Just over 25 short years ago, Estonia was still an occupied country. Far from the independent democratic nation it is today, it was locked under Soviet military control and ingrained communism. The heroes and hijinks that forced the country's leap towards free thought and the free market are the subject of this spirited look at a not-so-distant history. In 1992, Estonia held its first free elections since the Second World War, and saw 32-year-old upstart Mart Laar become Europe's youngest prime minister. With unparalleled access and unearthed archives, filmmakers Raimo Joerand and Kiur Aarma reconstruct the unbridled policies, legal-ish currency conversions and social sea change that forced citizens to risk complete uncertainty to join the 21st century. Laar himself tells the story, along with other key actors in his political theatre, of just how wild the eastern bloc had to get in order to reach the west. Myrocia Watamaniuk
Co-presented with Estonian Studies Centre/VEMU.
The Changing Face of Europe program presented in partnership with European Film Promotion (EFP). Film recommended by EFP member Estonian Film Institute. [More]