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EESTI ELU reedel, 14. mail 2021 — Friday, May 14, 2021
Nr. 19
Third Boston Baltic Film Festival (BBFF) The mini Boston Baltic Film Festival (BBFF) in April was a huge success, having over 400 participants, bringing together people around the world to watch films made in Estonia, Latvia and Lithua nia. We want to thank the many viewers and our spon sors, ERKU, the NY Con sulate General of Estonia, and the Boston Estonian Society. This was the first time we had sponsored virtual film viewing. The audience could choose how to watch, when to watch and from where to watch. The actual “viewing” of the Estonian film consisted of four parts: 1) a message from Aija Dreimane, the Latvian head of BBFF, who welcomed everyone and thanked the sponsors for their financial help; 2) an introduction of the background of the film and Seto people by Nele Kaps, the Cultural Direc tor of the Boston Estonian Society; 3) the viewing of film Johannes Pääsuke – Tõeline Elu (Self-Made Cameraman) with English subtitles; 4) Lauris Lambergs’ interview with Hardi Volmer the film director (recorded in March when Lauris was in Latvia). Of the three films streamed, the Estonian film, Johannes Pääsuke – Tõeline Elu, had by far the most viewers. People from four countries, USA, Canada, Latvia and Estonia, purchased tickets. Within the USA, the viewers were from 20 states, mostly from Massachu setts, followed by New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and
California. We estimate that 57% of the audience were Estonians, 28% Latvians, and 15% were Lithuanians or Americans. The committee for the BBFF consisted primarily of nine members, three representing each of the Baltic countries. The entire festival was planned, organized and managed entirely online through countless Zoom meetings and phone calls. We never met in person. Several of us, however, had worked together on the Baltic Centennial film festival in 2018 and then again for the 2019 BBFF. The Estonian members were Nele Kaps, Anne-Reet Annunziata and Marilem Ferentinos. The Estonian film which was watched during Easter weekend brought many rave reviews from both Estonian and non- Estonian viewers: • “So different from American/ Hollywood fare. No happily ever after ending. Evoked another time and age – and the characters and people were amazing. How does one find them? Loved the way both the “wealthy” cameramen and the servant girl and village disabled person were both “outsiders” in this very tight community. The sense of belonging and pride in traditions, and the price of conformity. The wedding scene was almost out of Breugel (“La Kermesse”). Also like the tone of the color, almost like a faded color photo, or one that was hand painted, as they used to do before color film.” – Margot
Boston Baltic Film Festival Committee.
• “The Baltic Film Festival has gotten off to a terrific start and we really enjoyed the film and the interview with the director. While it would be great to be there in person, the virtual film festival is still a pleasure.” – Diane
• “For me it has been a thrill to watch the Baltic Film festival movies for multiple reasons, not just for the fun of it but to learn something new. For the first Estonian Movie: “it was about learning more about the similarities and differences between our historic cultures and our countries beautiful landscapes. Just beautiful!” – Inga
It’s not often that something about the Estonian-Canadian community will appear within the pages or on the website of a massively-distributed publi cation with almost 100 million monthly visitors. In Novem ber 2017, Kristen Dobbin’s photos and essay on Jõekääru Estonian Children’s Camp were posted on the website of The Washington Post. For those readers, it illuminated a community story that most of the paper’s readers were probably unaware of until then. It drew attention to the multigenerational significance of the camp and the Estonian customs preserved there since it was opened in 1953. It discussed the centrality of the Estonian language in preserving those customs, and how that has affected attendance at times. Concepts that may be taken for granted if one regularly reads Eesti Elu; but concepts that are astounding elsewhere. When a photographer’s work can show something to a viewer for the first time, it becomes precious. Looking further into Dob
bin’s photo series, whether taken in Canada, Peru, Estonia, or beyond, one can learn about cultural history and human challenges in communities we are detached from. For instance, one prominent essay of hers showed a glimpse of how important ecotourism is in the mountainous Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. I became aware of circumstances outside my own day-to-day by seeing these photos. Just like the article and photos about Jõekääru showed new circumstances to those outside of the Canadian-Estonian experience. In addition to photography, Dobbin’s background is in anthropology and communica tions. To travel publications, this brings an undercurrent of getting to know what lies beyond what we may see as tourists with many of her photos and articles. In these instances, photography is less of a one-way viewing experience, and can establish equal dis cussions on both sides of a photograph. Dobbin’s Master’s Thesis from 2013 is about the Sami people, in which she indicates
Hardi Volmer being interviewed by Lauris Lambergs.
(screenshot)
• “How intriguing it was to see film clips from 1912 meshed into a modern-day comedy! I am not sure which I preferred more, the actual film “SelfMade Cameraman” or the in ter view with the cinemato grapher that followed. Perhaps, both were equally enjoyable!”
– Marite
On the Wall: The Photography of Kristen Dobbin Vincent Teetsov
(screenshot)
that access to historical images of difficult times can give strength to those who have faced those difficult times. This leads me to believe that part of a photographer’s duty is to capture the bleakest, most painful moments. Is photographing cheerful times also part of that duty? I mention this, because conversely, one can see joyful moments in the photos Dobbin captured in Costa Rica for Roads and Kingdoms. If so, photos should capture some kind of feeling. Photos can take on a preservational quality. Especially when, for the majority of us, photos are taken and stored away pretty quickly, apart from a few being shared on social media. After that, it’s put away. Estonians are pros at gathering up slices of time like this because culturally we worry about losing the things we cherish. Hard drives and cloud storage are full of photos. Homes have stacks of albums, maybe enough to fill a whole room! Personally then, I’d want to think more carefully before each photo I take now, and seeing these photos by Kristen
Johannes Pääsuke – Tõeline Elu.
Dobbin only reinforces that. All the more reason to be decisive with a photo. If it’s going to be around, even for a moment, it should say something, and maybe even prompt action. When a photographer captures their subjects candidly,
they can relay their sentiments across languages. Across media. Across pre-existing knowledge or biases. Quality photography can expand the awareness of people, events, and emotions in one fell swoop. And awareness is the beginning of action.
Photo: Kristen Dobbin
