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Valentin Kuik

Valentin Kuik

Writing

Biography

Valentin Kuik (January 27, 1943 in the village of Zabolotje, near Novgorod, Russia – October 30, 2025) was an Estonian writer, film director and screenwriter. He graduated from Puurmani Secondary School in 1961. He worked as a physical education teacher at the Kabala 8th grade school. After military service, he went to Tallinn. From 1966 to 1968, he worked as a lighting engineer at Estonian Television and from 1968 to 1970, as a puppeteer at Tallinnfilm. In 1970, Kuik entered the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography, studying at the directing department under Professor Mikhail Romm. In 1975, he graduated cum laude. His diploma work was the short film "Löö vastu" (starring Jüri Aarma). From 1975 to 1992, Kuik was a director and screenwriter at Tallinnfilm, and later made documentaries at Eesti Telefilm and other studios. In 1998, he founded the studio F-Seitse OÜ with Dorian Supin, Sulev Keedus, Reet Sokmann, Mart Ots, Kadri Kanter and Kaie-Ene Rääk. Kuik has written short stories, narratives and screenplays.

Known For

Fed Up!
10.0

Kaminsky is a long-distance driver disappointed both in life and other people. His last duty as a drives takes him to Estonia where he decides to fulfill an old promise. By chance, Kaminsky meets an Estonian cellist Stella on his road. Her career in Germany has ended already before it ever started. Kaminsky's trailer truck is being steadily followed by a catafalque where an Estonian beginner bank robber Wolf is chasing his eluded prey. Undertaker Manfred with dark past tries to lead Wolf closer to God. In Estonia, everyone's wishes will come true, even if not exactly the way they ...

Fed Up!

2005
Armastuse lahinguväljad
8.5

When the doorbell rang late night during the Soviet times, if was often the sign of military recruitment. The chain of events in the film begins from the fatal ring at the door, putting the marriage of a young photographer and his beautiful wife to the test. Being afraid of the army, the young family try to escape the situation. However, they are drifting away from freedom.

Armastuse lahinguväljad

1992
Lurich
7.3

Georg Lurich was a world-famous Estonian professional wrestler in the early 1900-s who became a legend already in his lifetime. He was called not only the world's best technique-wrestler but he was also a sports-philosopher, health and temperance activist, an efficient sports manager, a talent in acting, writing and chess, a "world's citizen" who spoke more than ten languages and an athlete with enormous popularity. At least 14 wrestling clubs in Europe and USA carried his name. This film is an unpretentious attempt to recall that unique man, the first world-famous Estonian.

Lurich

1984
Family Lies
2.5

The film is set in a town that has a professional symphony orchestra, managed by authoritarian and confident Paul Levald, who has conducted both the orchestra and his family affairs for years. Due to dramatic events, Paul’s son-in-law Egon Rei must unexpectedly assume his duties. In addition to the baton, power and responsibility as well as the tensions in the orchestra, Egon inherits his father-in-law’s secrets and obligations from his complicated past. New lies are born out of old ones and, at some point, Egon realises that the revelation of truth might cause a real chaos. "Family Lies" by Valentin Kuik and Manfred Vainokivi is a relationship drama about elephants in the bedroom and skeletons in the closet, about small and big deceptions, half-truths and set-ups that can be found in every family’s secret chronicles.

Family Lies

2016
Landing
9.0

Reet loves her long-distance coxswain husband Rein, but the long separations have tortured her. It seems to her that the man cares more about his work than about her. Rein really loves his work, but his wife just as passionately. He does not understand how loneliness can overwhelm Reet, when women have always been waiting for men from far away. Their family friend Mart loves Reet and cannot see her suffer. It is in Marti's power to offer Reet a safe life, and the woman plagued by internal struggles makes a choice, but happiness seems to slip even further away.

Landing

1973
Shop of Dreams
5.7

Three friends return from a vacation and discover that the TV studio they work for has gone bankrupt - so they decide to start their own costume renting business.

Shop of Dreams

2005
The Joys of Midlife
5.6

Five people who have recently reached middle-age are driving through Estonia to visit a famous witch-therapist to get rid of their problems. The somber-funny road movie gives a good overview of the life, people and daily problems in Estonia at the end of the Soviet period.

The Joys of Midlife

1987
Doctor Stockmann
4.0

Toomas Stockmann, the head doctor of a water clinic built in a small town by the sea, discovers that the facility is threatened by an infection caused by construction errors in the waterworks. The powerful mayor Peter Stockmann, the doctor's brother, has used his position and connections for commercial and political gain and has ignored the doctor's warnings. The upper class of the town initially supports the doctor's decision to reveal the truth, but the mayor changes due to pressure and personal interests. Dr. Stockmann is labeled an enemy of the people. He must choose whether to stick to his ideas, at the risk of his family, or surrender to demagoguery.

Doctor Stockmann

1989
Hit Back
10.0

The film invites its viewers to reflect on where modern sports have come to. Does a young, honest and uncompromising athlete have a future in the sport or must he go along with the dishonest tricks and the mean game that comes from it all?

Hit Back

1975
The Pastor of Reigi
7.0

Pastor Paul Lempelius comes to the island of HIiumaa that seems to be like the world's end. While serving the pastorate of Reigi in spirit and in truth, Lempelius hopes to get rid of the burden of destiny. However, the local people favour pagan traditions and distrust the strict kingdom of God that Lempelius teaches them. The pastor's beautiful yet childless wife Catharina yearns for joy of life and tenderness that she won't receive from his husband. Instead, a young assistant pastor Jonas Kempe offers her his love. Their love, disregarding all laws, and the primal lifestyle of the islanders will become the touchstone for Lempelius' redemption.

The Pastor of Reigi

1978
A Victim of Science
7.0

A satirical comedy about the monotonous, boring and largely meaningless life of small officials in a certain provincial town.

A Victim of Science

1982
An Affair of Honor
8.0

Hendrik is a responsible public servant who is deeply in love with his beautiful wife Evelin. Evelin, however, finds their protected life boring; she wants Hendrik to do something more exciting. When he returns from his business trip, Hendrik will find his schoolmate Berg in their balcony and will furiously throw his gloves to Berg's face. Soon it will turn out that this has been the challenge accepted.

An Affair of Honor

1999
Directing
N/A

Documentary about Peeter Simm and the difficulties of creating a feature film. The Estonian weather and the unfamiliar working style of famous German actors seriously tested the abilities of director Peeter Simm when the Estonian-German feature film “Fed Up!” was filmed in the spring of 2005.

Directing

2005
Family Photos
7.0

The graduates of a small town are on tenterhooks - the finals will be soon over and the young people will start lives of their own. They don't know what to expect - the school has taught them one thing, their parents something else, and the town shows them something completely else. There is something complicated between Kalle and Inna and eventually their relationship will end up in a mess. The relationship between Siim and Evi seems to be fine but even they will face misunderstandings. During the last weeks at school the love, faith and expectations of the graduates are put to the test.

Family Photos

1989
Klaverihäälestaja tuleb kolmapäeval
N/A

The film ridicules stereotyped thinking through an absurdist lens.

Klaverihäälestaja tuleb kolmapäeval

1973
Täna õhtul...
N/A

Film portrait of actor Endel Pärn (1914-1990). Pärn has said that theatre is a very simple thing. "You just have to learn the words by heart, then face the audience and say them out loud. And you don’t need to look at the clock. You can see from the audience’s faces when it’s time to stop."

Täna õhtul...

1984
No image
N/A

A documentary about the Khanty people. At the same time, the film is also a study about cultural identity in a globalizing world. Every autumn a helicopter flies over the remote marshes and bogs of Western Siberia. Native children who have grown up surrounded by forests are taken away. They enter a new world of school uniforms, an unfamiliar Russian language, education and knowledge.

Flight

1995