Nearby (Blakus) is the debut feature by Latvian director Alise Zariņa — a fresh, honest portrait of young adulthood in contemporary Latvia. Louise and Kaspars meet while celebrating Midsummer’s Eve (Jāņi), Latvia’s most beloved summer holiday. Both are running from their lives — young, talented, and uncertain of their direction. What begins as a spontaneous encounter unfolds into a three-year journey through love, ambition, doubt, and the quiet pressure to “figure it all out.” Every Latvian knows the slightly nagging question: “Where are you celebrating Midsummer this year?” Against this almost ritual social expectation, Zariņa crafts an organic, believable, funny, and deeply moving story about love, choices, and growing up. Though the film features familiar road-movie imagery — cars, highways, departures and returns — Nearby gently subverts the genre. Structured around three recurring Midsummers, it revisits the same relationship year after year, revealing how subtly and inevitably people change. Balancing humor and emotional honesty, the film moves closer to a romantic dramedy than a traditional road movie. The soundtrack features music by beloved Latvian “pop-folk” duo Čipsis un Dullais, adding warmth and cultural texture for local audiences while introducing international viewers to a distinctive contemporary Baltic voice. RECOGNITION Best Screenplay at the 2019 Latvian National Film Awards.