Viola Salu

Viola Salu started in EFI as the Head of Production, with the specialization in the field of documentaries.

By EFI Photo by Virge Viertek

Please tell our readers a bit about your background and previous work experience?

I was born and grew up on an island of Saaremaa where I lived until it was time to go to a university. I studied languages at the Estonian Institute of Humanities (EHI), a newly founded institution, an amazing place to meet creative co-students and mingle with inspiring lecturers. At the same time I took up a job at the first Estonian private television channel Kanal 2, a few months after it was founded.

Growing up in a small place I always dreamt of travelling. In 2000 I went to London for a couple of weeks but ended up spending five years in that wonderful city. I graduated from London Guildhall University (now London Metropolitan University) in Communications and Language Studies.

My next stop was Luxembourg and the European Parliament where I worked as a translator for two years.

I moved back to Estonia in 2007 joining the Estonian Public Broadcaster’s (ERR) acquisition department. This is where I entered the amazing world of documentaries. Connecting with filmmakers, watching documentaries and negotiating deals was nothing short of a dream job. During the last five years with ERR I was the head of ETV2 and the project manager of an Estonian documentary strand Estonian Stories (Eesti lood).

You have been involved in the world of documentaries for quite a while now. What is it about documentaries that fascinates you?

Documentaries are special because they tell stories of real people and contain real emotions. Clever storytelling enables filmmakers to create the most intriguing, entertaining and heartbreaking worlds.

What are for you personally the most beloved documentaries or who are your favourite directors?

I am fond of documentaries that tell strong character-based stories where filmmakers have unique access to protagonists. Sean McAllister’s A Syrian Love Story is an example of a great documentary in which footage filmed by the director may not be perfect but the story is very powerful because of its raw intimacy and staying with the characters for an extended period. Another great example is Alexander Nanau’s Toto and His Sisters.

Patricio Guzmán’s Nostalgia for the Light tells a tragic story in a beautifully poetic way as does Petra Costa in her film Elena. These films create beautiful dreamy worlds while peeling off the layers of hidden secrets revealing the past.

I also love documentaries which combine genres, challenge viewers’ minds and sometimes mislead us deliberately before revealing the message. Sarah Polley’s Stories We Tell is one of those wonderful films.

How would you describe the state of documentary filmmaking in Estonia these days?

I am excited that Estonian documentaries are enjoying unprecedented international success at the moment. Smoke Sauna Sisterhood by Anna Hints just won the directing award in the World Cinema Documentary section at Sundance and has been sold to over 20 territories. A number of Estonian films are at prestigious festivals HotDocs and CPH:DOX this year.

I believe there are several factors contributing to the success of Estonian docs. Filmmakers are building up experience by being able to make film, the documentary workshop Ice and Fire Docs has been supporting creative talent since 2019 and EFI’s well curated support in documentary filmmaking.

The Estonian documentary community is hardworking and dedicated. If we are able to increase the investment of resources including talent programs and of course funding, more internationally acclaimed documentaries will emerge from Estonia.

What are your hopes for your new job in Estonian Film Institute?

I am looking forward to working with the EFI team and the filmmaking community. We are all partners working for the same goal - to have engagingly told original stories emerge from Estonia captivating audiences in Estonia and beyond. EF