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EESTI ELU reedel, 5. augustil 2022 — Friday, August 5, 2022
A review of the music video for Honeymooning by Holy Motors Natalie Jenkins, LJI Reporter Through its twangy, melan cholic sound laden with smooth guitar reverb, Esto nian shoegaze-esque band Holy Motors recalls the fabled old American west in all its former glory. The group, composed of Eliann Tulve (songwriter, vocals), Lauri Raus (songwriter, guitar), Gert Gutmann (guitar) And Caspar Salo (drums), formed in 2013 in Tallinn, Estonia. Since the release of their debut single Heavenly Creatures in 2015, Holy Motors has solidified their dark, hazy cow boy sound, which, in my opinion, is the most realized in their 2018 record Slow Sunday. Its opening track “Honeymoon ing” features Eliann Tulve’s sul try Americana-inspired vocals in full bloom, lulling listeners into a pensive, haze-like state. “Under the moon/He’s watching,” she sings, conjuring imag es of a worn, tired cowboy, rhythmically swaying up and down with each trot of their horse. Just as the cowboy re lentlessly rides into the night, Tulve urges you to do the same: her steady flow encourages lis teners to sink into autopilot mode, balancing out the more lively background instrumentals that keep you afloat in a sea of what feels like v elvet. The song is laced with mystery; it’s as if you are crossing a hill in the night and can’t anticipate what comes next. Naturally, I thought the mu sic video for “Honeymooning” would follow the same dark, unassuming cowboy’s-lone some-journey-inspired path. But it tells a different story. Instead, we watch intimate snapshots of someone’s honey moon. Or at least one person’s memory of it. “Honeymooning” is encased by a vintage film reel effect, partly destroyed and tinged by the passing of time, giving it a lived-in, tired feel. It is something of the past. The woman in it, the memories she created, the love she shared – all trapped in another time. As viewers, we are invited to see
Holy Motors members.
this woman through the eyes of a lover, now clouded by the veil of times past, turning a oncecherished experience into a distant memory. The video focuses on this woman in her element, immor talized by her sweetheart’s film. In these frames, she simply is; she is not posing, nor acting for another’s pleasure. She coalesces with her environment as if she is designed to fit in it like a puzzle piece. Alone and dream like, the cameraman captures her wandering in the desert as if the sand speaks her language and can read the intricacies of her mind, which we, as viewers, are not fortunate enough to be privy to. Yet her simplicity is not engulfed by the other, more demanding surroundings, like the dingy motel she checks into with her sweetheart-cameraman, or the blinding Las Vegas strip casino lights. They uplift her. They highlight her beauty. The woman outshines who ever is behind the camera. We never learn who this person is – or was. Part of the video’s appeal (other than its dreamy aesthetic) is that it is personal. The possibilities of who these people are and what the spirit of their relationship exactly is, are quite broad. This obscurity – the absence of dialogue be tween the hidden observer and the subject, the woman – gives us the ability to apply our own relationship (or at least, what we wish we had) to what we are seeing. It’s relatable, to some more than others. But the couple’s relevance to modern-day relationships is limited. The video does not portray their relationship in its entirety. Instead, it captures how the cameraman chooses to see her. “Under the moon/He’s watching,” now takes a different meaning. Regardless of who ever “he” refers to, it’s evident the protagonist is aware of the camera’s persistent gaze – our gaze – as we attempt to uncover the mystery of their retired love. What’s clear is that the video is a romanticized preservation of the woman. What we see differs from the couple’s reality. Though the camera almost
Photo: Interview Magazine
exclusively only focuses on the woman, the lyrics, sung by Eliann Tulve (which, in my mind, represent the woman in the video) still yearn for atten tion. “We’re drowning/In our own tears/I cannot hold myself/ On our honeymoon/Where were you,” she sings. Together ness does not equal intimacy. Though the cameraman seems pervasive, his presence is eclipsed by the camera. This reminds us how cameras, regardless of how high-defini tion their resolutions may be, can be used to represent some thing synthetic. When looking at film as a medium of commu nication, it’s important to realize that while it may be framed as something authentic, there’s always a larger story separated from what we see on screen. Even if someone’s story seems as clear as day, we still have to read in between the lines. Honeymooning is available to watch on YouTube here: www. youtube.com/watch?v=Anz b029X6Ao&ab_chan nel=WHARFCATRECORDS
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson calls Estonia ‘dictatorship’ BNS/The Baltic Times, July 2022 TALLINN – Maria Zakha rova, official spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has described Estonia as a “dictatorship” in the wake of the country’s decision to slap an entry ban on members of the Russian pop group Ruki Vverh, Postimees reported, citing Russian news agency RIA Novosti. “We have to ask the ques tion, what is wrong with Estonia? If a country takes pride in itself and talks about cultural ties, but at the same time someone is forbidden to perform in that country, then there is something wrong with that country,” RIA Novosti quoted Zakharova as saying. Zakharova noted that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Estonia declared demo cracy its main idea. “Now they themselves have become a repressive state that forbids, blinds, blocks, does not let in, relocates and so on,” Zakharova said. She added that the band, which has been banned from performing in Estonia, does not break the law, does not call for extremism, does not promote any destruc tive values. “This is pure censorship. I congratulate the country that chose freedom and reached a dictatorship,” Zakharova said. Estonia has imposed a five year ban on entry on members of Ruki Vverh, which Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs
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Ambassador Lukk, KESKUS project lead Ellen Valter, Piret Lukk, at the KESKUS ceremonial groundbreaking on April 8, 2022.
Thank you, Ambassador Toomas Lukk and Piret Lukk! KESKUS bids farewell to Estonia’s Ambassador to Canada, Toomas Lukk, as his term in Ottawa comes to an end Estonia’s Ambassador to Canada, Toomas Lukk, together with his wife Piret Lukk arrived in Ottawa in 2018 and promptly set to work. Taking over from the wonderful Ambassador Gita Kalmet, they oversaw the renovation of the residence at 168 Daly Avenue in Ottawa, creating an embassy out a heritage-designated home in downtown Ottawa. The embassy was functional by the end of 2021 (read more here: https://news.err.ee/160 84067 48/gallery-estonian-em bassy-in-canada-moves-in to-new-ottawa-building) and the opening of the new building was celebrated on June 4, 2022. In addition to furthering the interests of Estonia, Ambas sador & Piret Lukk quickly took an interest in supporting and engaging with the Estonian diaspora throughout Canada. They have been unflagging in how they championed the ambi tion and vision of KESKUS with their time, advice and energy. Ambassador Lukk: “KESKUS is Estonians’ Project of the Century” Ambassador Lukk dubbed KESKUS “Estonians’ project of the century” and promoted and encouraged the project at every turn, for example as part of the “Tere, KESKUS” fundraiser, the ceremonial groundbreaking of KESKUS, or at a Com munity Engagement Session. Ambassador Lukk and Piret Lukk received the first official invitation to the opening cere monies of KESKUS from Blake Urmas Reinsalu deems the only acceptable outcome. One of the members of the band, which rose to fame in the late 1990s but has since dis solved, managed to attend a club event in Estonia last Friday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently initiated the cancellation of the mem bers’ visas. Reinsalu said that Russia is attacking Ukraine at every opportunity and continuing its massacre in order to try and meet its unjustifiable goals in Ukraine, and it is unacceptable.
Royer, International Estonian Centre Inc. director at the ceremonial groundbreaking of KESKUS on April 8, 2022 (read more here: www.estonian centre.ca/post/groundbreaking). Thank you, Toomas & Piret Lukk, we’ll see you back in Canada at the opening of KESKUS, if not sooner, and all the best in your next posting! KESKUS valued donors make a critical difference! Please join our growing list of capital campaign donors. The KESKUS International Estonian Centre’s donor categories are Kalevipoja laud for gifts over $100,000 (including naming rights for specific areas), Koidula gild, which is from $50,000-99,999, Viru vanemad for gifts of $10,000-$49,999, and Kungla rahvas for gifts up to $10,000. KESKUS leader ship donors are listed here: www.estoniancentre.ca/capi tal-campaign To make a donation, please call +1.647.250.7136 or email donations@estoniancentre.ca. Donations may be made as a family gift, or in honour of an individual or family. All do nations are issued a tax receipt. Let’s keep in touch! • Visit the KESKUS website for all the latest news • Sign up for the KESKUS monthly email newsletter • Follow KESKUS on Face book @EestiKeskus, Twitter @ keskus, Instagram @keskus.iec “Tourism and leisure trips for Russian nationals are not warranted, particularly hosting Russian artists who visit regions in Ukraine that have been occupied by Russia and perform concerts in support of the occupiers,” the minister said. “Estonia’s support to Ukraine is steadfast and Putin’s terror against Ukraine and Ukrainians is also a threat to the security of Estonia and Europe,” he added. Estonia has previously im posed five-year entry bans on Russian artists such as Philipp Kirkorov and Polina Gagarina.
