When I came to Estonia in 2017, I had no knowledge of the culture, history, or people of Estonia. Estonians are notoriously a bit antisocial, and any Estonian will tell you “Yes we are a bit cold and distant”. While there is no substitute for human interaction and conversation, a lot of my understanding of Estonia as a nation and Estonian people has come through consuming their media. Many famous Estonian works give insight into the history and feelings of the Estonian people whether it be fiction, documentary, or autobiography. Being more knowledgeable about Estonian media and history has not only given me perspective on how Estonians see current issues or act in different situations, but it has also allowed me to connect with people and given me topics of conversation.
A scenario that is often thrown around in conversation is if you were trapped on a desert island and you could only have (x) amount of (x) until you are rescued, what would it be? Someone’s answers might tell a lot about them and seeing what they consider their favorite things that they couldn’t live without can give you a bit of perspective on what that person is like. I think the same is true for places and groups of people.
With that said, if I were trapped on a desert Island with 4 Estonian Films as my only entertainment, insight, and context about Estonia which films would I take with me? Here are my picks:
- “The Fencer” (Vehkleja)
Synopsis: Fleeing from the Russian secret police because of his controversial past, a young Estonian fencer named Endel is forced to return to his homeland, where he begins to train a group of young children in the art of fencing. The past however catches up with him and Endel must choose between letting his students down or putting his life in danger.
Starting off my list is “The Fencer”, a movie I have seen multiple times, not only is it entertaining it has plenty of rewatch value and historical context. The film is based on the life of Estonian Fencer Endel Nelis and gives a good insight into how Estonian schools and daily life operated during Soviet occupation. It has received multiple awards and nominations for best film and best foreign film on a global scale. This film offers an emotional heartwarming tone, and an exciting climax is certainly a must-watch in terms of Estonian cinema. Additionally, the film is based and filmed in Haapsalu, Estonia. It was especially enjoyable for me to see locations in the movie that I have visited personally in Haapsalu.
- “Truth and Justice” (Tõde ja õigus)
Synopsis: Estonia, 1870. A Young and ambitious Andres along with his wife Krõõt arrive at a farm bought on a loan to establish their new life. The beautiful dream of prosperous and nurturing Robber’s Rise gives way to an obsession, resulting in none of the things Andres wanted and everything he was afraid of.
This award-winning Estonian film is Based on a Novel by Anton Hansen Tammsaare. “Truth and Justice” is a story most Estonians are familiar with as it is common for Estonian middle school students to read the novel in school. Often in conversation, Estonians will quote the novel by saying “Tee tööd ja näe vaeva, siis tuleb ka armastus” or “Work hard and love will follow”. Although “Truth and Justice” is a work of fiction, this film gives a fairly accurate portrayal of what Estonian farmstead life was like in the 1800s. I also believe that the film’s themes of resilience, Hard work, and persistence speak true to traits of the Estonian peoples and their history. Standing at 2 h 45m this film spans the entire lifetime of the main character Andres and is quite the marathon as misfortune after misfortune befalls the main character, Andres. However, the film remains thought-provoking and interesting throughout the duration. An average day on the desert island could consist of 8 hours of sleep and watching “Truth and Justice” 5 1/2 times, which I would be just fine with.
- “Chasing Unicorns” (Ukssarvik)
Synopsis: Chasing Unicorns follows a young startup entrepreneur Õie and a serial failure Tõnu on their crazy ride from small town Estonia to Silicon Valley – and back.
A departure from the normally depressing tone of most Estonian films “Chasing Unicorns” is a hilarious comedy about Estonia’s startup culture. In business, a unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at over US$1 billion, thus “Chasing Unicorns” This film jabs fun at many sensationalized Estonian stereotypes while offering interesting commentary and many real-life parallels to the endeavor of becoming an envious “unicorn” as a start-up in Estonia. This lighthearted and goofy film is certainly one of my favorites.
- “The Little Comrade” (Seltsimees Laps)
Synopsis: 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 behavior in the confusing grown-up world in the hope that it will bring her mother back.
“The Little Comrade” is based on an autobiographical novel of the same name and is the real story of the author and main character Leelo Tungal’s childhood. Much like “The Fencer”, this film provides an insight into life for Estonians during Soviet occupation, but with a first-person perspective from the author herself. “The Little Comrade” is especially poignant in showing how resilient and optimistic many of the parents had to be to protect their children in an almost dystopian environment. Understanding a bit of the darker history portrayed in this film helped me comprehend how Estonians might view some current events. This film was warm-hearted yet had darker undertones that the Main character did not understand but was very apparent to the viewer. It was suspenseful and intriguing all the same and would warrant many rewatches on the desert island.
If in fact there are many more Estonian films that everyone should see, and I think foreigners living in Estonia and especially international students should make an effort to consume more Estonian film and media in general.
Some other Estonians Films I recommend are: “Take it or Leave it” (Võta või jäta), “Tangerines” (Mandariinid), and “1944”
