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Tallinn Festival Spotlights Director's Lost 1990s Estonian Films
The DocPoint Tallinn documentary festival has opened with a rare retrospective of Finnish director Pirjo Honkasalo's 1990s films, which explore themes of religion and political undercurrents in post-Soviet Estonia.
- —The DocPoint Tallinn documentary film festival commenced on February 3rd, featuring nearly forty films from around the globe and a retrospective of Finnish director Pirjo Honkasalo.
- —Honkasalo's retrospective includes three films made in Estonia during the 1990s, focusing on themes of religion, Orthodox Christianity, and exorcism in Northeast Estonia ('Mysterion', 'Tanjuška ja seitse kuradit'), as well as a portrait of businesswoman Tiiu Silves and the era's political undercurrents ('Tallinna tuhkatriinu').
- —The festival program also highlights award-winning international films, such as 'Rebane roosa kuu all' (The Fox Under the Pink Moon) from Iran, 'Natchez' from the US, and 'Pow-wow rahvas' (Pow-wow People), which explores indigenous community gatherings.
- —Other featured international films include 'Imago', 'Khartoum', 'Seeds', 'Endless Future', 'Nine-Month Contract', 'Child of Dust', 'Hellish Cohabitation', 'Better to Go Mad in the Country', and 'Infinite Biscuit', covering diverse themes from self-discovery to social issues and historical narratives.
- —DocPoint Tallinn runs until February 8th, with screenings held in cinemas Artis and Sõprus in Tallinn and Elekter Theatre in Tartu.
Recap
The DocPoint Tallinn festival is leveraging its platform to re-examine a pivotal period in Estonian history through the lens of an external filmmaker. By centering on Pirjo Honkasalo's 1990s Estonian work, the event moves beyond a simple film showcase to become an act of cultural archaeology, exploring the nation's post-Soviet identity. The curated international selection serves to position Tallinn as a serious hub for global documentary discourse, using cinema as a tool for historical reflection.