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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.
By Johannes Lõhmus Photos by Virge Viertek
Georgica 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 completed Somnambulance first and then finished Georgica in September of last year.
While we initially aimed for a premiere back then, we had to await Rotterdam’s decision on whether they wanted the premiere of the new print for themselves.
These films were challenging to make, and given the current context of the world we live in, I doubt that similar films could be produced today.
Georgica (1998)
Synopsis by Tristan Priimägi
A boy called Maecenas (Mait Merekülski) has lost his ability to speak as a result of a personal traumatic experience and is sent to heal to an old man called Jakub (Evald Aavik) who lives on an island used as a test polygon for bombing by the air force. On the island, their peculiar co-existence begins under the hail of bombs. Jakub tells Maecenas stories about his past and his plans to translate Virgil’s “Georgica” from Latin into Swahili. Maecenas watches the strange island during the day, and his mysterious dreams at night. Dreams that inch us closer to the roots of his trauma.
How does it feel to be wrapping up the editing of the new film while seeing your old classics resurrected after being unavailable for such a long time?
My heart is content knowing that these films are not languishing on a shelf, gathering dust, but will once again grace the big screen. While I don’t anticipate them generating massive interest from the audience, they hold a significant place in the Estonian cinema landscape and contribute to a substantial part of my body of work. These films were challenging to make, and given the current context of the world we live in, I doubt that similar films could be produced today. It was a creatively interesting period for me. Looking back, I’ve come to appreciate many individuals more profoundly, such as cinematographer Rein Kotov, production designer Ronald Kolmann, make-up artist Ly Kärner, editor Kaie-Ene Rääk, and co-writer Madis Kõiv – key figures who played vital roles in creating the necessary creative atmosphere for both films.
Also, actor Evald Aavik, who featured in both films, could be considered our Estonian Max von Sydow – a wholly unique presence among Estonian film actors. When he takes on a role, he fully immerses himself in it, living alongside the film crew and being present on the set even during scenes he isn’t part of. His work gained some international recognition, a rare occurrence for our actors. In Somnambulance, we also had Katariina Lauk-Tamm (currently Katariina Unt – J. L.), and collaborating with her to develop her role was a very interesting experience. She is an actress of great talent.
As the world grapples with one disaster after another, Georgica seems almost prophetic. The protagonists in the film are desperately trying to preserve the bees amid the constant threat of bombing from the skies. What inspired this storyline?
The inspiration dates back to the distant past. Many years ago, I stumbled upon glass plate negatives and discovered the story of a young man from Valga County named Karl Lukin. He had learned photography and set out for Africa as a missionary in the early 20th century. In the 1980s, I encountered Lukin’s photos, and with Estonia gaining independence from the Soviet Union, I felt it was the opportune moment to narrate a tale of war and occupation. In the film, I intertwined Lukin’s narrative with elements from Virgil’s The Georgics.
Georgica holds the distinction of being the first Estonian film recognised internationally after the country regained independence. It remains distinctly unique among Estonian productions, characterised by its sublime spirituality and portrayal of a profoundly rich inner universe. In contrast, your documentaries take on a starkly realistic tone, almost as if crafted by a different author.
I have found certain documentary elements to be crucial even in my feature films. During the production of Georgica, we travelled to Tanzania to film in the exact location where Lukin had been. This choice felt significant as it directly connected to the narrative. Lukin’s presence was still remembered there, as two missionaries from Estonia and Latvia had preceded him, only to be hacked to pieces by the Masai. The weight of this event persisted through generations, and the Masai felt a need to seek redemption. The story had been passed down, as no one else from Estonia or Latvia had revisited the place. Through our filmmaking, they re-established contact with Estonia. To my knowledge, a relative of the Estonian missionary visited the site, and as a gesture of reconciliation, the Masai offered ten cows as restitution. Ultimately, a harmonious agreement was reached, allowing the Masai to regain peace of mind while retaining the cows.
Have the Masai seen Georgica?
I’m afraid not because, during the filming process, we didn’t anticipate the film reaching beyond Estonia’s borders. Fortunately, the Hubert Bals Fund supported the final period of production and a clause included in the contract stipulated that the film must have its international premiere in Rotterdam. This unexpected turn of events led to wider distribution, making it a fortunate outcome.
Somnambulance (2003)
Autumn 1944, Estonia. Tens of thousands of people leave their homeland in fear of the approaching frontline. Some seashore villages remain completely empty. A young grey-eyed woman gets off the boat. Thus, Eetla (Katariina Lauk-Tamm) gives up her last chance to escape. Defying the cold wind and rain of September, she returns to the lighthouse, which is unexpected to her father Gottfrid, the lighthouse keeper (Evald Aavik), and herself. Eetla’s return becomes a self-encounter and self-recognition. Anxiety for the unpredictable tomorrow leads Eetla to seek refuge in her dreams, either seen or fictional ones, recounting them to her father or to a young doctor, a war refugee Kasper (Ivo Uukkivi), or herself. It does not matter, to whom. Reciting keeps alive the moment in between what has passed and what will come, in between yesterday and nescience. Like a prayer driven by fear of losing her balance between being awake and asleep. This fear of yielding is Eetla’s fear.
Watching your feature films, one can sense a certain belief in ritual, or prayer. Georgica and Somnambulance both feel like prayers, or addresses to a higher power. What role do prayer or holy rituals have in your own life?
In my private life, prayer and holy rituals do not play a role, as I am not a member of any congregation. I have chosen to maintain a neutral observer stance, particularly because of my work in documentaries. Being a member of something could alter my perspective, and I prefer to approach my work with as blank a page as possible.
This approach offers considerable freedom, but it doesn’t diminish my efforts to understand and convey the power of prayer. One significant experience is connected to Africa, particularly during the filming in Mauretania (Letters to Angel, 2011). I once asked what a prayer means for a Muslim, and the response I received was that it’s comparable to bread for me. It’s a natural and integral part of everyday life, providing people with peace, respite, and reconciliation. As an observer, I deeply appreciate it when individuals have this dimension in their lives, one that transcends the material world and prompts reflection on what to give back to the universe.
Your films often present war trauma or some armed conflict. Your films are never war films, but the war is often present, at least emotionally. Why is that?
I believe the thematic presence of war or armed conflict in my films is somehow connected to the stories of my ancestors. Growing up, I must have heard numerous tales of tough fates. The end of the Republic of Estonia marked the beginning of World War II and the subsequent period of occupation. When Estonia regained its independence, it became possible to explore these themes without ideological conditioning. War is an incredibly complex situation, and its impact varies for each individual. In Estonia, the scars of World War II and subsequent events like evictions and deportations to Siberia are deeply ingrained in our history. If not for the war reaching Estonia, many lives would have remained unbroken. While we understand these events locally, their context might be unfamiliar when portrayed elsewhere in the world. The fears associated with war have resurfaced with the Ukraine War. Despite lacking personal combat experience, even though I filmed in Afghanistan for a month (War, 2017), my position was entirely protected, and at heart, I am a naïve pacifist. The arms race doesn’t offer a solution to our inability to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Sulev Keedus
Born on July 21, 1957, in Tallinn, Sulev Keedus is a versatile filmmaker renowned for his work as a director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and photographer. Graduating in drama from Tallinn Pedagogical Institute in 1979, and completing higher film courses in Moscow in 1989, Keedus began his filmmaking journey as an assistant at Eesti Telefilm. Since 1983, he has been a freelance filmmaker, co-founding studio F-Seitse in 1998. His films, including In Paradisum, Georgica, Somnambulance, Jonathan from Australia, and The Russians on Crow Island, have received acclaim from the Estonian Film Journalists’ Association, with international success at festivals. Honoured with the National Culture Prize in 1999 and the Order of the White Star in 2005, Keedus continues to contribute significantly to Estonian cinema, receiving various awards and scholarships for his creative endeavours.
NOTABLE WORKS:
Feature films: The Only Sunday (1990), Georgica (1998), Somnambulance (2003), Letters to Angel (2011), The Man Slayer / The Virgin / The Shadow (2017).
Documentaries: In Paradisum (1993), Jonathan from Australia (2007), The Russians on Crow Island (2012), Elusive Landscapes (2022).
