A Woman Heats the Sauna
TIFF.24
Preceded by the short film Sauna Day (dir. Anna Hints, Tushar Prakash)
Estonia - 1979
69 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Schedule
Schedule
Friday 13.06
Saturday 14.06
19:00
Concert Eyedrops (Romania)
Saturday, June 14, 7:00 PM
EYEDROPS – Pragmatic dreamers, melancholic progressives, loud introverts. Their concerts have been described as paradoxically energizing while evoking a strong sense of melancholy, and the band’s message is marked by surprising honesty.
The Black Hole
Q&A with director Moonika Siimets
When the aliens land on Earth, they will change the lives of everyone they meet. Sirje and Maret, dreaming of finding work abroad, end up in an extraterrestrial science experiment. Jüri, still living with his mother, falls in love with his lustful neighbour, Gertrud.
Estonia, Finland - 2024
115 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Autumn Ball
Q&A with actor Rain Tolk
It’s autumn. We see a huge sprawling conurbation of tower blocks built in the Soviet era – the neighbourhood called Lasnamäe. Mati is a young writer who lives alone in a two-bedroom apartment after his wife left him for his friend.
Estonia - 2007
123 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Sunday 15.06
The Black Hole
Q&A with director Moonika Siimets
When the aliens land on Earth, they will change the lives of everyone they meet. Sirje and Maret, dreaming of finding work abroad, end up in an extraterrestrial science experiment. Jüri, still living with his mother, falls in love with his lustful neighbour, Gertrud.
Estonia, Finland - 2024
115 minute
FOCUS Estonia
19:00
Amphitrio (Romania)
Sunday, June 15, 7:00 PM
Amphitrio is a contemporary jazz project initiated in 2020, featuring pianist and composer Andrei Petrache, bassist Mike Alex, and percussionist Philip Goron, all musicians with a solid foundation in classical and alternative music.
The story behind this trio speaks of friendship, the joy of playing and improvising in a well-knit group, despite each member simultaneously being involved in multiple other projects.
Life & Love
Q&A with director Helen Takkin
In 1933, in times of hardship when nothing is certain and love only seems to exist in films, optimistic cinephile Irma believes in the possibility of true love. The country girl catches the eye of the lonely, handsome older publisher Rudolf, but he is surrounded by unsettling rumors.
Estonia - 2024
119 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Monday 16.06
Life & Love
Q&A with director Helen Takkin
In 1933, in times of hardship when nothing is certain and love only seems to exist in films, optimistic cinephile Irma believes in the possibility of true love. The country girl catches the eye of the lonely, handsome older publisher Rudolf, but he is surrounded by unsettling rumors.
Estonia - 2024
119 minute
FOCUS Estonia
19:00
Gudrun Gut (Germany)
Monday, June 16, 7:00 PM
Gudrun Gut’s story spans many years, scenes, and sounds, from the “ingenious dilettantes” subculture of early 1980’s Berlin as part of Mania D, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Malaria! to Matador into an expansive solo catalog of later work.
Tuesday 17.06
19:00
Postman (Ukraine)
Tuesday, June 17, 7:00 PM
Kostiantyn Pochtar, better known as Postman, began his musical odyssey in Kyiv, crafting intimate 'city folk' songs with just a guitar and harmonica. His early works captured the everyday wonders of his hometown’s urban life, offering a raw, acoustic sound that reflected his surroundings. One of those early songs, ‘Kyivski Vulytsi’ (The Streets of Kyiv), was a huge success and has since been considered by many as an unofficial hymn of Ukraine’s capital.
Wednesday 18.06
A Woman Heats the Sauna
TIFF.24
Preceded by the short film Sauna Day (dir. Anna Hints, Tushar Prakash)
Estonia - 1979
69 minute
FOCUS Estonia
19:00
Chiral (Romania)
Wednesday, June 18, 7:00 PM
Chiral, is a Transylvania based genre fluid musical duo founded by Sigílio Scattolini & Chill the Great. They popped up last year with the debut single ‘River Bank Hotel’ and their first EP ‘Opqosite words’. Their compelling melting pot of alternative R&B, elements of soul and influences of UK new wave jazz gives a lush yet energetic sound to the duo. As of this year they perform with a live band promoting their first EP as well as some of their upcoming sophomore EP material.
The Invisible Fight
Q&A with director Rainer Sarnet
USSR-China border, 1973. Rafael is in the army on guard duty when the border falls under attack from flying Chinese kung fu warriors.
Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Greece - 2024
115 minute
3 x 3
FOCUS Estonia
Thursday 19.06
19:00
Sorvina (SUA / Germania)
Thursday, June 19, 7:00 PM
Sorvina, New York-born now Berlin-based, is an artist whose music is as dynamic and evolving as her life story. Raised in a (relatively) quiet suburb of NYC, Sorvina first found her voice in the world of folk singer-songwriters, where her acoustic melodies and tragicomic lyricism painted vivid pictures of her inner world. But, as she continued along her personal and artistic journey, Sorvina soon grew courageous enough to admit one of her deepest most obscured dreams: to unironically become a rapper.
Smile at Last
Q&A with producer Monika Raide
16-year-old Mari, raised without a mother by a drunkard father, is put in an orphanage which she immediately, though unsuccessfully, tries to flee from. The sensitive Mari finds it hard to adapt to the coarse manners and brutal games amongst the children.
Estonia - 1985
86 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Alien 2 or the Return of Valdis in 17 Chapters
TIFF.24
Preceded by the short film Alien 2 or: Valdis' Escape in 11 Chapters (dir. Rasmus Merivoo )
Estonia - 2024
100 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Friday 20.06
Aurora
Q&A with directors Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk
Aurora, the daughter of a religious leader, travels with her husband Joonas to celebrate their wedding anniversary with her parents and the congregation.
Estonia - 2025
111 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Alien 2 or the Return of Valdis in 17 Chapters
Q&A with director Rasmus Merivoo and producer Tonu Hiielaid
Preceded by the short film Alien 2 or: Valdis' Escape in 11 Chapters (dir. Rasmus Merivoo )
Estonia - 2024
100 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Saturday 21.06
Smile at Last
Q&A with producer Monika Raide
16-year-old Mari, raised without a mother by a drunkard father, is put in an orphanage which she immediately, though unsuccessfully, tries to flee from. The sensitive Mari finds it hard to adapt to the coarse manners and brutal games amongst the children.
Estonia - 1985
86 minute
FOCUS Estonia
19:00
Photons (France)
Saturday, June 21, 7:00 PM
Take four jazzmen with a passion for improvisation and techno clubbing and you get Photons, pianist Gauthier Toux’s new project, as much for dancing as for listening.
Aurora
Q&A with directors Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk
Aurora, the daughter of a religious leader, travels with her husband Joonas to celebrate their wedding anniversary with her parents and the congregation.
Estonia - 2025
111 minute
FOCUS Estonia
Sunday 22.06
19:00
Valeria Stoica (Republic of Moldova)
Sunday, June 22, 7:00 PM
Valeria Stoica is an indie-pop artist from the Republic of Moldova. She has a deep connection with nature which is where she spent her childhood and gets inspired by. Her first official single - “Remember” - was a great surprise for the Romanian indie-pop listeners. It has also proved to be an international success, with Spotify listeners from all over the world.