RĒZIJA KALNIŅA graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory (now Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music) Department of Theatre and Cinema Acting in 1994, and then continued her studies in the Directing faculty. She is the recipient of several awards (the Lielais Kristaps award for Best Supporting Actress and Best Film Actress, the Spēlmaņu nakts award for Best New Actress, and numerous nominations for Best Actress) for her work at the Daile Theatre, in movies, and television. She has directed performances and concerts at the Dzintars Concert Hall (Tur kur gars ar garu jūtās satiekas, 2015), the Latvian National Theatre (Cilvēks, kas smejas, 2015), the Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre (La traviata, War Requiem, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 2014; Mass, 2013; Anniversary Concerts 2012-2014), the Daile Theatre and the Latvian Puppet Theatre. In 2014, she was nominated for a Golden Mask award for Bernstein’s Mass.