Riga International Film Festival 2ANNAS  Riga International Film Festival 2ANNAS (Latvian: Rīgas starptautiskais filmu festivāls 2ANNAS) is the only annual film festival in Latvia. Founded by its current director Viesturs Grazdanovics (Viesturs Graždanovičs) in 1996, the festival has since taken place every year in late May, until in 2013 it moved to late October in Riga (Latvia). Screenings take place in several film theaters as well as popular alternative entertainment venues and non-conventional screening venues. Originally created to promote short film, the festival has widened its range by adding a feature film competition program in its 2014 selection. The first 2ANNAS film festival took place in 1996 at the Center of Creative Learning ANNAS 2 (CCL) as the only youth and experimental film festival in Latvia. The program consisted of only 10 short films and its goal was to support and promote interest in film art in Latvia. Gradually the festival grew, and in 2005 the film selection crossed the Latvian border, thus 2ANNAS became an international film festival. The transition led to a change of strategy for the festival and in 2006 it highlighted the new criteria for festival selections - quality, flexibility, innovation and openness. In 2007 2ANNAS introduced many changes and updates. One of them is the sub-festival "Green Anna" - an international competition program consisting of short films made by filmmakers under 18. Another addition to the festival was a separate Baltic competition program for filmmakers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which is closely connected to the foundation of the Baltic Film and Media School in Tallinn (Estonia) in 2005. The festival also adopted a one-week event format. In about ten years the festival evolves from a small independent event into one of the biggest film festivals in Latvia with a film selection consisting of 31 short film from 9 different countries (2007). In 2008 the festival starts to position itself as the largest short film festival in the Baltics. Festival's 2009 selection consists of 42 short films from 18 different countries. International competition started alongside the festival's transition from a national to an international film festival in 2005. It offers a selection of high-quality short films that have already gained recognition or are on their way to fame. Short films represent all genres (fiction, animation, documentary, experimental, music video, etc.). Every year 2ANNAS competition program includes short films that have been nominated or awarded in high-rank film events such as Cannes film festival, Berlinale and the Academy awards.