Estonian cinema in focus at Encounters Film Festival
This year’s Encounters Film Festival focused on shorts and animations will showcase Estonian short films. Three curated programmes will offer a glimpse into the history and current creations made both by acclaimed filmmakers and young talents.
Encounters is a globally renowned short film festival that takes place each September on the beautiful harbourside in Bristol, a UNESCO City of Film. It is a qualifying festival for BAFTA, BIFA and the European Film Awards. This year the festival will take place from September 24-28.
A retrospective Nature-believing Visionary: the Animator of the World’s Soul will celebrate the centennial of Heino Pars, one of the grandfathers of Estonian puppet-animation.
A selection of Estonian shorts that have made waves and attracted the love of cinephiles from around the world will screen as part of the Estonian Festival Darlings programme.
There’s also a Film School’s Special of outstanding student works curated in collaboration with the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School of Tallinn University and the Animation Department at the Estonian Academy of Arts. This will be complimented by a panel talk on Friday, September 26 as part of the Encounters Industry Days with a spotlight on the two Estonian film schools.
Three Estonian animation titles have also been included in the Official Competition at this year’s Encounters. Two puppet stop-motions, the eerie tale The Little Other by Andres Tenusaar, produced by Nukufilm and the poetic poem with exquisite porcelain characters
On Weary Wings Go By by Anu-Laura Tuttelberg, produced by Fork Film (EE), ART SHOT (LT), Moon Birds Studios (EE). An ancient Chinese erotic story The Dog, produced by Rebel Frame and told through the humourous lens of Kaspar Jancis will also have it’s UK premiere at the festival.
The focus is organised in collaboration and with the support of the Estonian Film Institute and the Estonian Embassy in London.