Estonia is a little big nation of animation. For a country of some two million inhabitants, it has a long record of international animation festival awards and many, well-known and revered animators.
Priit Tender and Ülo Pikkov are two of the most talented and respected names in the animation world. Individually and collectively they have been making films for twenty years in their homeland Estonia. Their films are driven by surreal imagery, black humour and dark existential journeys, and along the way they have won prizes at most of the world’s most prestigious animation festivals.
This programme looks at what is happening in Estonian animation now, primarily at the two most successful production houses NukuFilm and Eesti Joonisfilm, with some of the new brand of animators coming up through the ranks as well as the more established filmmakers. Dark and harrowing, hilarious and irreverent, thought-provoking and lyrical, this collection of films are powerful visualisations of the animated form.
Ülo Pikkov and Priit Tender will take part in a Q & A with LIAF Director Nag Vladermersky after the screening.
Ülo and Priit will also be presenting The Surrealist Roots of Estonian Animation on 1 November.
Thanks to the Estonian Embassy for making possible the visit of Ülo Pikkov and Priit Tender to LIAF.
At Barbican book tickets
The Maggot Feeder (Priit Tender, Estonia)
Drawing heavily from the ancient Chukchi folktale, this is a journey squeezed at great pressure through some of the tightest, most heavily protected cracks of the human psyche.
2012, 15’00
Plastic (Chintis Lundgren, Estonia)
A music video for the song ‘Plastic’ by the Cannon Birds.
2013, 1’30
Worst Case Scenario (Kristjan Holm, Estonia)
Two managers Adolf and Rudolf solve the problem that threatens to ruin the company.
2013, 14’40
Pilots on the Way Home (Olga Parn & Priit Parn, Estonia/Canada)
Having suffered the loss of their plane, three pilots inexplicably find themselves stranded in the middle of the desert. While following the perilous and unpredictable course that will ultimately lead them home, they fall prey to visions and must confront the siren call of their own strange fantasies.
2014, 16’05
Sleepwalker (Stella Salumaa, Estonia)
A girl has trouble sleeping because her daily life enters her dreams. Her days and nights blend into one.
2013, 6’15
Ada and Otto (Ülo Pikkov, Estonia)
Ada the Crow dreams of getting married. She has come to the conclusion that it is important to be dressed up as sharply as possible. The pastor always marries the girl in the fanciest dress to the handsomest boy! At the same time, Otto the Architect is out for a walk in the city looking for a site to build a new skyscraper. Ada notices Otto and feels shivers running down her back…
2013, 20’30
