages fund.

The narrative transports viewers nearly 3,000 years into the past, following four distinct Finno-Ugric communities across various eras. Producers sought out raw, untamed environments where water, fire, ancient ceremonies, and untamed nature could serve as active dramatic elements rather than mere background scenery. Two of the film’s four core stories are captured on location in Latvia, following earlier work near the Ķūķi Cliffs in the Cēsis Municipality, alongside parallel filming stretches on Saaremaa in Estonia and in Karelia, Finland.

Latvian Creative Team Drives Visual Effects and Production Design

Latvia’s involvement extends far beyond providing scenic riverbanks. Studio Air Productions represents the country in the coproduction, with support provided by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) and the National Film Centre of Latvia. Producers Antra Gaile and Līga Gaisa oversee the Latvian side of the production, managing extensive makeup, costume, and manufacturing departments.

Among the critical contributions from local talent is the development of animated sequences and digital visual layers crafted by animator and computer graphics artist Konstantīns Višņevskis. The on-set crew features gaffer Pēteris Skujiņš, sound recordist Mārtiņš Rozentāls, location manager Ieva Eihe, and photographer Andrejs Strokins. Actor Armands Berģis steps into the role of the Northern King, while casting is handled by Gunita Groša through the Casting Bridge agency.

Exhibition Plans and 2027 Premiere Timeline

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the original literary work, an exhibition titled Hõbevalge 50 is scheduled to open on September 25, 2026, at the Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour in Tallinn, part of the Estonian Maritime Museum. Marti Helde serves as the creative director for the exhibition, with Lennart Meri’s son, Mart Meri, participating as a consultant.