As the Oscar campaign for “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” kicks off, Baltic cinema seeks to stand out: “It’s flying around the world”

HAS THE Black Nights Movie Festival In Tallinn, Estonia, THE Baltic Movie lateral bar has present A impressive range of work Since THE Baltic States – Estonia, Lithuania And Latvia – including THE post-Soviet documentary "THE Last Relic" And THE 3D fable “Twitter Soul," THE hand painted animation "THE Peasants » And THE Estonian singularity of "Spit In My Face. »

A palpable emergency can be felt as these ancient Soviet countries find themselves once more enough literally on THE First line between Europe And Russia And seek has affirm more strongly their own identity.

Leading THE path This year has has been "Smoke Sauna Fraternity”, A respondent documentary of women rid themselves of their demons In THE smoke sauna of THE title. Having selected up price In Sun Dance And NOW Tallinn, THE movie East title In THE Oscar race as Estonia candidate And East In THE running In THE documentary category too.

Speaking with Variety, director Anna Tips Express her perplexed pleasure: "It is something I am always treatment. It is surrealist has see Above all American productions. And there East OUR movie, almost as A error." It is has been A long journey And Tips Ironically Remarks THE movie East be rented For qualities that saw her initial application For funding rejected. "He was such A challenge has to pull And such A local culture. South East Estonia East such A little part of THE world." But Tips believes that Estonia – as THE other Baltic country – suffer Since A inferiority complex. "As the Estonians, We are as peasants WHO a look In THE of the owner main House through THE window. And SO We go back has OUR farm, And to start has imitate that."

"Smoke Sauna Fraternity » Courtesy of Alexandra Movie

"Smoke Sauna" represented A unique piece of heritage: "I doesn't realize how special he East. He was only When to visit A sweat lodge In THE United States I accomplished that back House I had something SO special." This confident affirmation of local identify East key has THE success of THE movie: "THE unique part East THE local part, Or We find OUR unique voice, And has THE even time, they resonate with THE world, because they either way touch THE human state."

THE Latvian movie "My Freedom" speak directly has THE moment And Latvia release Since THE ancient USSR, but he was conceived Seven years earlier. THE movie follows Alicia (Erika Eglija-Gravele), A policy activist as She stands For election has THE Supreme Advice In 1990. "In THE 80 years, I was A teenager," director Ilze Kunga-Melgaile tell Variety. "In THE 90s there were a lot of problems with ordinary life, discovery enough has eat, And Since 2000 on THE problems were has TO DO with THE growth influence Since Moscow. I base Alicia on THE real life activist It is Kozakevica. She was very clever has remind people that having freedom means Nothing if You ...