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Estonian Film in 1990-1998
Being Part of European Audiovisual Landscape
by Hanna MILLER, Head
of International Relations at the Estonian Film Foundation,
Eureka Audiovisuel coordinator; European Audiovisual Observatory
coordinator, Information Antenna
Original report commissionned by the European
Audiovisual Observatory, 1999.
Introduction
2.1. Legislation
2.2. Structural Changes in Film Production
2.3. Production Statistics
3.1. Film Financing
3.2. Links Between Television and Cinema
3.3. Co-production
3.4. Distribution
3.5. International Film Festivals in Estonia
The Republic of Estonia declared its independence on 20 August 1991. On 22 August 1991 Iceland was the first country to recognise the independent Republic of Estonia. Next was the Russian SSR on 24 August 1991. On 27 August 1991 the sovereign Republic of Estonia was recognised by the then 12 Member States of the European Union and on 2 September 1991 by the USA.
By now, Estonia is a full member of the United Nations, OSCE, the Council of Europe and an associated member to the EU.
On 19 March 1997 the Estonian Parliament ratified the European Convention on Cinematographic Coproduction.
Estonia is member of European audiovisual organizations like Eureka Audiovisuel, and the European Audiovisual Observatory and has established as well the audiovisual Information Antenna on the basis of the agreement signed between the Eureka Audiovisuel and the Estonian Film Foundation.
The Estonian Film Foundation was established in May 1997 by the Estonian Government as an institution, whose tasks include:
The Estonian Film Foundation is financed from the State budget.
1. Retrospect-The Soviet Period
Up to the 1990s the situation in broadcasting media and film was quite unilateral - Tallinnfilm was the only film production company, the Estonian Department of the State Film Distribution was the monopoly film distributor and the state Estonian Television was the only television channel.
During the Soviet period the audiovisual sector as well as the entire cultural field was financed and controlled by the State. The idelogical control over every intellectual work was operated by the Glavlit (Head Department on Pulication of Intellectual Works). No film, tv, radio programme nor book could be published without the approval of Glavlit. Film production was supervised and administrated as well by the Cinema Committee of the ESSR, a suborganization of the Committee of Cinema of the USSR. According to the decisions of Glavlit, idelogical material was added to the works or some works were never screened or published. Understandably this restricted very much the creative freedom of the author. But still there were a number of films produced in this time which bear our cultural heritage and belong without any doubt to the treasury of Estonian film production. Some of the most popular full-length feature films, produced by Tallinnfilm, are listed below:
All those films have participated as well in different festivals and gained different awards. The above list does not include all feature films produced and not even all feature films awarded!
The list of animation films, puppet animation films, documentaries and short films which have as well won a lot of awards, is even much more longer. The production of animation films and documentaries belonged as well to the studio Tallinnfilm.
Most of the film production came from the studio Tallinnfilm, originally named Kroonika-ja Dokumentaalfilmide Tallinna Kinostuudio/Tallinn Filmstudio for Chronicle Reviews and Documentaries, which was founded in 1941 and renamed more than once during the Soviet period. Since 1963 the studio is known as Tallinnfilm. By now, the company Tallinnfilm belongs to the Estonian Film Foundation and is undergoing a process of thorough transformation.
In May 1994, the studios of animation film and puppet animation film were separated from Tallinnfilm and continued to function as two different companies Nukufilm/ Puppet Animation and Eesti Joonisfilm/Estonian Animation Film. In 1995 the production of feature films, documentaries and animation films was terminated at the studio Tallinnfilm. The last production of Tallinnfilm was the chronicle review (Newsreel), produced up to the end of 1997, comprising 12 reviews per year.
During its existence from 1941 to 1994, Tallinnfilm produced 116 full-length feature films, 28 short features, 504 documentaries and 415 films of popular science and other short films, 194 animation films (including 128 puppet animation films) and 1578 chronicle reviews. The average film production in the 1970s-1980s was from 3 to 5 titles per year. Between 1950-1980, three to ten feature film production crews from different Soviet Republics worked in Estonia every year. Among internationally known Russian films, filmed in Estonia, are: Hamlet (1963) by Grigori Kozintsev and Stalker (1977-78) by Andrey Tarkovsky. Some co-productions were made with GDR, Poland and Hungary.
The future of Tallinnfilm is seen to be as a technical basis for film production, renting filming services and equipment as well studio facilities etc. It could be seen as a kind of film centre in Estonia, including film and video education, libraries etc. (*Source – Tallinnfilm).
The other film production company was the Eesti Telefilm. Eesti Telefilm was established in 1965 at the Estonian Television, which started to operate in June, 1955. Eesti Telefilm is still working as a film production unit at the Estonian Television, financed from the state budget. During its existence ETF has produced a number of remarkable films, which belong without any doubt to the Estonian film treasury. The total number of films, produced by ETF is almost 900(!), 45 of them being feature films, 250 music films and the majority documentaries. The list of documentaries consists of 500 titles. The most productive years were the 1980s. In 1983 42 films were produced per year! Since 1992 the co-production projects were started, and up to now 8 feature films have been produced in co-operation with other countries, mostly with Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Russia. The production of ETF has reached audiences in 90 countries. Quite popular are the nature films by film director Rein Maran, whose nature film "Sookured"/The Cranes was chosen into the list of 12 best scientific films in the world in 1983, in Madrid (*Source - Eesti Telefilm).
In conclusion, we can say that the two state owned film production companies – Tallinnfilm and Eesti Telefilm were actually the only big film production enterprises and at the same time the main educational grounds for film professionals in Estonia. Every Estonian filmmaker over 30 has worked more or less with Tallinnfilm or Eesti Telefilm or with both of them. Even our current president Lennart Meri used to work with Tallinnfilm and produced his ethnographical films at Eesti Telefilm.
Speaking about audiovisual and film education in Estonia, the fact that Tallinnfilm ceased to produce, - even when it is a temporary interruption in order to transform the production system and management, - means a certain break in the possibility of gaining experiences and professional skills in filmmaking for the younger generation of Estonian filmmakers. Their alternative is to find a possibility to work with a small independent company or to start right away independently with their own projects…
As there was no film school in Estonia, Estonian filmmakers and directors got their professional film education at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow, which was – and still is – one of the most recognized higher film schools in Eastern Europe.
By now, there are media faculties at some universities in Estonia, but still no proper film school. Still, at the Tallinn University of Educational Sciences there is a department for film and video education and the School of Media at the Concordia International University Estonia, Tallinn. The last one is a private higher education institution and is quite well equipped: its media department ownes a television production centre, studio and editing facilities. Still, our young filmmakers are eagerly looking for film education possibilities abroad.
With the collapse of the Soviet regime and the establishment of the independent states, the free market economy became the basis of the economy of Estonia. In the field of culture it brought along as well privatisation, commercialisation as serious competition.
2. Structural Changes in the Audiovisual Landscape
Before the re-establishment of independence, the film production sector was totally controlled by the Committee of Cinema of the USSR. The Committee set out all the requirements for film studios, their proportions of production, controlled the content of the material produced and financed the production. The local Estonian Committee of Cinema acted as the supervisory institution in Estonia.This system collapsed at the end of the 1980s. Film production came under the authority of the the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Estonia. The first legal act regulating the film industry in Estonia was the Copyright Law that was passed by the Estonian Parliament in November 1992 and went into effect in December 1992. On 19 March 1997, the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production was ratified by the Estonian Parliament.
Regarding broadcasting, a renewed and amended Broadcasting Law – the first one was approved by the Estonian Parliament on 19 May 1994 –has just been presented to the Estonian Parliament for approval. The new Broadcasting Law has been reviewed by the local professionals and authorities as well by the authorities of the European Commission in order to bring the contemporary Broadcasting Law in accordance with the principles of the European common audiovisual policy.
There is no special law regulating the film industry and no tax deductions in favour of the cinematographic industry in Estonia. The independent filmmakers or companies have to be registered as every other firm or company according to the business law.
2.2. Structural Changes in Film Production
At the beginning of 1990s the situation rapidly changed. The USSR stopped financing the national film studios of the Soviet Union and Tallinnfilm got under the budget of the Republic of Estonia. Although the studio Tallinnfilm still existed and exists, 1994 it was transformed into a filming services and equipment rental company.
Already at the end of 1980s private and foreign capital entered the Estonian film and audiovisual sector. The first joint video production company ERF Video was founded by ETV and Finnish private capital in 1988. In 1990 the first private feature film production company, Freyja Film, was established. The number of companies began to rise rapidly. Almost every experienced filmmaker got independent and registered himself as a film production company. As a result we have got a strikingly long list of film production companies or studios. In 1996, 95 (!) enterprises or institutions with the main or complementary economic activity of producing cinema and video films were registered in Estonia. An annual report was presented by 59 of those. (*Source – Statistical Office of Estonia, Yearbook Culture 1996). It might surprise everyone that a country with a population of 1,5 million has about 60 film production companies or studios! Actually we have to understand this figure mostly as the number of independent filmmakers. Most of them do not have capital stock, equipment or a working office with employees. As they do not have means to invest in production, we could better see them as one-man-project-studios, which do not produce continuously or even every year. According to the data of the Statistical Office of Estonia, in 1996 only 23 filmmakers or film companies presented their production data out of the 95 companies registered in film and video business. (*Source – Statistical Office of Estonia, Yearbook Culture 1996). The problem is not in lack of creative potential, but in low knowledge of market economy and in film production management and distribution as well in the small size of the local market. Looking at the production results, we could list about 10 companies, which have succeeded in establishing a production company with its own equipment and a certain number of employees, working constantly as a film production enterprise on more than one project. A number of film and video companies are offering as well filming services, renting equipment and working for different international co-production projects. Some of these companies are working only with commercials or producing advertising, short documentaries or company image or PR films, ordered by firms and companies. Still, speaking about continously producing companies, we have to note that most of them have approximately 3 to 5 employees. The good thing is, that a small company can always operate effectively, being very flexible, and the overhead costs are quite low.
A traditionally strong branch in Estonian film is animation and puppet animation film. Both of them are working since 1994, after being separated from Tallinnfilm, as two independent and separate companies - Eesti Joonisfilm and Nukufilm. On Estonian film production landscape they both belong to the largest continously film producing enterprises. The company A-Studio is also producing animation film, being actually a daughter of a Danish company. As our animation film has received international recognition, many foreign film students are studying animation and puppet animation at our studios.
Statistics is quite a tricky item, especially the film production statistics in Estonia up to the recent years.
As Tallinnfilm was the main film production company in Estonia over the years, the historical review about film production in Estonia should be based on Tallinnfilm data. We have got quite exact figures about the films produced (see above), but unfortunately there is no adequate information available regarding the number of audiences reached, the sales of films or co-productions – even when it was mostly an internal business inside the Soviet Union. According to the saying of the current Managing Director of Tallinnfilm, Hillar Parkja, this research work is still waiting to be done.
The situation is a little bit better regarding the production data of the other production company Eesti Telefilm, the figures of whose production we have given above.
The situation of film statistics is about to change, as the Estonian Film Foundation, founded in 1997, has set as one of its tasks the establishment of a data base of the Estonian film production. A data processing specialist started to work at the Foundation in 1998. As the figures regarding film production differ in earlier publications and are someway confusing as well in the Statistical Yearbooks of Estonia, there is practically no adequate and reliable information source existing. All the work has to be done from the beginning, sorting out the filmmakers and producers, and gathering the information and checking it. One more problem with the statistics is that some of the companies have ceased to function and it is almost hopeless to find the contacts in order to get the adequate data.
In May, 1999, the first Estonian Film Yearbook will be published with a detailed statistical overview of the Estonian film production. Still, we are able to present data about the production of 1998.
3. Film
Production and Festival Awards in 1998
In 1998 approx. 60 Estonian films, completed in 1998 had first public screenings:
3 full-length feature films: Kõik minu Leninid/All my Lenins, dir. Hardi Volmer; Kallis härra Q/Dear Mr Moon, dir. Rao Heodmets; Georgica/Georgica, dir. Sulev Keedus;
From last year's production, the most festival screenings were recorded by the feature film by Sulev Keedus Georgica, picking up as well the gratest number of international awards like The Jury´s Grand Special Prize in Neapel Film Festival´98; The Best Feature Length Film in Barcelona, New European Talent NET´98; The Best Actor- Evald Aavik in Anapa Festival Kinoshok; The Jury´s Special Award in Tallinn, First International Film Festival Tallinn; The Best Film in the section "Northern Lights", FIPRESCI in Stockholm, International Film Festival. Estonian Society of Filmcritics named Georgica to The Best Estonian Film of the Year´98.
Extremely successful as well was the documentary by Enn Säde Nelly, being awarded with the award Silver Hugo at the 34. Chicago International Film Festival in the category of documentaries of 30 to 60 minutes.
The feature film All my Lenins by Hardi Volmer was awarded at the International Film Festival Baltijas Perle´98 in Latvia with the The Jury´s Special Award for The Best Actor – Viktor Suhhorukov. The short feature Family Event by Rene´ Vilbre and Arko Okk picked up The Special Award of the International Federation of Filmclubs at the International Film Festival Molodost ‘98 in Kiev, Ukraine.
The best-known author of documentaries in Estonia is probably Mark Soosaar. One of his latest documentaries, Father, Son and Holy Torum was was named by Estonian film critics and journalists as The Best Estonian film of the Year 1997.
The best-known author of Estonian animation film is Priit Pärn, who´s film Carrots in the Night picked up the Grand Prix award in Ottawa in October, 1998.
During the Soviet period film production was controlled as well as supported by the state. Since Estonia regained its independence, the film financing structures were rearranged, but still the main financial supporter of film production in Estonia is the state. In 1993, the Estonian Ministry of Culture started to finance Estonian film production. A special commission of film experts was established to decide over the film projects to be financed by the Ministry from the state budget.
The following figures, show the film financing by the state in 1993-1998:
1993 the total amount to be used for film production financing was EEK 3.45 million (EUR 220,447);1994 – EEK 7.13 million (EUR 455,591); 1995 – EEK 6.5 million (EUR 415,335); 1996 – an extreme growth! – EEK 16.1 million (EUR 1. 028,754); 1997 – EEK 16.6 million (EUR 1. 060,702). (* Source – Ministry of Culture).
The financing of film production was effected by the Ministry of Culture up to the end of 1997. When the Estonian Film Foundation was founded in May 1997, it took over the function of film financing from the Ministry of Culture. The film financing through the Expert Commission of the Estonian Film Foundation was started in January, 1998. Since then, there are by now two legal and public bodies to finance the film industry – Eesti Filmi Sihtasutus/Estonian Film Foundation, founded in 1997, and Eesti Kultuurkapital/Estonian Cultural Endowment, renamed and restructured in 1996. The Cultural Endowment is not working only with film and audiovisual sector.Film financing is one of its divisions, called the Endowment for Audiovisual Arts, established in 1995. Estonian Cultural Endowment gets its financial resources from taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
In 1995, the Endowment for Audiovisual Arts of Estonian Cultural Endowment supported 122 projects with a total of EEK 2.3 million (EUR 146,965). In 1996, the total financial support from this foundation was EEK 6.7 million (EUR 428,115), most of which was used for the financing of film production, distributed among 198 recipients. Support was also granted for purchasing technical equipment and to private persons in the form of pensions, grants or travelling costs for professional reasons. In 1997 the Endowment for Audiovisual Arts distributed EEK 6.3 million (EUR 402,556) among 318 recipients and in 1998 EEK 8.2 million (EUR 523,962) among 214 recipients. For 1999 a budget of EEK 8 million (EUR 511,182) is available for supporting Estonian AV and film productions. (* Source – the Endowment for Audiovisual Arts of Estonian Cultural Endowment).
In addition there are some other private foundations, supporting sports, education, the social sector, as well filmmaking. Thus the Estonian Culture Foundation, supported film in 1994 –1996 with EEK 57,600 (EUR 3,681) and the Open Estonia Foundation, financed the audiovisual sector in 1995-1996 with EEK 370,600 (EUR 23, 681). (* Source - Baltic Media Facts).
To better understand these figures, we should say that the minimum budget agreed for a feature film production in Estonia is approximately EEK 5 million (EUR 319,489). The state, being the prime – not to say the only-financier of our film production has fixed as maximum state subsidy per feature film at EEK 2.5 million (EUR 159,744). The average budget of a 10-minute animation is EEK 800,000 (EUR 51,118) and that of a 30-minute documentary about EEK 200,000 (EUR 12,780).All this is financed by the approx. 700 000 tax payers in the Estonian population…
Since the establishment of the Estonian Film Foundation in May, 1997 with the main task to support the Estonian film production, the Foundation became the main institution to finance the Estonian film production, beginning in January 1998. The annual budget of the Estonian Film Foundation is granted by the State.
The decision-makers in questions of film financing is the Expert Commission of the Foundation, made up from 5 members, who are well-known Estonian filmmakers. The rotation period of the Expert Commission is two years. One of the 5 members is acting as Chairman of the Expert Commission. During the current rotation period the Chairman of the Expert Commission is Mr Jaan Ruus, an experienced Estonian film critic and film journalist as well a member of the Board of the Estonian Film Foundation. The Expert Commission meets when needed, but normally once or twice per month, in order to look through and discuss the projects submitted for financing. The procedure of submitting the projects and the decision-making of the Commission is regulated in detail by the statute of the Expert Commission of the Estonian Film Foundation. The allocations are decided and made known 6 times per year. The allowance for a film production project is fixed in a contract, signed by the Managing Director of the Estonian Film Foundation and the receipient of the financial subsidy. Subsidies, which are not used according to the contract has to be paid back to the Foundation within a year. According to its current statute the Expert Commission is financing preproduction, production, postproduction and distribution of films.The financing of participations in festivals, seminars or providing other allowances like pensions, grants, etc., are normally handled by the Endowment of the Audiovisual Arts of the Cultural Endowment. Other Estonian foundations, engaged in financing culture or education or other related items are supporting film and audiovisual sector occasionally and by amounts not to be compared with the direct production financing by the Estonian Film Foundation. There are as well certain possibilities for sponsorship by local communities like town councils or regions, by enterprises or companies, etc. But in any case those possibilities are quite rare. Private sponsorship as well as sponsorship by banks is practically non-existant. The reasons for the almost non-existant private sponsorship or bank investments in film production are obvious – film production in Estonia is, at least currently, not a profit-making business. But this seems to be a problem not only typical for Estonia.
In 1998 the Estonian Film Foundation got a budget EEK 17.6 million (EUR 1.124,600) from the state to be mostly used for financing of film production.The production of full-length feature film was financed with appproximately EEK 7 million (EUR 447,284); the production of animation film with approximately EEK 3 million (EUR 191, 693); the production of puppet animation film with approximately EEK 2 million (EUR 127,796); the production of documentaries and short features with approximately EEK 2.5 million (EUR 159,744). Financial support in amount of EEK 2 million (EUR 127,796) was given to other items like distribution and promotion.
The budget for 1999 has been increased by approximately 10%, but the proportions of financing the different genres will stay more or less the same.
There is one more financing body we have to indicate. It is the Commission for Supporting the Film Distribution, established at the Ministry of Culture of Estonia in March, 1997. As the budget for distribution support is coming as well from the Ministry, we can say that it is one more support, given by the state. The Commission consists of 5 members, one of them acting as the Head of Commission. According to its statute, the Commission is composed of journalists. One of the members is the Councillor for Film at the Ministry of Culture.By now, the second team is working, having started its work on the 1st of January, 1999. The decisions made by the Commission are to be confirmed by the Minister. According to its statute the Film Distribution Support Commission was established to support first of all the distribution (payments for licences, subtitling) of foreign films in Estonia, especially children's films, in order to keep some balance on the screen next to the commercially profitable action movies. In 1997 distribution of foreign films in Estonia was supported by grants to films by Manuel de Oliveira, Michelangelo Antonioni, Bernardo Bertolucci, Emir Kusturica, Lars von Trier and others to be subtitled in Estonian and to be presented on our screens.
In the beginning of 1998 amendments were made to the regulations of the Commission in order to support as well the distribution of the domestic production. As a result of this approximately EEK1.4 million (EUR 89,457) was given to domestic production. The financial support was mostly used for the production of festival prints. The Commission supported as well the organization of the three international festivals in Estonia: the 1st Tallinn International Film Festival, The Dark Nights International Film Festival and the International Festival of Visual Anthropology in Pärnu. The budget of the Commission in 1997 was EEK 1.7 million (EUR 108,626); in 1998 EEK 1.8 million (EUR 115,016) and in 1999 it is EEK1.9 million (EUR 121, 406).
It is planned to give less support for the distribution of national production this year as compared with last year. The main financing is still aimed for the support of the cinema screenings of foreign films in Estonia. In very convincing cases an Estonian film can be supported in order to participate in an international festival. The argument for de-emphasising national films is that the distribution has to be calculated into the production budget and has to be financed as part of the whole production process. (* Source – the Support Commission of Film Distribution).
3.2. Links Between Television and Cinema
The financing of audiovisual production by broadcasters is quite hard to define, especially if we want to have exact figures. According to the Broadcasting Law a television channel has to broadcast 10% of its annual programme volume the production of independent producers, when sport, news, games and advertising are counted off, and 51% of its annual programme volume, programmes with a European content. Independent producers are producers who are not employees of the given channel.
The following data refer to the supporting role of our TV broadcasters in respect of the audiovisual production in Estonia.
The only public channel, Estonian Television, gives the following data regarding 1998: ETV has acquired the production of Estonian independent filmmakers in the volume of 18 hours out of the volume of the acquisition program regarding the first releases. 18 hours makes 1,3% or in financial aspect 4,2% of the volume of the acqusition program (first releases). In fact, the part of the independent production is much higher, as the data are given normally according the television season, beginning with September, not according to the calendar year. The newest figures are not available yet. Next to this two big series have been running for years, produced by Estonian independent production. Regarding the perspectives of acqusition of the Estonian independent production the negotiations between the Estonian Film Foundation and the Estonian TV are running. (*Source – Estonian TV)
Private commercial channel TV3 gives the following figures regarding 1998: approximately 2 200 hours or 30 to 35% of the programme was filled with domestic production, produced either by the channel itself or aquired from Estonian independent producers. There were no Estonian feature films shown in the programme, but still some documentaries. The volume for 1999 in this respect will remain more or less the same. (*Source - TV3)
At the moment no data about two other commercial channels – the TV 1 and Kanal 2 are available regarding this item. Still, Kanal 2 is quite active in filling its programm with independent domestic production.
Since 1990, after the re-establishment of Estonia´s independence, the international co-production with western countries is starting to develop. A good basis for this is as well the fact that Estonia has ratified the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production in March, 1997.
Estonia has not joined Eurimages yet.
There are no co-production treaties signed on governmental level with other countries by now, but we certainly moving towards it.
According to the traditionally close contacts and the very close geographical location, Estonian filmmakers have always had tight contacts to their Finnish colleagues and companies, like the Finnish TV channels, especially the public channel YLE and the Finnish Film Foundation. YLE has been a co-producer for several documentaries, animation films and feature films. Some of Estonian actors have played in Finnish film- or TV-productions, like the well-known Estonian actor Mikk Mikiver.
Other co-production partners in the 1990s have been Komi (Russia) for the feature Heart of Siberia (in production); Iceland for the feature Luukas; Russia for the feature All my Lenins; France and Hungaryfor the feature Rollercoaster; USA, Sweden and Finland for Darkness in Tallinn.
Regarding foreign television companies, which have made co-productions with Estonian partners, we should name next to Finnish YLE as well Channel Fourfor The Damned Town Paldiski (1995) by Estonian director Andres Sööt; the Discovery Channel Europe for The Bomb Squad (1997) by Estonian director Rein Kotov; the Television Trust for the Environment/TVE for Greening Kunda (1997) by Estonian director Kristjan Svirgsden. Those are just some examples.
The co-production projects with the CIS countries has started to run again, and some projects with our neighborouing Baltic States are in production as well.
Experienced Estonian studios like Exitfilm, Nukufilm, Allfilm, Eesti Telefilm, Guvatrak and See provide filming locations, local teams, equipment and assistance.
Many foreign film-makers like Aki Kaurismäki Take Care of Your Scarf (1994), Andrew Grieve Letters From the East (1994), Egdardo Cozarinsky Rotschild´s Violin (1996), Andres Wahlgren and Lena Koppel True Moments (1997), Alexander Buravsky Virtuoso (1998) have found perfect filming locations in Estonia. Foreign TV teams are often working in Estonia, producing short documentaries on local subject, not to mention news items.
Since years, Estonian flimmakers and TV professionals have been visiting the summer courses of the Baltic Media Centre on Bornholm and participating in its co-production seminars. The same might be said, regarding the last years, about the co-production meetings in Mannhein-Heidelberg.
Still, the opportunities offered by the co-production, are by no means used in their full range. Co-production is one of the fields we have to find a lot more possibilities to work with. The Estonian Film Foundation is seeking to establish co-production agreements with other countries in order to build a legal framework as a solid basis for the co-production in film business. For a small country like Estonia, co-production is certainly one serious possibility to develop the film production and the whole audiovisual sector.
Speaking about marketing, promotion and distribution of Estonian films, we have to admit that this area is on a very low level and quite chaotic.
Trying to find the reasons we have to look at the complex situation of film production. As the production is split into a great number of small companies, which are mostly acting as one-man-project-studios, it is quite comprehensible that these companies are not able to start an adequate marketing or promotion process. This is caused not only by lack of financial means, but as well by lack of knowledge in management of marketing, promotion and distribution. Not less important is the fact that there is not much to do on the great international market when going out with just one short film or documentary or even a full-length feature! So the one-man-studios, after having released their products, try to find a possibility to sell it directly by themselves, using their own contacts, to TV channels in Estonia or abroad. In the case of a full-length feature, they normally turn to a distributor in Estonia, to sign a contract for cinema screenings. One way of screening the product is the active participation in festivals, which is still more a possibility to spend the money than to earn it. But it is still a way to promote the film and the author and to find occasionally some interest by distributors.
The situation is a little bit better with some companies which are working constantly on more than one projects and have some full-time employees dealing with production management and distribution. They have mostly worked out their own distribution channels or partners, but there is still much to be developed.
Here I would like to point out as one of the main obstacles the existing way of thinking: "first I will finish my film and then I will see what to do with it". This kind of thinking has to change first of all. Up to the very recent time the overhelming way of thinking was, or even somewhere still is, that marketing, promotion, and distribution comes when the product is ready. Here we see a great need for a change in attitude. Marketing, promotion and distribution have to be planned (as well financially) into the project development from very beginning. Starting a film project should start with the question: who will be the audience? Now it is still more the film production process itself which is occupying the mind of the filmmakers and producers and less the goal – the released film and its audience, its future as a product which has to be shown and seen, as well its future in a financial sense. As the film production in Estonia is basically existing on state subsidies, the financial risk of the filmmakers is minimized. When the film happens to be a flop, or when it just does not get a really good distribution, it does not bring along a great financial loss for the producer, as the state subsidy is given not as a repayable loan. In this case it just does not make any profit or does not pay back some investment made by the company itself. But there is always the possibility to present the next project and apply for the next state financing …
But certainly, this is one side of the problem. The other is that the institutions as well have to change their attitude in this matter and see the marketing, promotion and distribution as a part of the complex package of film production. This is one point which the Estonian Film Foundation has to work on as well. To move on from the present situation there is a lot to be done in this field. We have to find the best possible ways of marketing and promoting Estonian film production. That does not mean that the Foundation will be the distributor of Estonian film production. The distribution work itself has still to be done by independent companies. There are some of them doing the best they can, and they certainly need to be supported in this job as well financially by the state subsidies.
Speaking about the distribution of foreign films in Estonia, the situation seems to be much better. There are three private companies specialized in foreign film distribution in Estonia. Those are the company MPDE, established in 1993, Filmimax, established in 1993 and BDG, established in 1996. MPDE and BDG are both distributing first of all American films. MPDE has got the leading position, having reached in 1997 66% of the audience. Filmimax is distributing both American and European films and its reach of audience was 10% in 1997. Filmimax is as well the initiator and the organizer of the annual International Dark Nights Festival, which took place for the second time in 1998.
According to approximate calculations the Estonian box-office of 1997 was EEK 33.2 million (EUR 2.121, 406). The average ticket price was EEK 34 (EUR 2). In the 1990s the cinema ticket price has been constantly rising and the number of cinema theaters has been constantly decreasing. In 1996, there were 134 cinema screens in Estonia, in 1997 the number was 110. Only 34 of them are city cinema theatres, showing films at least three days a week. In the capital city Tallinn we have got 2 permanently working cinemas, one of them with two screens, and the Tallinn Cinema House with a not constantly running programme. The population of Tallinn is 420,470 and that of Estonia is 1. 462.130. For comparison – in 1989 there were 680 cinemas or screening halls in Estonia, and the number of admissions was 15 million.
last year's admissions is somewhere round 1 million. An Estonian feature would reach the average of 1.3% of the audience. The total blockbuster was Titanic with 130,308 admissions. The next two foreign films in the list of the admissions had almost one hundred thousand admissions less than Titanic. The X-Files gathered 35,902 admissions and Godzilla was on the third place with 35,699 admissions.
The Estonian full-length feature film Georgica had during less than a month (October-November) 1,095 admissions and the other Estonian full-length feature – a whole-family and children film- Dear Mister Moon had almost during the year (1998) 5,892 admissions. If compared with the admissions of the Spiceworld (UK) – 8,309 admissions and those of the Spawn (USA) – 1,055 admissions - the results of attendance of Estonian films are not so bad, but still far from good. (*Source-MPDE).
Looking at the statistics regarding the import and admissions of full-length feature films in Estonian cinemas, there is not much change if compared with 1996, when 78% of the imported films was of US production and 91% of the admissions registred on US films. 8% of the admissions were taken by European productions and 1% by domestic production. (*Source- Statistical Office of Estonia, Yearbook Culture, 1996).
V&K Holding is the first legal newcomer in Estonian video market representing Warner Home Video and Columbia Tristar.
The so-called black video market and audiovisual piracy is a great problem and the fight against it is on a quite low level. This is a huge item to deal with. Still, it should be said that more and more public attention is paid by the local press to the problems of piracy, and the respective institutions are more seriously confronted with the need to handle and solve the problem.
3.5. International Film Festivals in Estonia
In 1998 Tallinn hosted for the first time two international film festivals. The Tallinn International Film Festival, 15.-19. October, was initiated by the filmmakers Hannes and Renita Lintrop and took place for the first time. The other international film festival Dark Nights Film Festival, initiated by film distributor Tiina Lokk in 1997, was carried out for the second time, according to the "tradition" at the beginning of December. Both festivals are financially supported by the Estonian Film Foundation. Time will show which of them will be able to stay on the international festivals schedule.
The International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival has actually the longest traditions organised in the summer resort Pärnu, it was initiated by the independent Estonian filmmaker Mark Soosaar. The first Festival of Visual Anthropology in Pärnu was held in 1987 and has been carried on by Mark Soosaar as an annual festival, always taking place in July.
Estonian film has mainly passed the transition period from state monopoly to free market economy. It has not been an easy or simple step to do. The Estonian audiovisual landscape is still not quite established or stabilized. Yet, it is showing some tendency to get more transparent. Especially since the Estonian Film Foundation has been founded in 1997, the previous chaotic situation is changing and getting more and more comprehensible thanks to the efforts of the Foundation to clear the sector and its regulation as well to establish an adequate data base of it. By now, we have an adequate overview of the companies, their production and working conditions. One of the tasks of the Estonian Film Foundation is not only to support the production financing, but to develop and educate the independent filmmakers in their professional business as well. A quite important partner in this matter for us is Eureka Audiovisuel with its activities where our professionals can participate.
Still, there is a lot of work to be done regarding the promotion and marketing of Estonian film. Another great field of work is connected with legal and copyright matters in the audiovisual business. One of our first tasks includes as well the establishment of co-production treaties on an intergovernmental level.
Our professionals are participating in international meetings, conferencies, educational seminars and workshops and festivals. The established companies or filmmakers see their future in international co-production projects.
The Estonian Film Foundation is there to support all those positive developments towards the better understanding of the common European audiovisual policy and the consistent movement for integrating Estonian film and audiovisual sector into the European audiovisual landscape.
* Please note that the exchange rate of 1 (one) Estonian kroon is 15.65 EUR according to the exchange rate of Eesti Pank/Estonian Bank.
Saue 11, Tallinn,10612
Tel.: +372 6 541 030
Fax: +372 6 541 276
E-mail: allfilm@datanet.ee
Mr Artur Talvik
Kaare 15, Tallinn, 11618
Tel.: +372 6 706 485
Fax: +372 6 706 433
E-mail: afilm@online.ee
Ms Kristel Tõldsepp
Soo, 37-2, Tallinn, 10414
Tel.: +372 51 66 747
Fax: +372 6 413 440
Mr Arko Okk
Keila, Oksa 4, pk 34, 76607
Tel./Fax: +372 6 78 00 16
Ms Riina Aare
Köleri 32-2, Tallinn, 10150
Tel.: +372 2 426 645
Fax: +372 6 409 118
E-mail: iho@tpu.ee
Mr Arvo Iho
Laulupeo 2, Tallinn, 10121
Tel./Fax: +372 6 41 90 47
E-mail: joonis@online.ee
Mr Kalev Tamm
Gonsiori 27, Tallinn, 10125
Tel.: +372 6 28 45 40
Fax: +372 628 45 22
E-mail: telefilm@etv.ee
Mr Aare Tilk
Katleri 11-33, Tallinn,13915
Tel./Fax: +372 6 33 89 48
Mr Igor Ruus
Kaupmehe 10-11, Tallinn,10114
Tel.: +372 6 31 79 95
Fax: +372 6 604 121
E-mail: exitfilm@online.ee
Mr Peeter Urbla
Pärnu mnt 67A, Tallinn, 10134
Tel.: +372 6 46 20 27
Fax: +372 6 46 20 28
E-mail: faama@index.ee
Mr Mati Sepping
TV programmes, videoproduction)
Keemia 11, Tallinn
Tel.: +372 6 56 64 46
Fax: +372 6 56 64 37
E-mail: filmimees@estpak.ee
Mr Raivo Lugima
Nafta 1, Tallinn, 10152
Tel.: +372 2 425 939
Fax: +372 643 13 51
E-mail: filmimax@uninet.ee
Ms Tiina Lokk
Regati 8, Tallinn,11911
Tel./Fax: +372 2 238 682
Mr Tõnu Virve
Narva mnt 63, Tallinn, 10152
Tel.: +372 6 42 18 08
Fax: +372 6 42 18 03
E-mail: fseitse@online.ee
Ms Reet Sokmann
Kivila 42-61, Tallinn, 13814
Tel.: +372 6 340 221
Fax: +372 6 411 629
E-mail: kultuur@tpu.ee
Mr Rein Maran
Toompuiestee 18, Tallinn, 10149
Tel.: +372 6 46 01 25
Fax: +372 6 46 01 24
E-mail: mail@guvatrak.ee
Mr Even Tudeberg
Sõpruse pst 175-53, Tallinn
Tel.:/Fax: +372 2 520 182
E-mail: jyri@datanet.ee
Mr Jüri Silllart
Mustamäe tee 141-105, Tallinn, 12918
Tel.: +372 2 44 66 44
Fax: +372 6 46 41 64
Mr Endel Koplimets
Narva mnt 5, Tallinn, 10117
Tel.: +372 2437 733
Fax: +372 6 488 014
E-mail: lehtmets@uninet.ee
Ms Enda Lehtmets
Tammsaare tee 110-35, Tallinn, 12918
Tel.: +372 2 54 30 12
E-mail: elo.t@online.ee
Mr Andres Sööt
Kuhlbarsi 1-410, Tallinn, 10128
Tel.: +372 6 20 75 73
Fax: +372 6 566 117
E-mail: helle@coolbars.ee
Mrs Helle Karis
Kaupmehe 6, Tallinn, 10114
Tel./Fax: +372 6 42 66 82
E-mail: niko@online.ee
Mr Urmas Sepp
Kaupmehe 6, Tallinn, 10114
Tel.: +372 6 60 40 40
Fax: +372 6 60 40 40
E-mail: nukufilm@online.ee
Mr Arvo Nuut
Tatari 21B –12; Tallinn, 10116
Tel./Fax: +372 6 46 62 49
E-mail: omafilm@online.ee
Ms Liina Kulles
Lasnamäe 24-12, Tallinn, 11413
Tel.: +372 2 21 52 96
Mr Valentin Kuik
Mäe talu, Neeme küla, Jõelähtme, Harjumaa, 74203
Tel.: +372 2 723 742
Mr Sulev Keedus
Tähe 5-3, Tallinn, 11619
Tel.: +372 6 700 778
Fax: +372 6 700 778
Mr Rein Raamat
Tartu mnt 47-48, Tallinn, 10128
E-mail: raoheidmets@hotmail.com
Mr Rao Heidmets
Uus 3, Tallinn, 10111
Tel.: +372 6 27 80 82
Fax: +372 2 44 66 44
E-mail: renita@online.ee
Mr & Ms Hannes & Renita Lintrop
Pronksi 7/9-74; Tallinn, 10124
Tel.: 372 2 438 371
Nikolai 15-4, Pärnu 80011
Tel.: +372 44 30 772
Fax: +372 44 30 774
E-mail: docfest@chaplin.ee
Mr Mark Soosaar
Gonsiori 29, Tallinn, 10147
Tel.: +372 2 421 880
Fax: +372 6 269973
E-mail: polarfilm@anet.ee
Mr Ants Vist
NB! The above list includes the main continously producing companies, but not all registered firms.
Harju Street 9, Tallinn, 10146
Tel.: +372 6 44 83 59; +372 6 4 111 20
Fax: +372 6 44 23 56
E-mail: film@efsa.ee;
Mr Jüri Tallinn –Managing Director; film director
Ms Hanna Miller –Head of International Relations; Eureka Audiovisuel coordinator; European Audiovisual Observatory coordinator; Information Antenna;
Mr Priit Pärn – Head of the Board, filmdirector (animation); film teacher.
Mr Jaan Ruus - Head of Expert Commission; Member of the Board; Chairman of the Filmmakers Union, Filmjournalist;
Suur-Karja 23, Tallinn, 10146
Tel.: +372 6 28 23 23
Fax: +372 6 28 23 20
E-mail: min@kul.ee
Mr Enn Rekkor – Councillor for Film
Mr Peeter Sookruus – Councillor for AV Policy and Broadcasting
Ms Helle Pusepp – Head of International Relations
Ms Kärt Hinnok -Lawyer
Gonsiori 21, Tallinn, 15020
Tel.: +372 6 11 43 05
Fax: +372 6 11 44 57
E-mail: rhn.@er.ee
Mr Paul-Erik Rummo – Head of the Broadcasting Council, Member of Parliament
Suur-Karja 23, Tallinn, 10146
Tel.: +372 6 446 922
Fax: +372 6 31 40 85
E-mail: riina@kulka.ee
Mr Avo Viiol – Head of Cultural Endowment
Uus 3, Tallinn,10111
Tel.: +372 2 44 53 37
Tel./Fax: +372 372 6 464 068
Mr Jaan Ruus – Chairman
Toompuiestee 7, Tallinn, 10142
Tel.: +372 646 02 72
Fax: +372 6 46 02 73
E-mail: kalev.rattus@eauthors.ee
Mr Kalev Rattus – Director
School of Media
Kaluri tee 3, Haabneeme, Viimsi vald, Harjumaa
Tel.: +372 2 790 620
Fax: +372 2 790 216
E-mail: hagi@ciue.edu.ee
URL: http://media.ciue.edu.ee
Mr Hagi Shein – Dean of Media Program
Ristiku 84, Tallinn, 10318
Tel.: +372 2 47 07 18
Fax: +372 2 49 33 91
E-mail: film@estpak.ee
Mr Harald Raudi- Director
Narva mnt 11e, Tallinn
Tel.: +372 6 118 095
Fax: +372 6 313 154
E-mail: carlos@tank.ee
Mr Karlo Funk - Chairman
Faehlmanni 12, Tallinn, 15020
Tel.: +372 6 28 41 00
Fax: +372 6 28 41 56
E-mail: etv@etv.ee
Mr Toomas Lepp – Director General
Ms Tiina Kangro – Head of Programme
Peterburi tee 81, Tallinn, 11415
Tel.: +372 6 22 02 00
Fax: +372 6 22 02 40
E-mail: ajoesaar@tv3.ee
Mr Andres Jõesaar – Vice President
Koidula 13, Tallinn, 10125
Tel.: +372 6 26 89 00
Fax: +372 6 26 89 41
E-mail: kris@kanal2.ee
Mr Kris Taska – Managing Director
Ms Vilja Palm – Head of Programme
Pirita tee 12, Tallinn, 10127
Tel.: +372 6 27 77 07
Fax: +372 6 27 77 09
E-mail: tv1@tv1.ee
Mr Vallo Toomet – Chairman of the Board
Mr Raul Rebane – Head of Programme
Through the Yearbook, the monthly legal newsletter IRIS and its other publications in print form or on this website, the European Audiovisual Observatory offers a wide range of professional information and data, published in English, French and German. Backed up by its networks of partners, correspondents and a wide range of information sources the Observatory becomes THE supplier of economic, statistical, legal and financial information on the audiovisual sector in Europe.