SULEV KEEDUS
A Filmmaker Who Appreciates Calmness and Generosity This year’s edition of Cinema Regained, the retrospective programme of the Rotterdam International Film Festival, showcases two films by Estonian filmmaker Sulev Keedus – newly restored versions of Georgica and Somnambulance.
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By Johannes Lõhmus Photos by Virge Viertek
eorgica will have its world premiere of the digitally remastered print, marking its second premiere in Rotterdam. The film initially debuted here in 1998, initiating its festival journey and becoming the first feature film from the independent Republic of Estonia to gain international recognition. Born during a period of severe funding constraints, Georgica secured support from Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund, achieved international distribution, and has since evolved into a seminal work in Estonian symbolist auteur cinema. Keedus boasts a filmography of five feature films and eight full-length documentaries, earning an impressive five Neitsi Maali awards for Best Film of the Year from the Estonian Film Journalists’ Society.
Our conversation primarily revolves around Georgica and Somnambulance, celebrating their premieres in newly restored versions in Rotterdam. However, you mentioned you are currently involved in editing. Could you share more about your ongoing project?
I’m currently in the final stages of completing a documentary portrait featuring the composer Galina Grigorjeva. Galina was born in Ukraine, currently
resides in Finland, but her connection to Estonia runs deep as she has lived there for extended periods and considers herself to be an Estonian composer. Our journey with this film began before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Typically, a documentary portrait is a format that could be completed in a year, but our production period has extended to four years due to various reasons. The impact of the virus was significant, but another crucial factor was the outbreak of the Ukraine War. This had a profound effect on Galina, given her origins in Crimea, and her time spent in school in Simferopol. As we transition into the post-production phase, I hope we can wrap up the film by spring. It’s not a common occurrence for Estonian films to be featured in retrospectives. How did it come about that your films are being showcased again in Rotterdam?
Georgica was suggested by the Estonian Film Institute. I played a role in the restoration of these films. Since both titles were originally shot on 35mm, they had been unavailable for exhibition for an extended period. With support from the Estonian Film Institute and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, we initiated the restoration process a few years ago. We BALTIC FILM
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