Inimene vs. loodus

Jäätramm

Forest and Man

For a long time, the forest was more powerful than a human being. The forest was independent and autonomous. Things have changed. The filmmakers observe the forest warden doing his job in the forest with love and care. He answers the questions asked by Fred Jüssi, contemplates on the connections between the men and environment and explains human responsibility for taking care of the forest that is highly valuable. The forest warden considers himself as a part of the big chain called nature protection.

Home village

Visual pictures of life in Estonian villages in the second part of the 20th century. We can see the seasons change while people never stop their farm work. They are mostly people of old age who live in villages that keep emptying up and houses that are close to collapsing but more than that it's a film about genuine, powerful people who have the utmost respect for their land. "Home Village" is the directing debut for both Peeter Tooming and Peep Puks.

Thirst by the Water

While bringing examples of water pollution, the documentary gives a publicistic approach towards the environmental protection issues. Views of landscape: rivers, waterfall, lakes, polluted body of water. The film also shows Kaarma spirit distillery; potato flour department of Paljusi collective farm in Jõgeva county; views of the cattle farm of Triigi sovkhoz in Rakvere county; designing of biological small cleaners in EKE Projekt.

Midsummer's Day

Midsummer's Day tells a story about the celebration of Estonia's most important holidays in urban conditions. The film, recorded with a hidden camera, vividly depicts the change in the traditional content of Midsummer's Day.

Urban animal

Animals belong to an urban environment and they will always be here since people need a piece of living nature close to them. House plants are not enough - one needs a living creature. What are the places for getting them? The easiest way would go to a pet shop and purchase a suitable animal; unfortunately there are no cats nor dogs so one has still go to some gardener's market and buy illegally a puppy or a kitten from a random seller. What will become of these animals after purchase? How do pets live next to people?

Ilmamuutus

Master Hunter: Portrait of Mati Hõbemägi

Mati Hõbemägi was a head of socialist agricultural holding in Järva county, Estonia. After the collapse of the Soviet regime Mati decided to turn the page in his life. During a decade, Mati together with his supporters have made local forests known across Europe. Every year, hunters take about 200 tons of grain to the forests, make large forage areas and pay close attention to the fact that all activities related to the forests would be in accordance with laws and the code of ethics. Nevertheless, there are still people whose careless behaviour causes irreversible harm to nature.

On the Waves of Life

The Baltic herring fishing season lasts only one month for coastal fishermen. As authorized catches are to be used collectively by fishermen, each missed hour of fishing is translated into a decrease in income. The fishermen themselves compare the situation to an Olympic running race: once the race is on, there is no mercy until the finish line is crossed.

A Fragile World

The film depicts two different worlds - man made and natural - opposites both in terms of content and form. One of the most striking features of Estonian nature are its bog landscapes. Bogs act as a kind of filter by absorbing exhaust gas and cleaning the air for people to breathe. Bogs are also good at safeguarding groundwater. Still, it is not all blue skies ahead for these natural landscapes. The film depicts two different worlds, opposites both in terms of content and form. Products of evolution, the irregular natural landscapes together with their inhabitants stand in opposition to manmade regularity, perfectly straight mining fields.

War over the Flying Squirrel

With their plans to expand the protected zone of the Siberian flying squirrel, a species on the verge of extinction, nature conservationists have upset the landowners of the protected areas. The owners are deprived of the opportunity to earn income from their forestland, without being offered adequate compensation. A couple of dozen families in Viru County must assume the nature conservation responsibility of “the whole of Estonia”. They are clearly not interested in being bestowed all that honour and decide to take on the battle of defending their rights. The ensuing passion is difficult to keep under control. The film observes this process during one year from the trenches on both sides of the front line.

Big Swamp

Vello moved to the farthest swamp island of Emajõe-Suursoo 30 years ago. He left his previous labor life and the city to live in harmony with the mother of nature. There is still such a nature in Emajõe-Suursoo that is vanishing from the rest of the world. The vast delta allows the species to live on its own, without much human intervention, even though man has been seeking refuge and food supplements in the swamp for thousands of years. Vello makes a living from beekeeping and hunting, his life flows in the rhythm of nature.

Trail Baltic

A documentary about a woman's journey along the future route corridor of the Rail Baltic railway. While trying to broadcast live from the 213km long route, the artist Hanna Samoson meets people on her way whose lives will be inextricably linked with the future railway. Through hopes, humour and the pain of loss, "Trail Baltic" shows how people affected by the huge project feel. The film's backdrop is an unbroken landscape that, but all indications, is destined to change soon. Our story could also be told about the Nursipalu military training ground, the pulp mill by Emajõgi or the nuclear power plant, because in all these examples big technological ideal collides with the desire to preserve something that is extremely important to some of us. This is not a traditional documentary, it is a road movie through bushes, ditches, bogs and groves. It is a film where encounters with people are random, direct, and honest. A film that is neither for or against Rail Baltic, but that shows the plurality of opinions, the process of coping with changes, and captures life and landscapes in one vanishing moment in time.

Vertical Money

The documentary is a nature catastrophe film that made scandalous news even before it’s release in Estonia. Shot in more than 60 different places in Estonia the film opens the viewer to the current state of Estonian forests and shows how political decisions have affected the use of the common property. The film also offers solutions to move out of the deadlock of the debate and directs attention to the information that has been buried under the messages of controlled communication in the information noise of the forest war. The same kind of war that's being held across the globe.