An animation, six feature films, two documentaries, a television drama series and 40 short documentaries about young Estonian inventors are being created in the framework of Estonia’s centenary celebrations.
FEATURE FILMS
The following feature films are dedicated to Estonia’s centenary celebrations: Estonian literary classic Truth and Justice by director Tanel Toom, Comrade Child by director Moonika Siimets, The Riddle of Jaan Niemand by director Kaur Kokk, Take It Or Leave It by director Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo and a children’s film Eia’s Christmas at Tondikaku by director Anu Aun.
‘COMRADE CHILD’ („Seltsimees laps“)Production: AmrionWriter-Director: Moonika SiimetsProducer: Riina SildosDOP: Rein KotovProduction Designer: Jaagup Roomet
Cast: Helena-Maria Reisner, Tambet Tuisk, Eva Koldits, Liina Vahtrik, Juhan Ulfsak, Lembit Peterson, Maria Klenskaja
PREMIERE: March 23, 2018
PLOT: In the midst of Stalinist tyranny, six-year-old Leelo’s mother is sent to a prison camp. Haunted by her mother’s last words telling her to be a good kid, Leelo vows to be on her best behaviour in the confusing grown-up world in the hope that it will bring her mother back.
http://www.efis.ee/en/film-categotries/movies/id/18426
https://www.facebook.com/seltsimeeslaps/
http://www.amrion.ee/index2.php?id=10965
Watch the trailer on YouTube
‘TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT’ („Võta või jäta“)Production: AllfilmWriter-Director: Liina Trishkina-VanhataloProducer: Ivo FeltDOP: Erik PõllumaaProduction Designer: Markku Pätilä
Cast: Reimo Sagor, Andres Mähar, Epp Eespäev
PREMIERE: September 12, 2018; in cinemas across Estonia since September 14
PLOT: One sleepy Saturday morning a 30-year-old construction worker Erik gets some earth shattering news: his ex-girlfriend Moonika who he hasn’t even seen for the past six months is about to go into labour. She however is not ready for motherhood and if Erik doesn’t want the kid either, the little girl will be put up for adoption. Take it or leave it!
http://allfilm.ee/work/take-it-or-leave-it/
https://www.facebook.com/VOTAVJ/
Watch trailer on YouTube
‘THE RIDDLE OF JAAN NIEMAND’ („Põrgu Jaan“)Production: Homeless Bob ProductionWriter-Director: Kaur KokkProducer: Katrin KissaDOP: Mart TanielProduction Designer: Matis Mäesalu
Cast: Meelis Rämmeld, Andres Lepik, Pääru Oja, Peeter Volkonski, Adele Taska, Egon Nuter
PREMIERE: October 4, 2018; in cinemas across Estonia from October 5, 2018
PLOT: Somewhere in Estonia at the beginning of the 18th century. After ten years of war, plague and famine, the land is swept clean of people. The few remaining souls are scattered about, living in misery and lacking hope. An anxious silence hangs over the land. On one particularly starry night, two peasants find a stranger on the seashore. He’s disheveled and comatose. They take him to the local manor lord and slowly bring him back to consciousness. When he opens his eyes, he realizes that he can’t remember who he is or how he got there. He’s just as much a stranger to himself as to the people around him. By force of circumstance, he must stay at the manor and live as one of them.
His preliminary state of lethargy slowly gives way to recovery. He must come to terms with the question: Who am I? He finds himself in a bizarre world, one full of meager uncertainty and growing disorder. There are sparse hints at his past… but what do you do when there is more than one correct answer to a question? What do you do when the answers aren’t good enough? He embarks upon a journey of self-discovery with the most unlikely of landscapes as the backdrop.
http://www.homelessbob.ee/movies/porgu-jaan/
https://www.facebook.com/porgujaan/
See trailer on YouTube
‘EIA’S CHRISTMAS AT PHANTOM OWL FARM’ („Eia jõulud Tondikakul“)Production: Luxfilm, Kinosaurus FilmWriter-Director: Anu AunProducer: Maie Rosmann-Lill, Maario MasingDOP: Heiko SikkaProduction Designer: Matis Mäesalu
Cast: Paula Rits, Siim Oskar Ots, Jaan Rekkor, Märt Pius, Priit Pius, Priit Võigemast, Mirtel Pohla, Liis Lemsalu, Tambet Tuisk, Juhan Ulfsak, Meelis Rämmeld, Anne Reemann, Tõnu Oja
PREMIERE: December 4, 2018
PLOT: Children’s adventure film follows a 10-year-old Eia, whose Christmas holiday is taking an unexpected turn, after being brought to mysterious farm in rural South-Estonia. She follows her heart to rescue an old primeval forest, helps two lovers to find each other, and is destined to unwrap her family’s well-kept secret.
https://www.facebook.com/eiafilm/
https://eiafilm.ee/
See trailer on YouTube
‘TRUTH AND JUSTICE’ („Tõde ja õigus“)Production: AllfilmWriter-Director: Tanel ToomProducer: Ivo FeltDOP: Rein KotovProduction Designer: Jaagup Roomet
Cast: Priit Loog, Maiken Schmidt, Priit Võigemast, Ester Kuntu
PREMIERE: February 21, 2019
PLOT: Estonia, 1870. Young and energetic man Andres together with his wife Krõõt arrives to his new farm bought on a loan to establish their new life. Robber’s Rise must become a place, that’ll take care of the family. Household needs a lot of work and consistency – battle with nature, fate and his spiteful neighbor Pearu begins. When life deals the man more sufferings than longawaited successes, the man searches desperately for truth and justice – from court, tavern and the Bible, sacrificing his family, friends and eventually himself in the process. Dream of prosperous and nurturing Robber’s Rise descends deeper and deeper under the shadow of reality.
http://allfilm.ee/work/truth-and-justice/
https://www.facebook.com/todejaoigus/
ANIMATION
‘LOTTE AND LOST DRAGONS’ („Lotte ja kadunud lohed“)Production: Eesti Joonisfilm, Rija FilmsWriters: Andrus Kivirähk, Janno Põldma, Heiki ErnitsDirectors: Janno Põldma, Heiki ErnitsProducer: Kalev TammProduction Designer: Heiki Ernits
Composers: Sven Grünberg, Renārs Kaupers
PREMIERE: January 2, 2019
PLOT: In this third film of the series of Lotte films that children know and love, the spirited girl dog Lotte gets a little sister named Roosi. Karl the raccoon and Viktor the fish are scientists who come to Gadgetville. They are taking part in a big folk song collecting competition. Whoever succeeds in recording the folk song of the world’s oldest animal species, the mythical fire-breathing dragon, wins the competition’s grand prize. Lotte and Roosi decide to help the scientists. Exciting and unexpected adventures await the sisters.
http://www.joonisfilm.ee/films/lotte-and-the-lost-dragons?lang=en
Watch trailer on YouTube
DOCUMENTARIES
‘THE WIND SCULPTED LAND’ („Tuulte tahutud maa“)DocumentaryProduction: WildkinoDirector: Joosep MatjusCinematographers: Joosep Matjus, Atte Henriksson
Producer: Riho Västrik
PREMIERE: September 21, 2018
PLOT: An epic documentary of Estonian wild nature where versatile landscapes with wild animals and thousands of migrating bird flocks are screened. The main character of the film is our biggest forest mammal – moose. The journey in the wilderness opens our past endeavours, calls and character, all of which the landscapes have held and sculpted through thousands of years.
https://www.facebook.com/thewindsculptedland/
Watch trailer on YouTube
‘ROOTS’ („Juured“)Collection of short documentariesProduction: SilmviburlaneDirectors: Nora Särak, Aljona Suržikova, Heilika Pikkov, Anna Hints, Moonika Siimets, Kersti Uibo.
Producer: Ülo Pikkov
PREMIERE: May 3, 2018
PLOT: The collection of short documentaries, “Roots”, tells six very personal stories. They are stories about birth and death, being alone and together, great joy and great sadness. They are told honestly and bravely from a female perspective. The authors are well known Estonian female directors, between the ages 29-61, who are also mothers, daughters and wives. And why not lovers or world travelers. The central symbol of the collection is the root, a vital organ. Roots don’t have leaves but they may grow buds that sprout above the ground. The root is the beginning, the origin, the starting point, the cause. Roots hold on to us and feed us. Even when we are far away. Even if we have to let go of everything we’ve held on to thus far. Those who are closest to us are our roots. We are intertwined and we breathe together.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
DRAMA SERIES
‘THE BANK’ („Pank“)Production: ItamambucaWriters: Eero Epner, Tarmo JüristoDirectors: Rainer Sarnet, Juhan Ulfsak, Marianne Kõrver, Jan-Erik NõgistoProducer: Paul AguraiujaCinematographers: Meelis Veeremets, Ants Martin Vahur, Mihkel SoeProduction Designer: Kairi Mändla
Cast: Sergo Vares, Priit Võigemast, Evelin Võigemast, Gert Raudsep, Kati Outinen, Markus Luik, Inga Salurand
PREMIERE: October 18, 2018
PLOT: 10-episode drama series “The Bank” is based on a true story in the turbulent Estonian 90ties. Personal dramas will unfold using the historic events as a backdrop, with the characters constantly re-evaluating the currency rates and their personal values.
https://www.estonianbank.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PANK-825739424252478/
https://vimeo.com/230896225
Watch trailer on YouTube
INVENTING ESTONIA
In 2016, the ”Estonian inventor” competition was held to motivate young people create inventions, which would solve people’s everyday problems and help make life easier. The competition organised by the Estonian Research Council attracted a total of 902 ideas submitted by 932 young inventors from more than 100 schools in Estonia and 2 schools abroad. Forty youngsters aged 6-12 years were selected be featured in short documentaries in honour of Estonia’s centenary; the documentaries were created in cooperation between Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR).
WATCH THE DOCUMENTARIES: The short documentaries were aired on Estonian Public Broadcasting in the spring of 2018. You can watch them again here.
Watch the clip on YouTube