Set in Soviet-era Riga, a time when sports offered one of the few chances to travel beyond the Iron Curtain, the film tells the story of Dzidra, a young woman from a poor background who turns to basketball in the hope of finding her brother, who fled abroad after World War II. Against all odds, Dzidra rises to become the first Latvian woman to join the USSR national team. But just before an international match, the KGB steps in, thwarting her plans. Refusing to give up, she becomes captain of Riga TTT, the city’s basketball club, earning acclaim as a leader and athlete. The team eventually reaches the Euroleague final in Paris, where Dzidra unexpectedly encounters her long-lost brother — forcing her to make an agonizing choice: flee with him to freedom or stay true to her occupied homeland of Latvia.
The film stars Agnese Budovska, with a supporting cast that includes Artur Smolyaninov, Evelina Otto, Rezija Kalniņa, Arturs Skrastiņš, Jēkabs Reinis, and Natalia Ziveca.
The music for Escape Net was composed by the Grammy‑ and Emmy‑winning composer Lolita Ritmanis, who re-collaborated with director Dzintars Dreibergs on this feature. Cathleen Flynn orchestrated along with Steven Radar, under Larry Rench. Ritmanis is of Latvian-American heritage and is acclaimed for her richly orchestral scores in film and television—including the Oscar‑shortlisted 2021 score for Blizzard of Souls