It was the summer of 1990. Was it realistic to expect a massive change with the Soviet Union? Yes. Was it equally reasonable to expect Estonia’s ‘Kalev’ to win the Soviet basketball championship? Probably not.
Part of Estonia’s international reputation is tied to the ‘Singing Revolution’ of 1988. It’s been a metaphor for determination, an inbred trait that unified Estonians during the years before the collapse of the Soviet Union. It framed a classic David-Goliath scenario.
Kalev, amidst growing public disapproval of its decision to compete in the Soviet championship series, thus could not possibly aim for anything other than winning in Moscow.
Just as only a restored independence would be acceptable for Estonians, nothing less than a total commitment to victory in Moscow could be justification for Kalev to compete.
It’s a perfect cinematic juxtaposition. The symbolism was elegant. Just as only a restored independence would be acceptable for Estonians, nothing less than a total commitment to victory in Moscow could be justification for Kalev to compete. In both cases, victory was palpable.
The film is the feature debut of director Ove Musting, who has honed his directorial and writing skills with episodes of the popular TV series ‘Reetur’ (Traitor). Released in September 2022 to positive reviews, a critic deemed ‘Kalev’ a “carefully executed but impactful slam dunk”.
At the European Union Film Festival, ‘Kalev’ will be screened on Tuesday, November 21, 6:00 pm, at Spadina Theatre – Alliance Français, 24 Spadina Road (approx. 200 metres from Spadina subway station). More info on the European Union Film Festival website here.
