Figure 1.--An Estonian film made during the Sioviet era was "Kevade" (1969), based on a book by the popular Estonian author--Oslar Luts. Here we see Toots and Arno in the school classroom.

We do not yet have a lot of information about the Estonian film industry. Estonia was part of the Tsarist Empire when movies first began to be made. The Russian film industry was, however, still in its infancy. We know of no Estonian films made before World War I. Nor are we sure to what extent foreign films were shown in Estonia and the rest of Tsarist Russia. After World War I (1914-18), Estonia gained its independence. We have no information on how the film industry developed in Estonia during this period. There were serious limitations on film industries in small countries like Estonia. Durung the first decade, films were silent which meant that there was the possibility of export, but with the appearance of the talkies (sound film), there would hsve been only the small national market to support the industry. It is likely thst most films shown in Estonia were American or German, but we have few details. Nor do we know to what extent Soviet films were shown because of the ideological content. The Soviet Union invaded Estinia during World War II and incorportated it into the Soviet Union. Estonia remained a art of the Soviet Union (except for a brief period of NAZI control) until the disolution of the Soviet Union (1992). During this era there were some films made in Estonia in the Estonian language. We are not sure just how common this was. We do not yet information on the Estonian film industry since independence.

Tsarist Empire ( -1917)

We do not yet have a lot of information about the Estonian film industry. Estonia was part of the Tsarist Empire when movies first began to be made. The Russian film industry was, however, still in its infancy. The first Estonian film was Johannes Paasuke's "Bear Hunt in Parnu District,” a 12 minute short (1914). At the time in Hollywood full lengh feature films were still new. We know of no Estonian films made before World war I. Nor are we sure to what extent foreign films were shown in Estonia and the rest of Tsarist Russia.

Independent Estonia (1918-40)

After World War I (1914-18), Estonia gained its independence. We have little information on how the film industry developed in Estonia during this period. There were serious limitations on film industries in small countries like Estonia. Durung the first decade, films were silent which meant that there was the possibility of export, but with the appearance of the talkies (sound film), there would hsve been only the small national market to support the industry. The first Estonian full-length feature length was Shadows from the Past” (1922). Tragically it is now lost. Estonia produced about 20 movies, but more documentaries during the inter-war period of independence. Ivi Tomingas, director of the Estonian Film Archive, reports that even during independence, the Soviet influence on the film industry was very strong. The result according to Tomingas was a "noticeable lack of stylistic diversity". [Withers] It is likely that most films shown in Estonia were American or German, but we have few details. Nor do we know to what extent Soviet films were shown because of the ideological content.

Soviet Era (1940-91)

The Soviet invasion of Estonia was part of a series of aggressions during World War II (1940). The Soviets incorportated Estonias into the Soviet Union. The Soviet NKVD moved against anti-Communist Estonians or others strongly associated with the Estonian government (army officers, civil servants, police officers, etc.). Any expression of Estonian nationism invited arrest. Large numbers of Estonians were shot or deported. Many of the deportees perished. The NAZis invaded the following year. Estonian had only a small Jewish population and many managed to escape east before the NAZIs reached Estonia. We are not yet sure how the Soviet and NAZi repression sffected the country's small film industry. Estonia remained a art of the Soviet Union (except for a brief period of NAZI control). The principal movie studio was "Tallinnfilm,” which like all production operations was under Soviet control. The first important production occurred after World war II in the early 1960s. Estonians desiring to enter the film industry had to study film making in Moscow and other Soviet institutions, according to Tomingas. [Withers] This and Soviet censorship meant a strong Soviet influence. During this era there were some films made in Estonia in the Estonian language. We are not sure just how common this was. An example is "Kevade" (1969), based on a book by the popular Estonian author, Oskar Luts. A reader writes, "There is a whole tradition of Estonian language films quite independent of Russia. Apparently, as long as the filmmakers stayed away from political or controversial subjects, they had a fair amount of arstic freedom. The Estonian film industry was allowed to operate with local control although Soviet censorship would apply if the content was political, which it usually is not." Estonia was different than the rest of the Soviet Union in one regard. Not only was it located on the fringe ofc the Soviet Union along the Baltiv Sea, but the Estionian Language is very similar to Finnish. As a result, the Estonians could listen to Finnish radio and even (with poor reception) Finnish television which ran Western films. (A similar phenomenon occurred in East Germany.) Thus the Estonians had more exposure to the West and Western films than any other area of the Soviet Union. It is perhaps no accident that the disolution of the Soviet Union began in Estonia. Most of the films shown in Estonian theaters during the Soviet era were Russian-language Soviet films. This was the case until the Soviet Union began to desintegrate and finally disolved (1992).

Independent Estonia (1992- )

We do not yet hasve vmuch information on the Estonian film industry since independence. The industry has sharply turned away from Soviet influences. The younger generation of Estonian film makers have studies and traveled extensively in the West and are familiar with Western film. The annual "Black Nights” film festival is staged in Tallinn. The constraints of making film in a country with a small domestic market continue. Thus Estonian film makers are by necesity committed to a ‘quality over quantity’ approach and have to operate with small budgets. We note some cooperation with German studios. A reader reports a CD of Kevade bought in Tallin during 2009. It has subtitles in German and English. The absence of Russian is interesting. There are large numbers of Russians in all three Baltic states. The absence of Russian not only means that there was no effort to sell to Russia (or willingness of the Russians to buy). It also means that the Estonians expect the Russians in Estonia to learn Estonian or that the Russians are not interested in things Estonian. I am not sure what films are shown in Estonian theaters. We know domestic and Western films are shown. We do not know if Russian films are shown.

Sources

Withers, Matt. "Estonian filmmaking: winning celluloid success," The Baltic Times (November 26, 2008).

Created: 12:04 AM 6/12/2009
Last updated: 12:04 AM 6/12/2009