International premiere
The Shadow
To quote the legendary Estonian poet Juhan Liiv: “My sun doesn’t recognize me; the night is left to me.” It’s 1894. In these dark and frightening times, a secret hope begins to bloom in the hearts of Estonians – a hope of breaking free from the chains of Russian rule. The courageous Juhan Liiv expressed these patriotic dreams in his poetry, only to be locked up in a psychiatric clinic in Tartu.
The brilliant actor Pääru Oja portrays the persona non grata of Juhan Liiv, solving mysteries in his gloomy homeland, guided by his inner whispers and his passion for helping Mari. The film follows Juhan’s struggle to defend himself against false accusations, deceitful friends, and worsening mental illness. Amidst this chaos, he still managed to dream and write about freedom – a concept unknown at the time, even in poetry.
Edvinas Pukšta
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Jaak Kilmi has graduated from the Department of Culture of Tallinn Pedagogical University, majoring in directing. He has (co-)directed and produced a string of award-winning short films; a number of documentary films and feature films. His films have received international recognition and have often been broadcasted abroad. Kilmi has acted as a member of the film commission of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the Estonian Film Board.
Sigade revolutsioon (PÖFF 2004, co-dir), Disko ja tuumasõda (PÖFF 2009, doc), Kristus elab Siberis (2015, co-dir, doc), Sangarid (2017), Minu spioonist isa (2019, co-dir, doc), Jõulud džunglis (2020), Tagurpidi torn (PÖFF 2022), Vari (Shadow, 2024)
Grand Prix for The Best Film, grant of 20 000 euros from the city of Tallinn, Award for Best Director, grant of 5000€ from Alexela
