According to director Anna Hints, the smoke sauna continues to be an inspiring environment to observe relationships between people: "When Smoke Sauna Sisterhood took us to the realm of women, then Sauna Day takes us to the male world and touches upon the intimacy between men. Critics' Week is a fantastic opportunity. The fact that the programmers see freshness and originality in this short poetic film brings happiness and gives me the courage to continue my path." 

For Tushar Prakash, Sauna Day is a very personal film: “Sauna Day continues to explore themes of masculinity and the secrets that lie behind the veil of strength - a continuation of themes from our film "Eesti mees". These themes are very personal to me, as I have struggled with the traditional constraints of what it means to be a strong man since childhood. I am honoured to premiere our film at Cannes. It is deeply touching for me that something so local and personal resonates on such a global level.“ 

Producer Johanna Maria Paulson says: “We are honoured to premiere our film at a festival where many of the biggest names in art house cinema started from. Sauna Day was shot last summer in Võrumaa, where our small film crew and cast intertwined with the local community, making the whole process a special and different experience. Most of the crew has a close connection to Southern Estonia, and both the Estonian and Võro language can be heard in the film. Anna and Tushar have co-created a gentle and universal film that transcends borders and is enriched by elements that are specific to Estonia.” 

Edith Sepp, CEO of the Estonian Film Institute, comments: "The Cannes Film Festival is a great opportunity for Estonian filmmakers Anna and Tushar to gain international visibility and thereby draw attention to our entire film industry. Pure joy at the continued success of Estonian films!" 

Sauna Day invites you into the world of Southern Estonian men who go to the dark-intimate space of a smoke sauna after a hard day's work. Beneath their tough exteriors lies a desire for connection, veiled in secrecy. 

Written and directed by Anna Hints and Tushar Prakash. Producers Johanna Maria Paulson and Evelin Penttilä (Stellar Film), cinematographer Ants Tammik, artist Inga Vares, editor Emeri Abel and sound designer Tanel Kadalipp. Agur Seim and Rasmus Kaljujärv play the leading roles, with supporting roles by Olev Pant, Karep Rutov, Tarmo Lõiv, Priit Bulin, Marianne Kütt, Marin Mägi-Efert, Kaja Solom and Liina Prii. 

Sauna Day is supported by Estonian Film Institute, Estonian Cultural Endowment, Tartu Film Fund and Creative Europe MEDIA.   


Contact:  
Johanna Maria Paulson  
johanna@stellar.ee 
+372 5332 7860 

Eda Koppel 
Estonian Film Institute 
eda@filmi.ee  
+372 520 3306 

The main producers Kerdi Oengo (Nukufilm) and Kalev Tamm (Joonisfilm) comment on the great news, "We are really happy that our great work has been noticed and appreciated. Two Estonian films simultaneously on the Oscars’ shortlist is a great recognition for the makers and undoubtedly for the entire Estonian culture."

Eeva, which was the first Estonian film to be selected at the Berlinale International Film Festival and where it premiered at the shorts international competition programme, tells a ghostly story about a woman's infidelity and regret, which is triggered at her husband's funeral. Eeva is directed by Morten Tšinakov and Lucija Mrzljak and produced by Joonisfilm and the Croatian co-production company Adriatic Animation.

The exquisite puppet stop-motion Dog Apartment, which, in addition to several international awards, also won the prize for Best Animation from the Cultural Endowment of Estonia in 2022, is an absurdist drama about a former ballet dancer who is confined to his barking apartment and the bleak routine of kolhoz work.

The final list of nominees will be announced early next year, and the Oscars ceremony will take place in March.

 

The selection committee comprised seven members: cultural critic Andrei Liimets, producer Johanna Maria Paulson, Chairman of the Audiovisual Arts board, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Kaarel Kuurmaa, director and editor Madli Lääne-Metsalu, film directors Marko Raat and Ove Musting, and Head of Production of the Estonian Film Institute Viola Salu.

In the words of the selection committee members, “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” is a visually captivating film, with sensitive cinematic language that manages to capture the timely and the timeless, specific and universal, political and poetical, simultaneously.

“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” also qualifies to be considered for an Oscar in the Best Documentary category. The film is distributed by Greenwich Entertainment in the USA who will release the film in the 4th quarter of 2023.

For director Anna Hints, being chosen as the national entry is a big honour. “I am deeply moved and happy that my colleagues from Estonian cinema see so much potential in “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”. I am in the middle of a true world tour with the film and have experienced personally how this film speaks to people everywhere from Europe to Hong Kong, Canada, the United States and Australia. This film is born from the heart and meant to touch hearts. I can only hope that our smoke sauna power will speak to members of the American Film Academy as well.”

“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” has achieved remarkable international success having been screened at more than 20 festivals, won four awards, and received two special mentions to date. Director Anna Hints won the Directing Award in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance, and Eurimages Audentia Award for Best Female Director, and received the McBaine Feature Documentary Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival Golden Gate Awards.
Distribution rights have been sold to more than 30 territories from the USA to New Zealand and Canada to South Korea. In Estonia the film has gathered more than 27,000 admissions.

Producer Marianne Ostrat of Alexandra Film is elated over the committee’s decision. “It’s a big honour! Every year, documentaries that premiered at Sundance and were awarded there, find their way to Oscar nominations - so have we set our sails for the Oscars journey. We are not just going to try our luck but attempt to fulfil the film’s full potential – in two categories.”

In the words of Viola Salu, EFI’s Head of Production, “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” is one of the most internationally acclaimed Estonian films. “I'm delighted that for the first time a documentary will be representing Estonia in the best International Feature Film category. “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” is deservedly receiving the highest international acclaim. I am convinced that audiences around the world will be deeply moved by this intimate and unique film.”

“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” is a modern and intimate film about women, who gather in the protective darkness of a smoke sauna to share their deepest secrets and wash away the shame and pain settled in their bodies. The film also introduces the ancient Old-Võromaa smoke sauna customs that have been included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” is directed by Anna Hints, produced by Marianne Ostrat. It is shot by cinematographer Ants Tammik, edited by Hendrik Mägar, Tushar Prakash, Qutaiba Barhamji, Martin Männik and Anna Hints. The original score is composed by Edvard Egilsson (Iceland) and Eeter, with Juliette Cazanave from France, and Hlín Jóhannesdóttir from Iceland attached as co-producers. The film is produced by Alexandra Film (Estonia), Kepler22 Productions (France) and Ursus Parvus (Iceland).

 

Additional information:
Viola Salu  
Head of Production
Estonian Film Institute
viola@filmi.ee

The aim of the contest was to find renowned authors who would present Tartu and Southern Estonia in the most artistically exciting ways. The short films are a work of their own but at the same time would form a single cultural code – the collection of short documentaries “Arts of Survival”. In total, 27 ideas from Estonia and 16 ideas from international filmmakers were submitted to the contest.

"The contest and competition was internationally substantial. The documentaries covered various topics related to Tartu and Southern Estonia, which is why the final selection is diverse," said Tartu 2024 Creative Director Kati Torp. “We have selected the projects with the most intriguing themes which will certainly speak about the Arts of Survival long after the European Capital of Culture," said Torp.

Selected filmmakers included the award-winning Latvian film and theater director Viesturs Kairišs (Nafta Film OÜ, producers Esko Rips, Olga Hartšuk; Ego Media, producer Guntis Trekteris), who takes a look at a sing lonely island Piirissaar, an Estonian island located in Lake Peipus on the very border of Estonia and Russia. The film by Bulgarian director Andrey Paounov (OÜ Vesilind, producer Riho Västrik; Chicken Milk, producer Elitza Katzarska) is about the self-assembled machines of local fishermen at lake Peipus, karakats. The film of animator Ülo Pikkov’s family is shared (Silmviburlane OÜ, producer Ülo Pikkov) through the fate of his Pechory great-grandmother, and Jaan Tootsen (OÜ Aadam ja Pojad, producer Anneli Ahven) brings to life the memories and stories of his childhood in Southern Estonia. The story by Eva Kübara (Mcqueen OÜ, producer Alvar Reinumägi) centers on the German Hilda Ha, who lives an off-grid life in Võru County with her young child, in the forest, without electricity and running water. The short film by Maria Aua (OÜ Vesilind, producer Riho Västrik) focuses on Tartu and its enrichingly boring non-places, i.e. strange wastelands, empty squares and rundown buildings. The main characters of the film by the Swedish-Danish director Carl Olsson (Allfilm OÜ, producer Ivo Felt) are the residents of an apartment building in Annelinn, and the diversity of their identities and dreams is explored through the building's architecture. The film by Latvian filmmaker Andris Gauja (Film Tower OÜ, producer Margus Õunapuu) is about astronomers with their telescopes and slime mold explorers with their microscopes finding the beauty of curiosity.

Estonian Film Institute film commissioner Filipp Kruusvall commented: "Tartu 2024 Arts of Survival Documentaries is a remarkable initiative for the Estonian film industry. Renowned Estonian and international directors will produce eight exciting and unique short documentaries in 2023 and 2024. Collaboration with the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 has provided decent funding for film production and attracted famous international documentary filmmakers to Southern Estonia. Now, when the topic of finding survival strategies is important and intriguing - we can safely say that the selected films are something to look forward to in 2024.”

Arts of Survival Documentaries are in the main programme of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. NGO Tartu Filmiselts is the executive organization for the project. The production of short films is financed by Tartu 2024 Foundation, the Estonian Film Institute and Creative Europe. The selection was made by the jury consisting of Tartu 2024 creative director Kati Torp, Estonian Film Institute film commissioner Filipp Kruusvall, directors Moonika Siimets and Kaur Kokk, cinematographer Erik Põllumaa and artistic director of Tartu 2024 Survival Arts Documentaries Kaarel Kuurmaa.

Selected films: https://tartudok2024.ee/en/films/
Tartu 2024 Arts of Survival Documentaries
European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024

For more information and media inquiries, contact:
Liisa Nurmela
Head of Marketing & Communication
Tartu 2025 Arts of Survival Documentaries
NGO Tartu Filmiselts
+372 51974945
liisa.nurmela@gmail.com

The 43rd edition of Porto International Film Festival Fantasporto took place from 24.02-04.03. It is one of Portugal’s most famous film festivals that has been taking place since 1981. One of the highlights of the festival this year was the screening of the Estonian medieval saga Melchior the Apothecary that was presented by stage and film director Elmo Nüganen.

“Fantasporto Film Festival screened the complete trilogy of the Melchior-saga, three films in a row. I was sitting in the cinema hall and thinking how wonderful it is that so many people are attending and have interest in the films. Everything was great. And then, suddenly, there was a surprise,“ commented the film director Elmo Nüganen, who arrived back home to Estonia last night.

The Ambassador of Estonia to Portugal Moonika Kase also attended the screenings and said it is wonderful that Melchior the Apothecary trilogy was selected to Fantasporto, where the film as well as the director were warmly welcomed and recognized. “Estonia and Portugal are geografically distant – located at the opposite ends of Europe. This makes it even more special when Estonian culture and stories reach Portugal and are in the spotlight. Melchior the Apothecary also brought the Old Town of Tallinn to Porto,“ commented Kase.

In addition to Melchior the Apothecary trilogy, Elmo Nüganen has directed Names in Marble (2002), Mindless (2006) and 1944 (2015). Names in Marble held the number one title of admissions among Estonian films until 2016 and 1944 became the country’s submission for the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film in 2015. Elmo Nüganen has also participated in several successful feature films as an actor - Tangerines (dir. Zaza Urushadze), Purge (dir. Antti Jokinen), Mushrooming (dir. Toomas Hussar) and Dawn of War (dir. Margus Paju).

Elmo Nüganen’s newest feature film, the final act of the Melchior trilogy, Melchior the Apohecary. The Executioner’s Daughter will be released in cinemas in Estonia on 14th of April.

 

The film projects were selected by a jury consisting of Kersti Uibo and Eva Kübar from the Estonian Documentary Guild, Sanna Kultanen and Maija Hirvonen from the Finnish Documentary Guild, and Filipp Kruusvall from the Estonian Film Institute.

According to jury member Kersti Uibo, competition was once again very strong and showed a broad thematic scope. “The projects selected for the training programme are very diverse, ranging from coal mines in Poland to home births in Finland to the defenders of a tank-monument in Narva,” added Uibo.

Seven projects, three documentaries from Finland and four from Estonia, will participate in the workshop. Among the projects selected from Estonia are feature-length documentaries in the development phase or in production by directors Kaupo Kruusiauk, Joosep Matjus, Katri Rannastu, Laura Liventaal and Birgit Rosenberg. Finnish participants are directors Oliwia Tonteri, Karoliina Gröndahl and Lauri Autere.

The training programme lasts a year and consists of three parts. The first two sessions focus on development of narrative, visual storytelling and editing techniques, the third meeting concentrates on the promotion and distribution of film projects.

The first "Ice and Fire Docs" took place in 2019. The programme was initiated by the Estonian Documentary Guild and the Estonian Film Institute, and is now organised in close co-operation with the Finnish Documentary Guild. The training programme is financed by the Estonian Film Institute, the Finnish Centre for the Promotion of Audiovisual Culture AVEK and the Finnish Film Foundation.


Additional information:

Heilika Pikkov
Organiser of Ice and Fire Docs
heilika@silmviburlane.ee

Filipp Kruusvall
Documentary Film Commissioner at the Estonian Film Institute
filipp@filmi.ee

At the heart of the programme is the festival’s competition, the main prize in which is 25,000 euros. The Estonian co-production Minsk (dir. Boris Guts) has been selected to compete for the prize. The feature film follows a young couple who find themselves in the midst of massive protests against the rigged results of presidential elections. Its Estonian production company was Leo Films, led by producer Katerina Monastyrskaya.

Also likely to garner significant attention is the Melchior the Apothecary (“Apteeker Melchior”) trilogy, all three films in which will be screened at the festival as part of its “Hits” programme. As the name suggests, this programme is dedicated to films that have enjoyed box office success on their domestic markets. Based on the popular novels by Indrek Hargla, the first two films in the series premiered in Estonia in April and August 2022. The final film in the trilogy has now been completed, and Cottbus will provide audiences with the exclusive opportunity to see all three at once. The world premiere of Melchior the Apothecary. The Executioner’s Daughter (“Apteeker Melchior. Timuka tütar”) will be attended by its director Elmo Nüganen. The film will reach Estonian cinemas in early 2023.

The Cottbus line-up will also feature the summer comedy Tree of Eternal Love (“Kiik, kirves ja igavese Armastuse Puu”) by Meel Pailale, which has been selected as part of the “Spectrum” programme, and Jaak Kilmi’s The Sleeping Beast (“Tagurpidi torn”), which will be screened as part of the festival’s programme of children’s films.

An Estonian feature is also to be found in the festival’s short-form competition: Days Without (dir. Ivar Erik Yeoman), a graduate work completed at the Baltic Film, Media, Arts and Communication School of Tallinn University.

“We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Cottbus for years now, with at least one Estonian film being featured in its programme every year,” said Eda Koppel, the head of marketing with the Estonian Film Institute. “But this year is special, with as many as half-a-dozen of our films making the line-up.”

Cottbus 2022 will run from 8-13 November, showcasing 219 films from 28 countries. More details about the festival can be found online at https://www.filmfestivalcottbus.de/en/home/.

For more information please contact:
Sigrid Saag
International distribution coordinator
Estonian Film Institute

By the slimmest of margins and following lengthy discussions, a jury convened by the Estonian Film Institute (EFI) has selected Ove Musting’s film Kalev as the country’s nominee for the title of Best International Feature Film at the 2023 Academy Awards. Likewise in contention for Oscars glory, in the category of Best Animated Short Film, will be Sierra, written and produced by Sander Joon.

In the feature film production round, two films were supported with Estonia as the main producer.

Feature film “Lioness” got 660 000 euro. The previous film of director Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, “Take It or Leave It”, was completed as part of the Estonia 100 film program. With her newest project “Lioness”, Trishkina-Vanhatalo continues to tackle burning social issues, this time in the shape of a psychological thriller. The script is inspired by real-life events and exposes motherly love from a startlingly new perspective. “I was intrigued by the idea, how far would a mother go to bring her child back from the brink of destruction”, Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo explained the film’s background. The story of a mother protecting her teenage daughter looks to make a more general point about emotional attention and the importance of closeness.

The budget of “Lioness” is 1.5 million euro, and it’s produced by Allfilm.

A 500 000 euro grant was given to the feature film “Dog”, directed by Rasmus Merivoo of “Alien. The Saving of Valdis in 11 Chapters” and “Kratt” fame. “Dog” takes place in Estonia in the near future, and takes a bold and fresh look at hypocrisy and neutralization in society. Merivoo admitted that he’s happy to live in a country where straightforward and honest films can be made. “Dog” might be an allegory about people who gradually start losing their minds, but an important spot is also saved for observations about art, because frivolity takes an increasingly self-evident position in mainstream art. 

The budget of “Dog” is 1 million euro, and it’s produced by Tallifornia.

“These two narratives are completely different from each other, but they have one thing in common – both are taking an unflinching and original look at the society”, said Piret Tibbo-Hudgins, EFI’s Head of Production. Grants given to two features amount to 1.16 million euro and is divided between 2022 and 2023.

In addition, EFI supported four feature film minority co-productions with 410 000 euro in total. Minority co-production grants are given to Estonian production companies to participate in international projects.

80 000 euro went to the Finnish-Estonian co-production “Orenda”, directed by Pirjo Honkasalo, who is known for her poetic allegorical style. It ponders questions on the ethics and aesthetics of being, through the eyes of people with some experience in life. The main characters are an orphaned boy and two women, with a special contribution from a dead husband of one of the women. The narrative takes place away from the shallow bustle of civilization, and the focus of the story is of relevant themes: cruelty and tenderness, guilt and forgiveness. The active presence of the young boy gives the remembrances of the past a glimpse into the future, and perhaps a motive of eternal recurrence.

A visionary auteur film, “Orenda” is co-produced by Allfilm.

130 000 euro was granted to another Finnish-Estonian project “Never Alone”, dealing with a dark episode in Finnish history – giving up eight Jews from Central Europe to the Germans in 1942. The film is not merely an accusation built on a single fact, but a gripping story of Abraham Stiller, the leader of the Helsinki Jewish community, and his efforts to save his compatriots, adventures in the power corridors of Finland, his doubts and missteps. “Never Alone” is directed by Klaus Härö. It is the second time for Härö to co-produce a film with Estonia, having previously had considerable success with “The Fencer” in 2015.

The Estonian producer of “Never Alone” is Taska Film.

The Latvian-Estonian project “Barbarians” received 90 000 euro. The film’s central conflict is carried by a female musician and her politician husband, who is facing corruption charges. The classical Western and new Latvian realities clash on a familial level, or maybe it’s the other way around – modern West and traditional Latvia. It is up to the viewer to decide, who represents sincerity, or cynicism. The director Juris Kursietis’ previous film “Oleg” premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight program at Cannes Film Festival in 2019.

The Estonian producer of “Barbarians” is Stellar Film.

French-Estonian co-production “Apathy” receiver 110 000 euro. Directed by Alexandros Avranas, the film explores a strange phenomenon that has appeared in Sweden over the past few decades, where the kids of families who have been denied political asylum, fall into a strange lethargic state. In “Apathy”, the fate of the whole family is in the hands of such a kid, because he’s the key witness for the appeal committee.

The clock is ticking, and the family that has arrived from Russia needs to make a decision where the ends justify the means.

The film is being co-produced by five different countries, with Amrion as the Estonian partner.

The second round of feature film production grants is on April 26, with 834 000 euro to be distributed. The second round of minority co-production projects takes place on September 13, with 190 000 euro available.

 

Additional information:
Estonian Film Institute
Piret Tibbo-Hudgins
Head of Production
e-post: piret@filmi.ee

Seats can be reserved at the Artis’ box office on the day of the screenings.

The presentation of one of the following documents is needed: a completed COVID-19 vaccination certificate or proof of passage (valid for up to 6 months after recovery) or a negative PCR test (up to 72 h old) or a rapid antigen test (up to 48 h old). In addition, a personal identification document is required.

The Baltic Film Days take place for the fifth time and happen simultaneously in the three Baltic States. The event offers an opportunity to exchange the recent film creations between neighbouring countries.

Estonian films, Lauri Randla's humorous debut Goodbye Soviet Union and Jaan Tootsen's portrait documentary of Fred Jüssi The Beauty of Being, will be screened in Latvia and Lithuania. The event is dedicated to the anniversary of the Baltic Way. The Baltic Film Days are organized by the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian film institutes.

 

More information on the films on Facebook and the Cinema Artis’ website.

Watch trailer for the Baltic Film Days here.

 

That the three films were awarded the support is all the more noteworthy for the fact that competition for the support was the fiercest it has ever been in the history of Eurimages: a total of  92 European films applied for financing. With all of the films to which support was provided, Eurimages highlighted the originality and topical nature of their stories and the bold, unique visions of their directors.

The Invisible Fight is a kung-fu comedy about an Orthodox monastery set in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Since director Rainer Sarnet’s plan with the film is to marry a number of aspects that at first glance don’t appear to go together – levity and sanctity, Black Sabbath and monks’ chants, pop culture and religious art – then the film will be a mixture which has never existed before in this form. “When you’re trying something that’s really out there, the cards tend to fall in one of two ways when it comes to funding,” explained the film’s producer Katrin Kissa. “Either the originality of it really grabs people, or the fact that it’s new and unusual leads to them taking a more cautious approach. The financing we’ve secured from Eurimages for The Invisible Fight is the last cornerstone of the whole thing. Now we can say with total confidence that shooting will start in August.” The film will be shot in Latvia, Greece and Estonia.

Sarnet is not only the film’s director, but is also responsible for its screenplay. Joining Ursel Tilk, who has been cast in the lead role, will be actors Ester Kuntu, Indrek Sammul, Maria Avdjuško, Tiina Tauraite and Mari Abel. The film’s crew will include director of photography Mart Taniel, designer Jaagup Roomet and costume designer Jaanus Vahtra. The film is being produced by Homeless Bob Production. With a budget of 2.6 million euros, the film is being made as a coproduction between Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Finland and Germany. The Estonian Film Institute allocated 700,000 euros in support of the film.

Triin Ruumet’s Dark Paradise is a drama about millennials which exists on the fringes of black tragicomedy. Its screenplay was written by Ruumet, Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman. The story draws the viewer into the hedonistic world of a young university student – a lifestyle with which she staves off her yearning for real intimacy. Producer Elina Litvinova explained that the team found a French partner Jeremy Forni from Chevaldeuxtrois on the coproduction market at the Les Arcs film festival a couple of years ago. “He is a big fan of Triin’s work, and a really good partnership has grown out of that,” she said.

Dark Paradise is being made as an Estonian-French coproduction with a budget of 1.4 million euros. It will star Rea Lest and Jörgen Liik and feature Steffi Pähn, Liisa Saaremäel and Juhan Ulfsak. Its crew will include director of photography Erik Põllumaa and designer Matis Mäesalu. The Estonian Film Institute allocated 800,000 euros in support of the film, which is being produced by the Three Brothers studio.

Talented Lithuanian director Giedrė Žickytė’s documentary Irena represents a creative production partnership between Estonian, Lithuanian and Bulgarian film-makers. Producer Pille Rünk explained that the documentary serves as a farewell and love letter to an extraordinary woman, Irena Veisaitė – a Lithuanian theatre scholar and humanist whose fate was closely intertwined with Estonia through love and friendship. Irena was the last wife of Estonian film director Grigori Kromanov, and composer Arvo Pärt’s Für Alina was named after Irena’s daughter – as consolation to both mother and daughter, whom the vicissitudes of life had separated. Part of the documentary will be shot in Estonia, where its soundtrack will be produced and its sound design carried out.

The Estonian producer of the film, which has a budget of 450,000 euros, is Allfilm. The Estonian Film Institute allocated 30,000 euros in minority coproduction support to the film.

Estonian films which have received support from Eurimages in recent years include The Last Ones (dir. Veiko Õunpuu), Goodbye Soviet Union (dir. Lauri Randla), November (dir. Rainer Sarnet), Scandinavian Silence (dir. Martti Helde), Pretenders (dir. Vallo Toomla) and The Secret Society of Souptown (dir. Margus Paju), plus a number of films in which Estonian producers have been minority partners. These include the Finnish film Compartment Number 6, directed by Juho Kuosmanen and written by Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman, which was selected for competition at 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

The Last Ones is a Nordic Western that takes place in the untamed Lapland tundra. The protagonist is young miner Rupi, who hopes to scrape together enough money through excavating the tundra to forever shake the suffocating dust of the mining village from his feet. But the work has come to a halt because Rupi’s reindeer herder father refuses to sell his land. What’s more, the manipulative mine owner nicknamed the Fisherman has his eye on Rupi’s friend’s wife, a woman who Rupi is also secretly in love with. Now that life in the mining village is becoming more dangerous by the day, Rupi must decide where and to whom he belongs. Is it the primal tundra of his forefathers or the cold terrain of personal interest?

The Last Ones is a co-production between Estonia, Finland and the Netherlands, produced by Katrin Kissa from Homeless Bob Production together with Mark Lwoff, Misha Jaari (BUFO, Finland) and Ellen Havenith (PRPL, the Netherlands). Starring Pääru Oja, Laura Birn, Tommi Korpela. Written by the director Veiko Õunpuu, together with Heikki Huttu-Hiltunen and Eero Tammi, cinematography by Sten-Johan Lill, edited by Wouter van Luijn and Xander Nijsten, sound design by Mark Glynne.

The Last Ones is Veiko’s fifth feature. His previous films are highly acclaimed, his debut feature Autumn Ball won the Orizzonti Award for Best Film at Venice International Film Festival in 2007 and his next ones The Temptation of St. Tony, Free Range. Ballad of Approving the World and Roukli have premiered at acclaimed film festivals and won numerous awards.

Stockfish Film Festival will take place from 20 to 30 May in Reykjavik. This year the festival will present a curated collection of 21 internationally award-winning films and a shorts programme. The festival chose The Last Ones as the opening film as it fits „into the spirit of Stockfish with its unconventional narrative and stunning cinematography.“ The festival screenings for The Last Ones are supported by the Estonian Film Institute and the Estonian Embassy in Oslo.

Everyone residing in Iceland can attend the screening taking place on May 25.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://tix.is/en/event/11237/the-last-ones/.
More information on the festival’s website: https://stockfishfestival.is/en/front-page/

Mirjam Mikk
International Distribution Coordinator
mirjam@filmi.ee

Both films offer historical stories set in the Soviet Era, showcasing the unique and unconventional journeys often hidden behind closed doors that the audiences can easily relate to. The comedy Goodbye, Soviet Union tells the story of a colourful Ingrian-Finnish family. A young boy Johannes is born to a single student mom and is raised by his grandparents, while the hippie mom protests against the war in Afghanistan. Strong characters quarrel with each other until mother smuggles herself to work in Finland through KGB and Johannes has to face the life challenges alone. He falls deeply in love with his classmate, Vera, takes risks, gets into fights, and gets punished… all the while, in the background, the Evil Empire collapses.

 

Starring Niklas Kouzmitšev, Nika Savolainen, Ülle Kaljuste, Tõnu Oja and Pääru Oja.

Written and directed by Lauri Randla, cinematography by Elen Lotman and produced by Peeter Urbla with Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari. The production companies behind the film are Exitfilm and Bufo (Finland). The director’s filmography to date consists of seven short films, among them Mausoleum (2016), which has won over ten international awards. The short is produced by Peeter Urbla from Exitfilm.

 

Firebird is a touching love story set in the Soviet Air Force during the Cold War. Sergey, a troubled young private, is counting the days till his military service ends. His life is turned upside down when a daring fighter pilot, Roman arrives at the base. Driven by curiosity, Sergey and Roman navigate the precarious line between love and friendship as a dangerous love triangle forms between them and Luisa, the secretary to the base Commander. Sergey is forced to face his past as Roman’s career is endangered and Luisa struggles to keep her family together. As the walls close in, they risk their freedom and their lives in the face of an escalating KGB investigation and the fear of the all-seeing Soviet regime. Based on a true story.

Starring Tom Prior (The Theory of Everything, Kingsman: The Secret Service), Oleg Zagorodnij (The Choice, Dzhamayka) and Diana Požarskaja (The Unknown Soldier, Hotel Eleon, as well as many beloved Estonian actors, such as Margus Prangel, Ester Kuntu and Kaspar Velberg. The shooting took place in various historically significant sites around Tallinn, Pärnu and Ida-Virumaa.

Written by Peeter Rebane and Tom Prior, directed by Peeter Rebane, cinematography by Mait Mäekivi, edited by Tambet Tasuja, sound design by Matis Rei and produced by Brigita Rozenbrika. The production companies involved are The Factory, founded by Peeter Rebane and Adam Brummond and the London production company No Reservations Entertainment. The film was supported under the Estonian Film Institute’s Film Estonia cash rebate scheme.

 

Firebird is the first feature for the Harvard graduate Peeter Rebane, who has also studied at the University of South-California. The Goodbye, Soviet Union director Lauri Randla has a degree from Aalto/ELO film school.

 

Both debuts have already received critical acclaim and their festival journey keeps on growing. Firebird director Peeter Rebane is delighted that the film will have its second festival screening after London in Moscow, commenting that „the story of Firebird is based on the Russian actor Sergey Fetisov’s life and set in a large part in Moscow.“

 

The director of Goodbye, Soviet Union Lauri Randla believes the Moscow festival will give an opportunity to see the film in a new light, saying that „The storyline will definitely open up to the Russian audiences differently than for the Western viewer. I believe everyone can find something to relate to in the film.“ The Russian Esquire magazine mentioned Goodbye, Soviet Union as one of the ten best European films at the Tallinn Black Nights FF, drawing parallels with the story worlds of Wes Anderson and the Netflix hit series Stranger Things.

 

In its 43rd year, the Moscow International Film Festival is one of the 15 FIAPF-accredited A-list festivals (International Federation of Film Producer’s Association). The festival takes place 22-29 of April in Moscow as a physical event, meaning the screenings will be in cinemas.

 

The festival’s website: http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/miff43/eng/programs/

 

 

More info
Mirjam Mikk
Estonian Film Institute
International Festival Coordinator
mirjam@filmi.ee

The arrival of the Coronavirus in the spring of 2020 has had a devastating effect on cinema attendance for the year, with the number of cinema goers in 2020 less than half of the figure of those in 2019. However, the market share of Estonian films rose to a record high, garnering 26.72% of the total number of viewers

In 2019 3.68 million viewers watched movies in Estonia cinemas for box office revenue of 21.8 million EUR. In 2020 this dropped to 1.8 million with box office revenue of 10.7 million EUR. Despite this the per capita rate of cinema going in Estonia was still a relatively healthy 1.35.

In 2020 four Estonian films appeared in the Top Ten as compiled by Kinolevi. Where the Heart Is [Talve] (Dir. Ergo Kuld, Produced by Taska Film, Kassikuld and Apollo Film Productions) took second place with 151,137 viewers while animated film Sipsik (Dirs. Meelis Arulepp & Karsten Kiilerich, produced by A Film Estonia and A. Film Production) – also known as Raggie to international audiences – was in third place. Fourth place was taken by spy thriller Dawn of War [O2] (Dir. Margus Paju, produced by Nafta Films, Taska Film, Film Angels Studio, INSCRIPT and Solar Films) with 75,270 viewers while documentary The Beauty of Being [Fred Jüssi. Olemise ilu] (Dir. Jaan Tootsen, produced by Taska Film) occupied the sixth spot with 57,111 viewers.

The most watched film of 2020 was Christopher Nolan’s Tenet – partly filmed in Estonia – with 160,927 viewers.

Where the Heart Is, Raggie and The Beauty of Being were all premiered at the beginning of 2020 with their distribution interrupted by the national closure of cinemas on March 13^th of that year. Dawn of War reached cinemas in October, a few weeks before the second wave of the coronavirus hit Estonia. Estonian films screened in the latter half of 2020 unsurprisingly attracted fewer viewers than expected with several films postponing their premieres until 2021. There is an assumption that under normal circumstances the number of Estonian releases and audience members would have been significantly higher with the first few months of the year alone bringing more than 900,000 spectators to the cinema.

In addition to the 20 Estonian films premiered in 2020, an additional 14 films released previously continued to be screened. Estonian films attracted a total of 480,758 cinema viewers and ticket revenue of 2.65 million EUR. This makes the market share of Estonian films in 2020 26.72% of viewers with a box office revenue of 24.73%.

In 2020, there were a total of 366 films in Estonian cinema, of which 226 were new and 140 older films. This lower number of films – and lower number of audience members - is reflective of the lengthy closure time that cinemas faced throughout the year. The average ticket price in 2020 was 5.96 euros.

Edith Sepp, the head of the Estonian Film Institute said:

"There is a current trend in Europe that local films are proving popular in their own country. As the big studios continually held their films back, the local movies took a risk and sometimes that risk paid off. I am sorry that some good Estonian films did not get as many viewers as they deserved - the pandemic still managed to wreak its havoc – but this is certainly not a completely failed year for Estonian film.“

A table of films that premiered in 2020 with the number of viewers and box office revenue can be found here: https://filmi.ee/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Kinolevi-2020.pdf

The international WEMW jury consisting of Beatrice Fiorentino (Venice International Film Critics’ Week), Anna Ciennik (Les Arcs European Film Festival) and Una Domazetoski (Film Center Serbia) decided the winners of the Co-Production Forum awards, whereas thanks to the partnership with our international network of training programmes and markets, North Macedonian producer Marija Dimitrova (List Productions) received a scholarship for the participation in the EAVE European Producers Workshop whilst producers Marija Razgutė (M-Films) - Slow (Lithuania) and Matteo Pecorara (Small Boss) - Europe-East (Italy) will have a free accreditation to the Cannes Marche du Film Producer’s Network.

Furthermore, the Flow Postproduction Award, prize of 15.000 EUR in post-production facilities, goes to the German project A Safe Place (produced by Roxana Richters, Lisa Roling, Chromosom Film) and directed by Sara Summa. The DAE Accelerator Award goes to Foals by Salomé Hévin (France) produced by Vincent Metzinger, Beata Saboova (Pivonka). The EWA Network Membership Award goes to The Mechanics of Things by Alessandra Celesia (France) produced by Jean-Laurent Csinidis (Films de Force Majeure)

Lastly, five prizes have been granted for the two sidebar sessions targeting films in the post production phase. The international 2021 jury of Last Stop Trieste made up of Hanka Kastelikova (HBO Europe), Manuela Buono (Slingshot Films) and Fabio Mancini (RAI3) has delivered the HBO Europe Award (1.000 EUR) to Brotherhood by Francesco Montagner, whereas the Flow Digital Cinema Award goes to Museum of the Revolution by Srđan Keča and the First Hand Fund Award goes to Reconciliation by Marija Zidar.

The international jury of This is IT, the work in progress session dedicated to fiction films and hybrid works produced or co-produced by Italian producers, composed by Daniela Cölle (Pluto Film), Anne Delseth (Quinzaine des réalisateurs, Cannes' Directors' Fortnight) and Alberto Fasulo (director of Menocchio) granted the Italian film Crown Shyness by Valentina Bertani with the Laser Film Award. Special Mention to Darkling by Dušan Milić (Serbia/Italy/Greece/Denmark/Bulgaria).

Last but not least, the Italy-Baltic Development Awards for Co-Production, two cash prizes of EUR 15.000, have been delivered by MiBACT - Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, Estonian Film Institute, Lithuanian Film Centre, National Film Centre of Latvia to Blind Pit by Giorgio Bianchi and Federico Schiavi, (Italian/Latvian film co-produced by Nacne and Baltic Balkan Productions) and Bijuterie by Tomas Vengris (Lithuanian/Estonian/Italian co-production between Socialinės atsakomybės projektai, Allfilm & Rosamont).

This special Out of the Box Edition of WEMW ends with a series of record numbers: 680 registered participants connected to the WEMW Digital World from 56 different countries. Over 600 scheduled individual meetings with more than 150 decision makers and 30 business angels, 1.778 chats & 141 video calls within the platform, 4 lottery winners and more than 100 producers participating in 22 cosy out of the box events.


WEMW CO-PRODUCTION FORUM AWARDS

Film Center Serbia Development Award
A Winner is Seen at the Start – Zhannat Alshanova (Kazhakstan)
Producers: Zhannat Alshanova, Yevgeniya Moreva (Accidental Films)

Flow Postproduction Award
A Safe Place – Sara Summa (Germany)
Producers: Roxana Richters, Lisa Roling (Chromosom Film)

DAE Accelerator Award
Foals - Salomé Hévin (France)
Producers: Vincent Metzinger, Beata Saboova (Pivonka)

EAVE Producers Workshop scholarship
Marija Dimitrova (List Production) - Housekeeping For Beginners (North Macedonia)

Marché du Film Producers Network
Marija Razgutė (M-Films) - Slow (Lithuania)
Matteo Pecorara (Small Boss) - Europe-East (Italy)

Pop Up Film Residency Award
A Winner Is Seen at the Start – Zhannat Alshanova

EWA Network Best Woman Director Award
A Winner Is Seen at the Start – Zhannat Alshanova

EWA Network Membership Award
The Mechanics of Things – Alessandra Celesia (France)
Producer: Jean-Laurent Csinidis (Films de Force Majeure)


LAST STOP TRIESTE

HBO Europe Award
Brotherhood - Francesco Montagner (Czech Republic/Italy)
Producers: Pavla Janoušková Kubecková, Nadia Trevisan

Flow Digital Cinema Award
Museum of the Revolution - Srđan Keča (Serbia/Croatia/Czech Republic)
Producer: Vanja Jambrović

First Hand Fund Award
Reconciliation - Marija Zidar (Slovenia/Serbia/Montenegro/Kosovo)
Producer: Danijel Hočevar


THIS IS IT

Laser Film Award
Crown Shyness - Valentina Bertani (Italy)
Producer: Pietro Puccioni

Special Mention
Darkling - Dušan Milić (Serbia/Italy/Greece/Denmark/Bulgaria)
Producers: Snezana van Houwelingen, Debora Chiara Desio


BALTIC AWARDS

Blind Pit - Giorgio Bianchi and Federico Schiavi (Italy/Latvia)
Producers: Nacne, Baltic Balkan Productions
Bijuterie - Tomas Vengris (Lithuania/Estonia/Italy)
Producers: Socialinės atsakomybės projektai, Allfilm and Rosamont

 

WEMW is organized once again by the FVG Audiovisual Fund in collaboration with the Trieste Film Festival, EAVE, Creative Europe Desk Italy and thanks to the precious and constant support of Creative Europe/MEDIA Programme, MIBACT -Direzione Generale per il Cinema, CEI – Central European Initiative, Film Center Serbia and the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The 2021 Focus on Israel and Italy is run in partnership with the Israel Cinema Project, Rabinovich Foundation and MIBACT – Direzione Generale per il Cinema.