Estonia's Academy Award Nomination

Toomas Hussar's Mushrooming(Seenelkäik) has been selected as Estonian’s entry for the 2013 Academy Awards.

The film follows the fortunes of politician Aadu Kägu(Raivo E. Tamm) who is desperate to connect with the voting public. But, unbeknownst to him, a scandal is brewing over his expenses, which will be an embarrassment to his party. But after going into the forest to pick mushrooms with his wife and hitch-hiking rock star Zak, Kägu goes missing. As he struggles with his spouse, travelling companion, the elements and the inhabitants of the forest, his party secretly hope that he’ll stay missing…

Receiving its world premiere in the East of the West competition at the 2012 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival the blend of political satire, farcical humour and dark drama has already proved popular with festivals and audiences. Also screening at the likes of Toronto, the film was released domestically recently and has had the most popular opening weekend of an Estonian film this year.

The film was chosen from the six Estonian released domestically between October 1 2011 and Septemeber 30 2012; The Idiot, Bad Hair Friday, Lonely Island, Umbkotid, That's It!and eventual winner Mushrooming. The jury consisted of the Estonian Film Institute Head of International Relations Tristan Priimägi, producer Anneli Ahven, director Anu Aunand distributors Tiina Savi and Timo Diener.

Tallinn's Christmas Markets Opening Soon

Tallinn looks absolutely stunning in winter covered in a layer of snow. A joyful event is the annual Christmas markets in the town square. Bring your camera, bring your cash, it's not to be missed.  

                

Tallinn Black Night Film Festival (12 - 28 November 2012)

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is a unique event combining a feature film festival with the sub-festivals of animated films, student films and children/youth films. The festival aims to present Estonian audiences a comprehensive selection of world cinema in all its diversity with the emphasis on European films, providing a friendly atmosphere for interaction between the audience, Estonian filmmakers and their colleagues from abroad.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival consists of the main programme, three sub-festivals, as well as film and co-production markets:

Black Nights Film Festival main programme (16 - 28 November) - International competition programme EurAsia and Tridens Baltic feature film competition. Informative side programmes include fiction and documentary features from previous 2 years, retrospective of a filmmaker, genre or studio, and focus on a country.

Animation Film Festival Animated Dreams  (14 - 18 November) - Competition of short animations from previous 2 years. Additional non-competitive programmes include a retrospective of a filmmaker and focus on a country.

Children and Youth Film Festival Just Film  (15 - 25 November) - Competition of children's films and youth films. Non-competitive special programmes.

Student and Short Film Festival Sleepwalkers (12 - 15 November) - Four competitions of selected student and short films from previous 2 years, a retrospective of a noted film school, special programmes.

Tallinn Industry Days (26 - 27 November) - Tallinn Black Night Industry Days returns with even more emphasized focus on Asian-European-US networking, inspiring and real life based sessions and international producer matching program. The Industry Days 2012 shall be held from November 26 -28 2012 in Nordic Forum Hotel & Spa, Tallinn, Estonia besides with Baltic Event (B’EAST) regional co-production market.

Industry Days puts emphasis on benefits gained from real life experiences and case studies from production grant systems to pulling of multinational productions. Our producer matching program seeks to establish partnerships between European and Asian/US producers with similar profiles and projects instead focusing solely on project pitchings.

During the festival Baltic Event (25 - 28 November) film and co-production market takes place, which screens the newest feature films from the Baltic countries along with a co-production market open for projects from the Baltics, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Scandinavia.

Black Market Online - the first online Business 2 Business platform and film market for the film industry in the Baltic, Scandinavian, Central-Asian, Caucasian and Russian territories.

Winter Joy in Tallinn

Tallinn is absolutely beautiful in the winter. The Old Town especially feels magical and inviting with all the colourful lights, Christmas markets and layers of snow. I had such a wonderful time when I was there to do my Christmas shopping last year but be warned, walking on icy cobbled-stoned fothpaths can be treacherous. I slipped over whilst walking down the hill in Toompea, near the Riigikogu, on my way back to the hotel. The fall damaged my camcorder but luckily not my camera. Even though I was wearing good footwear at the time and was careful with my steps, it's so easy to slip over. In the city centre I saw several elderly people walking with the aid of ski poles and it's probably not a bad idea. Best to be safe than sorry. My advise, when staying in Tallinn during the winter is to base yuorself in the city centre and avoid hills. Hotel Viru is probably your best bet, located right in the heart of town.

Alexander at Pädaste Manor Named Best Restaurant in Estonia

                                                                 
For the third consecutive year, Alexander restaurant at Pädaste Manor was awarded the title of Best Restaurant in Estonia by “Flavours of Estonia”, while Pädaste's sister restaurant in Tallinn, Neh, also features among the top 10.

Pädaste restauranteur Martin Breuer said that this recognition is a great honour. “We are excited and happy,” said Breuer. “We are committed to maintaining the levels achieved, to continuing our Nordic islands’ cuisine mission, and to widening Estonia's culinary progress internationally.” Breuer congratulated colleagues and thanked clients and partners of Pädaste Manor. “Our thanks go to everyone who has  accepted and supported us in our ideas about Nordic islands’ cuisine - it means a lot to us. Our special acknowledgment and gratitude goes to local farmers and fishermen whose support made it possible to initiate the concept of the unique cuisine of the Nordic islands in a small community like the island of Muhu,” said Peeter Pihel, Chef de Cuisine. “The best local food, made of the best local ingredients, has always been our fundamental principle.”

The selection and evaluation process for the awards is carried out by food critics from Finland, Sweden and Russia as well as Estonian food journalists, food bloggers, restaurateurs and chefs.

Pädaste Manor on the small Estonian island of Muhu is the home Alexander restaurant’s unique Nordic islands cuisine concept. Pädaste was the first Baltic hotel to be accepted into the prestigious collection of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. In 2012 Pädaste Manor was announced the winner of the annual Heike Kamerlingh Onnes European Heritage Award to honour successful efforts contributing to the protection, conservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

Estonian Christmas Cards

New Estonian Christmas cards are now available from www.estoniangifts.com. Pack of ten.
http://www.estoniangifts.com/Christmas-Cards.html

Other Estonian Christmas cards can be found at Ebay UK.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Estonian-Christmas-Cards-Red-Pk-6-/281015366013?pt=UK_Crafts_CraftingPaper_EH&hash=item416dd2317d

                                      

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Estonian-Christmas-Cards-Blue-Pk-6-/281015366609?pt=UK_Crafts_CraftingPaper_EH&hash=item416dd233d1