Taavi Eelmaa (born 15 June 1971) is an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n stage and film actor.

Biography

Career

Born and raised in

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju '' ...

, he is the son of actor Aleksander Eelmaa and Reet Eelmaa. Taavi Eelmaa began studies at the

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

, graduating in 1996. Among his graduating classmates were Karin Tammaru,

Ain Prosa Ain Prosa (born 7 October 1967 in Räpina) is an Estonian film and theatre director, and actor. In 1996, he graduated from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. 1990–2000, he worked at ETV Teleteater. Works and roles * 1993 "Õnne 13" (tele ...

, René Reinumägi, Indrek Saar, Tarvo Sõmer, and Ardo Ran Varres. After graduating, he worked for six years at the

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre ( et, Eesti Draamateater) is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door. History The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was or ...

in Tallinn, and from 2002 to present at the

Von Krahl Theatre Von Krahl Theatre ( et, Von Krahli teater) is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Fi ...

in Tallinn. Eelmaa made his screen debut in 1993 in the Rainer Sarnet-directed short film ''Merehaigus'' (English: ''Seasickness'') and has gone on to appear in roles in numerous Estonian films. Among his more memorable roles were as Theo in the 2007 Veiko Õunpuu-directed drama ''Sügisball'' (English: ''Autumn Ball''), inspired by Estonian writer

Mati Unt Mati Unt (1 January 1944 Linnamäe, Voore Parish (now Voore, Mustvee Parish), Jõgeva County, Estonia – 22 August 2005, Tallinn) was an Estonian writer, essayist and theatre director. Biography His first novel, written at the age of 18 af ...

's novel of the same name, and as the title character in Õunpuu's 2009

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...

''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'' (English: ''The Temptation of St. Tony''). The film was selected as Estonia's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards, but it didn't make the final shortlist. He has also appeared on television, most notably as the character Priit Post in the

Kanal 2 Kanal 2 is a privately owned Estonian television channel. Its literal name in English is "Channel 2". The channel was established by Ilmar Taska. The channel began broadcasting on 1 October 1993. History The channel started broadcasting on ...

crime series ''Kelgukoerad''.filmi andmebaas.
Retrieved 12 November 2016.

Selected filmography

*'' Ruudi'' (2006) *'' Tühirand'' (''Empty'', 2006) *'' Meeletu'' (''Mindless'', 2006) *'' Sügisball'' (''Autumn Ball'', 2007) *''

Püha Tõnu kiusamine ''The Temptation of St. Tony'' ( et, Püha Tõnu kiusamine) is a 2009 Estonian film written and directed by Veiko Õunpuu, starring Taavi Eelmaa. The plot has been described as a black comedy and centers around a successful, middle aged man who be ...

'' (''The Temptation of St. Tony'', 2009) *''

60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero ''60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero'' is a 2011 anthology film, a one-time-only event that took place in the Port of Tallinn, Estonia on 22 December 2011. The film is a collection of one-minute short films created by 60 filmmakers from around the ...

'' (2011) *'' Idioot'' (''The Idiot'', 2011) *''

Purge In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another organization, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertak ...

'' (

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

: ''Puhdistus'', 2012) *'' Päevad, mis ajasid segadusse'' (''The Days That Confused'', 2016) *'' November'' (2017) * '' Viimased'' (''The Last Ones'', 2020)

References

External links

* 1971 births Living people Estonian male stage actors Estonian male film actors Estonian male television actors Male actors from Tallinn Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni 20th-century Estonian male actors 21st-century Estonian male actors {{Estonia-actor-stub