The events of the war in 1944, from the Blue Hills to Sõrve Peninsula. Shown through the eyes of Estonian soldiers who had to pick sides and fight against fellow brothers. Choices have to be made, not only by the soldiers, but also by their loved ones.
Direction
Elmo Nüganen's military precision with human devastation
Production
Trench warfare recreated with suffocating mud and bone-chilling accuracy
Acting
Velberg's silent breakdown in the forest — no dialogue needed
Director
Elmo Nüganen
Kaspar Velberg
Karl Tammik
Kristjan Üksküla
Jüri Jõgi
Maiken Pius
Aino Tammik
Gert Raudsep
Ants Saareste
Hendrik Toompere Jr.
Kristjan Põder
Karl-Andreas Kalmet
Vladimir Kamenski
Henrik Kalmet
Voldemar Piir
Pääru Oja
Medic Elmar Säinas
Priit Strandberg
Lembit Raadik
Priit Pius
Brother Käär
Märt Pius
Brother Käär
Kristo Viiding
Leonhard Talu
Jaak Prints
Driver Richard Pastak
Magnús Mariuson
Danish Carl
Mait Malmsten
Government Figure
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Estonia conscripted 70,000 men into both German and Soviet armies simultaneously — many fought against their own relatives. The film was shot on actual 1944 battle locations with local reenactors using period Soviet equipment.
Director Nüganen is Estonia's most staged playwright; this was his deliberate 'anti-Saving Private Ryan' — no heroism, just conscripts trying not to die for flags they didn't choose. The Estonian government partially funded it as national reckoning.
EE
FI
