One remarkable and surprising fact is that Nukufilm not only survived the fall of the Soviet Empire but has also given rise to a flourishing production.
In 1992, the independence of Estonia brought about a great change at Nukufilm as the studio became a private company. Surprisingly, production continued, thanks to the work of filmmakers like Hardi Volmer, Riho Unt, Rao Heidmets, Mati Kütt and Janno Põldma. While animation production throughout Eastern Europe was on shaky ground, Tallinn remained a hotbed of exceptional production, with stop-motion animation particularly flourishing.
This programme opens with one of the great films from the Soviet era, The War, directed by the tandem Riho Unt and Hardi Volmer. Produced in the same year as the celebrated Breakfast on the Grass by Priit Pärn, The War is an undeniable accomplishment that measures the diversity of Estonian production at the time.
The other films in the programme, all made after the independence, provide an overview of filmmakers who have contributed to the reputation of the studio. Finally, we wanted to end up by presenting one of Nukufilm's more recent productions and the professional debut of a very promising director, whose talent heralds a bright future for the studio, On the Other Side of the Woods by Ana-Laura Tuttelberg.
MARCEL JEAN
CITIA