Arvo Kukumägi

Documentary about actor Arvo Kukumagi.

A snapshot of one segment of Estonian present-day life, shown through the eyes of a child: 8 years old Lucia is leading a jolly and naughty Pippi-Longstocking-style life in a small town in Estonia. Her father Kaido, a graveyard keeper, can hardly provide for the family, her mother Maria is a drunk. Then the family receives an unexpected invitation to spend a week in Finland, in the house of the female pastor Sipra. This week will change everybody's life in unexpected ways...

At the end of the 1920-s the Finnish government proclaimed dry law which lasted 12 years. Estonian bootleggers living on the neighboring coast of the Gulf of Finland profited from prohibition......

In a poor Estonian village, a group of peasants use magic and folk remedies to survive the winter, and a young woman tries to get a young man to love her.

It is the year 1947. The war is over but Estonian forests are still hiding armoured men. When the message comes that Western spies will arrive to support the local bushwhackers, security officer Rein Taim starts to lead the counter operation of the Communist Secret Police in order to catch the Western diversionists and the leader of the Estonian bushwhackers.

Aurora, the new head of the culture centre in a small Estonian town, and her ward, nicknamed Lumumba, change the lives of Rein and his father who are crushed with grief. Together with their friend Elsa, the boys decide to introduce Rein's father to Aurora in order to make them feel less lonely.

Three film segments.

Suletud ring

Arabella is a daughter of the world's most terrifying pirate captain. She loves her father but also dreams about a life of a usual girl. One day a weird stranger is saved from the sea who will be the only friend of Arabella. At the same time a rival pirate called Raudpats plans to kidnap the girl. Will she be safe and can she ever live a normal life?

On Christmas Eve, the residents of Peace Street discover that there are military guards in front of their houses. Soon they have to start showing their passports when entering their homes. The residents are told by the authorities that in order to keep the peace they have to be ready to co-operate. It is an order and people stick to it. It is heard that the foreign troops will leave when the snow will be gone - so it won't be long until the everyday life will be normal again. When spring arrives, not only the snow disappears but also lots of residents. Those who stay will look forward to the Midsummer Day.

It is the night of March 25, 1949. A full moon hangs over Estonia. Endless rows of cattle cars are waiting to transport thousands of Estonian families, asleep in their homes, to Siberia. The Stalinist regime is ready to treat people like animals.

A three episode film consisting of three short films: "Promenade", "Poacher" and "Tattoo". The action of the films takes place in the 1930s in Estonia.

Half the film was shot with a video camera taken from a television station without permission, the cast and staff were unpaid, and the script was written as a screenwriting class assignment.

A woman defends during World War II her home and her family against Hitler's soldiers.

In post-World War II Estonia, Mait Kukemeri, an activist of the Young Communist League arrives to the Metsa collective farm in the back of a traveling cinema truck. As a commissary of the spring sowing, he has orders to usher all the people to the field, even if the water is high enough to soak your boots and the machines sink in the mud. Harald Tuvikene, the head of the farm, keeps dragging his feet, trying to pitch his peasant wisdom against the senseless demands of the central power. For the first time in his life, Kukemeri faces a real problem - does he do what's right or does he follow the party's inept commands in order to further his own career?

Aleksander is a talented young man who has no idea what to do with his life after graduating from high school. Choosing a career, family, university degree, or joining the army seem out of the question. It seems like he has no interest in anything. Unfortunately, neither Aleksander's parents nor his friends can give him advice. For years, Aleksander has observed the way other people live their lives. This has led him to an understanding that he doesn't want to become one of them. He wants a different life. Only that he doesn't know what kind of life that is.

Viktor Kingissepp has been the underground head of the Communist Party of Estonia for three years. He corresponds with Moscow, writes speeches for the members of the Communist Workers' Party and makes leaflets for the events of trade union. His purpose is to overthrow the Republic of Estonia since he does not believe in Estonian independence nor in any national ideals. Yet the clock keeps ticking, tuberculosis spreads rapidly, the world revolution is being postponed. What to do in order to make one's efforts work?

The Christmas of 1905 in Vigala is not a peaceful holiday. The manor house has just been pillaged during the peasant's revolt; the air is full of smoke of fire and there is the premonition of inevitable punishment. Bernhard Laipmann is a tenant farmer whose wife is asking him to leave home since her husband keeps drawing the attention of the authorities. Having doubts about leaving, Laipmann is inspired by endeavouring towards freedom and equality and alarmed by the violence of the revolution.

The movie travels through the 20th century by monitoring a steam boiler. We see the history of Estonia through life, agricultural work and people at different times.

A young man is taken to a small town hospital after a suicide attempt. Rita is a beautiful married Russian nurse taking care of him.

Young and active nationalist Aleksander Kesküla makes up his mind to use Lenin, the Bolsheviks' leader, in order to start a revolution in Russia with German money and create a new national state of Estonia in the north-east of Russia. For security reasons, five doubles will be found and trained for Lenin. All of them are finally sent to Russia to instigate the revolution. How will the real Lenin put up with all this?

A young Estonian goes to the Siberian Taiga to live as a hunter in a remote forest hut. He hopes to find his true self far from civilisation. The natives he meets introduce him to the myths of the north. The first is a young village teacher who wants to be a good wife to him. The second is a wild and untameable native who becomes his mythical bear-woman. When he accidentally kills a great black bear, his own shadow-creature, he burdens himself with guilt. However, he is given a chance of finding his inner balance. A romantic drama with mythical elements and breathtaking landscapes.

When a former fistfighter Madis leaves the prison, he feels he will get another chance in life. Nothing can go wrong this time. Madis will be accompanied by his nephew who has something completely opposite in his mind. A game begins where both the weak and the strong get more and more opportunities.

Unforgettable melodies, unique timbre and a memorable, soul-stirring voice. A mystery for women and authority for men, his talent was revered by the highest ranks of the Soviet Union and millions of ordinary people. Georg Ots took the stage when a huge country was recovering from the horrors of war, and his voice returned them faith in a bright future. Few people know what his life was really like.

"Revolution of Pigs" is an adventurous youth comedy, taking place in a Woodstock-like milieu. The main character is Tanel, a 15-year-old boy, who, taking part of a youth revolt against the system, finds himself and his love.

The well-known but out-of-luck actor Jan Uuspõld sets out to hitchhike from Tallinn through Estonia to Tartu.

As a young woman, Claire left her hometown in disgrace. Now she is old and unimaginably rich, as for the first time she returns. The town is nearly bankrupt and in urgent need of money. Everybody hopes Clara will come to the rescue. And she will. However, there is a condition: somebody must kill the man who was her lover all those years ago.

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.

A three-film cassette, "Daisy Petal Game 2" looks at three different lifetimes where a person is forced to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Such moments come as suddenly and dramatically as the first falling in love. How to deal with these crises in youth, early middle age and golden years?

The protagonist of this satirical short is a photographer whose camera captures photos of people's true nature. We often have to ask ourselves whether we see the truth around us. But do we want to see it?

Anxiously awaiting the return of his new wife, Adolph finds solace in the words of a stranger. But comfort soon turns to destruction as old wounds are opened, insecurities are laid bare and former debts are settled.

A jolly documentary that tells a story of Soviet time life style when stealing from the state was an act of honour for common people. Stealing from corrupted state helped to get by and held moral high. The common man felt that the state was stealing from him all the time – so one had to get something back from the real robber – the state. When all bits and pieces of rubble were stolen from the state – the Soviet Union colossus fell apart.

Based on the tales of Chinese writer Pu Songling, the film depicts the romantic relationships of a Chinese student with an undead girl and a fox spirit maiden. Rainer Sarnet's diploma film.