Writing
"Tractus stellae – Herodes and the Three Wise Men", a liturgical drama based on the 11th Century manuscript, comes alive through images. The story of the birth of the holy infant in manifested through musical visions about king Herod and the premonition that the new king is about to be born in Judea. Performed by the band Hortus Musicus.
Toad, the primeval inhabitant of the earth. One of the first living creatures who dared to venture from sea to land and some of whose species are now finding their way to the books of endangered species. Who are they really, these witch's creatures?
Interesting and fancy spring tournaments are commencing on the beach meadows. The male ruffs gather here for their spectacular and complex lekking. It is the content of their life. The male bird's plumage beats the cleverest fashion designer's fantasies. We can distinguish the main players, showing off their bright collars, from their satellites and the rejected. In contrast to many other lekking games, the ruffs' lekking has lost its combative character and become completely ritualistic.
Aranei - spiders on web threads, leaves of grass and tree bark that may remain unnoticed and misunderstood from the height of the human eye.
Over the years, Betti Alver rejected all attempts at capturing her personality, but the poet's poems remain. Respecting the beliefs of the poet, the authors of the film Paul-Eerik Rummo and Vallo Kepp focuse on his world of poetry.
One of the most popular and talented writers in contemporary Estonia - Viivi Luik - has always hurt her heart for the fate of her country and people. As a poetess, she maintains miracles, simple and human, through her poetry. In the film Viivi Luik and Jaan Kaplinski make sense of the moments of time.
People who got acquainted with Uku Masing in 1950s and grew stronger in time, either in Tallinn Institute of Theology of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Estonian Museum of Literature in Tartu, or in Masing's apartment in Vilde (now Hurda) Street help to recollect memories about the acknowledged poet, theologian and teacher. Among others, Jaan Kaplinski, Vello Salo, Kalle Kasemaa, Hando Runnel, Andres Ehin, Ave Alavainu, Viivi Luik, Jaan Kiivit, Toomas Paul and Jaan Tooming share their memories and contemplate.
One summer, the life cycle of one great crested grebe couple. Screenwriter, director and cinematographer Rein Maran.
Estonian primitive and untouched bogs and folk songs. Composer Lepo Sumera, singer Anne Maasik.
Uku Masing (11.08.1909-25.04.1985, born in Raikküla parish, Lipa village) was a theologian, Orientalist, philosopher, poet, folklorist and ethnologist. The residents of Masing's home village recall their memories about Uku Masing and his family.
The documentary reflects Uku Masing's life as an inner migrant during the restricted conditions in the Soviet era, including the repressions by KGB and keeping quiet about the writer. The main channel for distributing Masing's work was manual copying. As the last part of the film trilogy, the film follows the scope and influence of such activity while combining the subjects of KGB, Masing's wife and manual copying of Masing's work based on recollections by about thirty people touched by the great man.
The common European adder, the only venomous snake native to Estonia, has often been feared and hated among the people. "Tavaline rästik" attempts to see behind the fears and introduce this unique reptile.
Salme Kõrvemann, editor at the Estonian Telefilm studio, worked in this position for 35 years. She is a living history of Estonian film history. Contains excerpts from the films she edited.
