The program included the full range of genres and formats, from feature length documentary and feature length live-action narratives to fresh student films and international award-winning animation.
As Festival Director Ellen Valter noted, “Filmmaking in Estonia has matured and the production quality is miles ahead of where it was some 20 years ago. This allows us to now confidently program a variety of film formats and genres and turn our attention to our own filmmaking community this side of the ocean.”
The FILMIST festival launched in Hamilton on Friday March 15th with the North American premiere of The Daughter Behind the Iron Curtain. This feature length documentary from Sweden shared the story of Mare Milk, the first child who was permitted to leave Soviet Estonia, who joined her parents in Sweden. The film expertly set out the historical context of how the war affected not just Estonia, but also other parts of Europe, leading audience member Linda Kraav to enthuse, “It sure filled in a lot of gaps for me [regarding] our collective history. I really hope it will become more widely available to stream or watch!”
