This is the most controversial segment. Kairys walks away from the main avenues into the dvor-yards (courtyards) of Kolomna. Here, the Baltic sun becomes a cruel character—it pierces the dark, damp wells of tenement buildings. We see a woman hanging laundry in a shaft of light that looks like a physical blade. Critics in 2003 claimed this section made St. Petersburg look depressed. Today, viewers call it "honest."
Baltic Sun at St. Petersburg 2003 is a documentary film by Latvian director Askolds Saulītis that captures a unique, large-scale cultural and spiritual event marking the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg, Russia. The film documents the journey and performance of the Baltic Sun (Baltijas Saule) — a 10-meter-high, glowing yellow sun installation — as it travels from Riga, Latvia, to the heart of St. Petersburg. baltic sun at st petersburg 2003 documentary new
The documentary is not merely a concert film or travelogue; it is a poetic meditation on history, collective memory, resilience, and the unifying power of light and music across formerly divided nations. This is the most controversial segment
Since its premiere at the Moscow International Documentary Film Festival in February 2025, the "new" Baltic Sun has received standing ovations and poignant reviews. We see a woman hanging laundry in a
The Calvert Journal called it "a hypnotic elegy for a moment of hope we didn't know we were losing." Critics note that watching the film in 2025 (over two decades later) adds a tragic layer. The geopolitical optimism of 2003—the sense that Russia was permanently integrating with the West—has long vanished. The laughter of world leaders at the 300th anniversary gala now echoes with irony.
One reviewer wrote: "Watching the restored 'Baltic Sun' is like looking at a family photo album the day before a war. The light is impossibly beautiful, because you know it will fade."