Juris Kursietis is an acclaimed Latvian film director and screenwriter whose work spans both feature films and television, garnering international recognition. His directorial debut, "Modris" (2014), premiered at over 30 festivals including Toronto and San Sebastián, earning Latvia’s National Film Award for Best Debut and Best Supporting Actress. His second feature, "Oļegs" (2019), premiered at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight and won multiple awards including the Grand Prix at the Brussels and CinEast Film Festivals, as well as Best Director at the Palic Film Festival. He co-wrote and co-directed the internationally known TV series "Soviet Jeans" (2023), which won Best Series at the 2024 Latvian National Film Award and received the Audience Award at Series Mania in France. The series was also officially selected for the Serial Killer Festival and the Seoul International Drama Awards in 2024.