Discoveries from Estonia World Cinema

The film premiered on August 27, 1926 in the Estonian cinema Rekord (later called Helios). It was advertised as "Estonia Film's first trick film".

The film is about the search for one's own identity through experimental creation and improvisation. Impromptu is a film/concert about people who have looked into musical improvisation and explored its vast possibilities, breaking away from its traditional forms. They are people who believe that music can be the acoustic reincarnation of the soul.

The first Estonian experimental animated short film written and directed by Voldemar Päts, produced by Aleksaner Teppor and animation by cartoonist Elmar Jaanimägi. Known to be the first animation of Estonia. Juku the Dog wanders around in a forest, finding abandoned weapons and forgotten skeletons.

This inventive documentary about famed Estonian animator Priit Parn is an involving look at his socialist, absurd, sometimes grotesque art in the eyes of Parn himself, his colleagues, and his fans and suggests that Estonia owes its independence to its animation rather than to material revolt and revolutionary singing

Why do we wake up every morning still wanting to sleep? Why do we go to work when the pay is low and the boss is shouting? Why do we buy a home with a mortgage and then moan every month about the interest? Why me?

Peeter and Berlin are partners that support one another. Peeter says that there are a lot of people like him in Berlin: “This place attracts people like me, because you can be your true self. Berlin doesn't judge you for who you are. Berlin accepts you the way you are. You don't see this in a lot of other cities. You won't see such attitude in Estonia!” Without a doubt, Berlin is Peeter's home and Peeter is a part of Berlin. It is a story about a man's survival in the city, which offers him almost motherly care. It is a story about loneliness, struggle and freedom.

A little dump of illegal rubbish brings great trouble upon the forest creatures and beyond. The story is from the perspective of a young woman, Molly, as she goes about her daily working routine, always wishing for the comfort and quiet of home.

An animation based on Estonian fairy tale "Nukitsamees"

A short tour of the sites to see in and around Tartu.

The heroes of the film are three bear cubs from the cult painting by Ivan Shishkin "Morning in a Pine Forest". After losing their painter mom, the three brothers Henry, Vincent, and August appear in Paris, the City of Light every creator dreams of. All attempts to earn their living as artists fail. Their impressionistic "collies" won't be acknowledged. Under cover as circus lions, the bear cubs travel back to Russia to find the heritage of their mom.

It is September 17, 1991. Somewhere over Greenland, on a Finnair plane, Foreign Minister Lennart Meri is writing a speech for Arnold Rüütel, which the latter will deliver from the podium of the UN General Assembly in New York two days later. Mark Soosaar's documentary is a twin portrait of Arnold Rüütel and Lennart Meri.

Common Ground creates a dialogical situation by bringing together people who, despite having a lot in common, would have been very unlikely to meet in real life due to the fact that some of them left Estonia as war refugees seventy years ago while others arrived in Estonia only recently, as contemporary asylum seekers.

The world is suffering from the flood of food waste, to save the environment and the future of their children, young mothers decide to feed their families by diving into the dumpsters of enormous supermarkets.

A phone rings in the night. A man makes a mistake and picks it up.

An ethnographic documentary.

A group of young people goes for a walk on a summer night which stirs the imagination. They begin telling stories about a girl named Paula, who isn’t among them, but with whom each of them has had a meaningful encounter in the past. This is a romantic drama, structured as a road movie, with a deliberately fragmented narrative style that mirrors the wandering of free thought.

The history of the Seabrook family who created Seabrook Farms is similar to a Greek tragedy of betrayal — of creating and destroying possibilities — where behind the scenes, each with their own heart-breaking story, a diverse community of refugees and immigrants lived and worked.

In a run-down 1950's hotel, a cleaning maid develops a weird obsession with a foreign musician. The maid sees glimpses of the world beyond the iron curtain, and she dwells in her downward spiral on the borderline of “Do I want to be with her or become her?”. Her partner suffers the consequences.

A stranger carrying the face of the past steps into the innkeeper's world, and his presence threatens to lift the curtain between reality and nightmare.

Merike is the trainer and soul of Tobra stables. She was born with one hand, but this is only part of the external description, insignificant to her. As a coach, Merike's first goal is to teach children humanity and caring.

Stand-up comedy seems like an easy thing to do - you get on stage, tell funny stories for an hour and also swear a little. Sander Õigus has been doing stand-up for over ten years, let's see how the truth becomes the truth and a joke becomes a joke.

A lonely young man with an erotic fantasy notices a gorgeous girl on the train. The boy sinks deep into his own world of thoughts and imagines how to win the girl over. A superficial meeting on a train turns into something much more

The film summarizes the life and creative path of Mati Hint, an outstanding linguist, essayist, lecturer and who played an important role during the restoration of Estonia's independence.

Composer and pianist Rein Rannap’s contribution to Estonian music is priceless, but his personality is very complex and contradictory. In numerous TV shows, viewers have met exactly the Rannap that he chooses to show them at that very moment.

Hummingbird is the only one able to drink the nectar of Angel’s Trumpet. What could be the next step in its evolution?

A documentary about Estonian psycho-punk band Winny Puhh.

On August 20th of 2017 the legendary Estonian rock band Ruja was reunited. They performed for just one show at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The event was the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Estonian independence. The original members of the band were joined by Estonia’s most talented instrumentalists and singers. The pairing produced a powerful and engaging concert that created an unforgettable experience for everyone attending it.

Sandra Jõgeva's debut film is about a 27 year old art student who comes from a good family and has decided to give up on life.

On October 17, 1993, local government elections were held in Estonia. The film takes the viewer to Antsla, a small town in Võrumaa, where more than a third of the population is retired. All this is a mirror of Estonian life, from which tensions, pains and worries, few joys and high expectations face society. The old laws are no longer valid and the new ones are not yet rooted.

A rebellious rock film from the cult band from Taaralinn. The usual rock film's abundant alcohol and drug scenes are replaced by scientific research by the band members who are PhD students. Punk rock is not opposed to nature and science. On the contrary, through revolutionary punk music, the band members promote sustainable lifestyles and point out the shortcomings of a consumer society. The spring band offers creative self-expression as an alternative to mindless consumption.

The film explores a unique group of people, ballet lovers, whose lives have been captured over the years by the magic of the renowned Mariinsky (Kirov) Opera and Ballet Theatre of St. Petersburg.What has once - privileged Russian art lost and what has it gained? Who is ready to carry on the century-long traditions of ballet? Does this great ballet company have any chance to survive at all?Perhaps our characters are the last witnesses and custodians of the triumphs of the glorious past?

An escape from a hot office building into the cooling sea water through an Excel spreadsheet.

Judge Saima's life unravels after her partner's affair and the arrival of a mysterious frog linked to her past. Haunted by nightmares, a failed ritual, and an unexpected pregnancy, she must reconnect with her estranged mother to break free and protect her newborn son.

Slava Kommisarenko's second solo concert.

This is a portrait of a gull in a classical nature documentary about birds in the city. But it is also a philosophical contemplation of immigration issues that touches us all on many levels.

Experience the captivating journey of Yasmyn, a visionary artist whose roots span Dominican and Estonian heritage, a fusion that reflects her unique perspective in a world still discovering diversity. Yasmyn’s daring, experimental music carved a niche and won a devoted following.

This film portraits Leonhard Lapin, who becomes one of the most outstanding avant-garde artists on the Soviet Estonian art and architecture scene. Lapin is especially inspired by pre-war Estonian funk architecture and Russian constructivists. In contrast, the bleak mass production on the actual building arena provokes protest and anger. He finds many like-minded people, and his artistic circle of friends is diverse and active. Several groups grow out of Lapin’s inner circle, among them the legendary group of architects that the Finnish architect Komonen started calling ‘the Tallinn school’. The rebel Lapin becomes the leading avant-garde artist of Soviet Estonia, whose diverse portfolio includes paintings, graphics and architectural drawings, architectonic works and architectural projects, performances and happenings, writings and poetry, and his own theory of architecture and colour. His fiery temper gets him into conflicts with the authorities as well as passionate human relations.

Archive-based documentary that follows Arnold Rüütel's activities during the period of 1971-1992. This era included the new wave of Russification policies, perestroika and Estonia regaining its independence. In order to stay alive and be successful during these times one had to be flexible and adaptable.

The story of the tragic setbacks of Estonian athletes and their lives afterwards.

Footage of a concert and ceremonial presentation on the 60th Anniversary of May 9th, 1945 in Sillamae.

The second film in the season trilogy of director Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, who is dedicated to puppet animation. The familiar porcelain characters from the first part of the trilogy "Winter in the Rainforest" reappear in the setting of wintery Nordic nature.

My 5-year journey from bereavement to the last goodbye, through an exploration of "existence" and "life", from different perspectives and stages of the mind.

XI century. Two thugs rob and kill a wizard in the forest. While resting, they check the loot and throw the found stones into the fire. The smoke from the stones clouded their minds and they began to fight to the death.

A report of the White Flower Day held on Tartu Town Hall Square in May 1913. White Flower Day is a charitable action in favour of people who suffer from tuberculosis.

‘A day in the life’ of the kitchens of some of Estonia’s top restaurants. What happens in the engine room of a restaurant once you’ve placed your order? This film shows us the ‘hidden places’ where diners rarely go, with all the stress and passion that goes into making great food. Who does what and where and how in an often cramped room at 35°C. When and what do chefs eat, what are their thoughts about restaurants, food, food fads and fashions, money – and life. Why do they do the job they do? Toomas Lääts, Rene Uusmees, Dimitri Demjanov, Dmitri Rooz, Märt Metsallik, Ott Tomik – six head chefs shown simultaneously on a 3-way split screen. Watch 90 minutes on screen, get four and a half hours of action!

Argo Okk's documentary looks at Estonia in 2008.

In 2007, the artist Jaan Toomik says that the ideas that brought him success no longer attract him. He wants to do something new - a feature film. It doesn't have a concrete form yet, and until it takes shape, he makes sketches. He films, paints, analyzes, but it's all like an echo from the past. The future is hidden in his inner world, where he does not let others. Art is born from loneliness, is his realization.

A portrait of the writer Peeter Sauter, who has reached a low point after a divorce and thus also lost his desire to write. To get over this crisis, the writer embarks on a curious journey.

The film is a memory of the author’s childhood. “It is a rainy summer day and the whole earth is wet from the rain. No one goes outside except one little girl who wants to water the apple tree because that's what she does every day. As she walked with her red rubber boots and yellow watering can, she also noticed various apples that seemed to be dripping from the heavy rain. She approached the tree and watered it with great love, even though she came back drenched and with a watering can full of rain.” The apples symbolize all the dancers who appear on the screen. Like every apple, every dancer has a history, special look, and style.

Anger and disputes that have been suppressed for years rise to the surface when the car of a young couple, on the way to the girl’s father’s jubilee, gets stuck on the highway.

The future. On a seriously overpopulated planet, people do not have enough resources for normal life. The politician who promised to deal with the problem goes crazy from power and starts conducting human experiments with the goal of becoming immortal. The protagonist of the film is one of the test subjects who has practically given up on life. He doesn't try to escape since the lab is fully secured. His only wish is that after all the tests, he would at least still have his own heart.

The film tells a story about the relationship between two young people who see each other as friends. They have no idea that a summer day spent having fun with their close group of friends will be a breaking point for this relationship. Because this summer, the boy falls in love with the girl. The girl cannot respond to these feelings in the same way and is afraid of losing their friendship until a silly game ruins everything.

How is the world seen by an island – a place made of multitudes, living and nonliving? The space and time through multispecies viewpoint is infinitely complex and narrowing it down to linear film might seem impossible. Island of Multitude gets entangled in the island’s complex world following and building connections between different agents of the island.