''1944'' is a 2015 Estonian

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

drama film directed by Elmo Nüganen. The film first premiered in February 2015 in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

, Germany, before its release in

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, an ...

and other Northern European countries. It was selected as the Estonian entry for the

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

at the

88th Academy Awards The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, 5:30 p.m. PST. Dur ...

but it was not nominated. As the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

advances to recapture Estonia from its German occupiers, with huge losses on both sides, the film explores the mental conflicts of young Estonians. Some have volunteered or been conscripted into the German military, most with little commitment to the Nazi regime. Others have volunteered or been conscripted into the Soviet forces, again with little commitment to the Communist regime. Whichever side wins will regard the Estonians on the opposing side as traitors, liable to execution or deportation. Neither side offers the Estonians autonomy from foreign control.

Plot

The film opens in July 1944 on the Tannenberg Line in Estonia, where a unit of Estonian ''Waffen-SS'' soldiers are fighting the advancing

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...

. A visit by a

Nazi Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...

official, who hands out signed photographs of

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

, attracts ridicule. The Soviet forces are superior in numbers of tanks and infantry and the German forces have to retreat through streams of civilian refugees. After a ferocious battle, the victors are a Red Army Estonian unit. As they bury the dead of both sides in a mass grave, an Estonian in the Red Army called Jüri searches the body of an Estonian in the German forces called Karl and finds an unposted letter to Karl's sister Aino 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 '' ...

. When the Soviets capture the city, he delivers the letter in person and he and Aino become friendly, which incurs the enmity of his unit's political officer. Back fighting on the

Sõrve Peninsula Sõrve is a village in Harku Parish, Harju County Harju County ( et, Harju maakond or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in Northern Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lä� ...

in November, his unit captures a group of sixteen-year-old Estonian boys in German uniform. The political officer orders Jüri to kill them all and, when he questions the decision, shoots Jüri dead. The officer himself is executed by one of Jüri's comrades seconds later. On Jüri's body, a comrade finds an unposted letter to Aino which he, when he has a spell of leave, delivers in person.

Cast

Kaspar Velberg Kaspar Velberg (born 29 January 1989) is an Estonian stage, television, film and voice actor. After graduating from drama school in 2012, he began an engagement at the Tallinn City Theatre as a stage actor and made his film debut in a starring rol ...

as Sturmmann Karl Tammik *

Kristjan Üksküla Kristjan is a masculine given name in the Estonian language and Slovenian language. It is a variation of the name Christian. Notable people named Kristjan include: * Kristjan Čujec (born 1988), Slovenian futsal player * Kristjan Fajt (born ...

as Senior sergeant Jüri Jõgi *

Maiken Schmidt Maiken Pius (before 2019 Schmidt; born 17 April 1985) is an Estonian actress. In 2006, she graduated from Tallinn University's choreography department, and in 2012, she graduated from the drama department of the Estonian Academy of Music and T ...

as Aino Tammik *

Gert Raudsep Gert is a mainly masculine given name ( short form of Gerrit, Gerard, etc.) with some female bearers (short for Gertrude). Since 1993 no one in Sweden has been baptised as Gert according to the Swedish Bureau of Census, so the name is becomin ...

Oberscharführer __NOTOC__ ''Oberscharführer'' (, ) was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between 1932 and 1945. ''Oberscharführer'' was first used as a rank of the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA) and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions ...

Ants Saareste *

Ain Mäeots Ain Mäeots (born 25 December 1971) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor and stage, film, and television director and producer. Early life and education Ain Mäeots was born in Võru, Võru County, in 1971. He has one brother. He is ...

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Evald Viires *

Peeter Tammearu Peeter Tammearu (born 31 July 1964 in Pärnu) is an Estonian actor. In 1986 he graduated from the performing arts department of the Tallinn State Conservatory. 2003–2009 he was the director of Ugala Theater. Since 2014 he is an actor and dire ...

as a Partorg (Communist Party official) *

Märt Pius Märt Pius (born 4 February 1989)vooremaa.ee
''Rahutu hingeg ...

and

Priit Pius Priit Pius (born 4 February 1989) is an Estonian stage, television, and film actor whose career began in the 2010s. Early life and education Priit Pius was born in Tallinn to Jüri and Nelli Pius (''née'' Paap). His twin brother is actor Märt ...

as the Käär Brothers * Hendrik Toompere Jr. Jr. as

Rottenführer ''Rottenführer'' (, ) was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in the year 1932. The rank of ''Rottenführer'' was used by several Nazi paramilitary groups, among them the ''Sturmabteilung'' (SA), the ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) an ...

Kristjan Põder *

Kristjan Sarv Kristjan Sarv (born Tartu, 21 December 1979) is an Estonian actor. He studied acting at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (2000-2004). From 2005–2008, he worked in the theatre NO99. He has appeared in several television series and fea ...

as Abram Joffe * Rain Simmul as Prohhor Sedõhh *

Martin Mill Martin Mill is a village in east Kent, England. It takes its name from the nearby village of Martin. Martin Mill railway station is on the Dover to Deal railway line. The population of the village was, similarly to Martin, included in the civil pa ...

as Alfred Tuul * Ivo Uukkivi as Rudolf Kask *

Marko Leht Marko may refer to: * Marko (given name) * Marko (surname) * Márkó, a village in Hungary See also * Marco (disambiguation) * Markko (disambiguation) * Marka (disambiguation) * Markov *Marku Marku is an Albanian surname. Notable people wi ...

as Valter Hein *

Mait Malmsten Mait Malmsten (born 6 September 1972 in Viljandi) is an Estonian actor. Malmsten comes from a family of actors. His father is actor Rein Malmsten. His paternal grandparents were actors Franz Malmsten and Eva Meil. His great-uncle was actor Hug ...

as Government figure * Magnús Mariuson as The Dane Carl *

Pääru Oja Pääru Oja (born 16 May 1989) is an Estonian stage, film, voice, and television actor. Early life and education Pääru Oja was born in Tallinn, the youngest of two sons. His father is actor Tõnu Oja and his older brother is Estonian Theatre F ...

Oberschütze Oberschütze (, ) was a German military rank first used in the Bavarian Army of the late 19th century. Usage The rank and its equivalents (''Oberkanonier, Oberpionier'' etc.) was in generally introduced into the German ''Reichswehr'' from ci ...

(Sanitar) Elmar Säinas *

Külli Teetamm Külli Teetamm (born 22 May 1976), is an Estonian stage, television and film actress. Early life and education Külli Teetamm was born and attended school in Pärnu. She studied acting at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Drama School (no ...

as Mother with children * Kristo Viiding as Leonhard Talu * Karl-Andreas Kalmet as Vladimir Kamenski *

Henrik Kalmet Henrik Kalmet (born 19 April 1986) is an Estonian actor, comedian, and television personality. Kalmet began his career in 2010 and has appeared as an actor on stage, television, and films. He is also a stand-up comedian and has appeared as a judge ...

as Voldemar Piir * Priit Loog as Paul Mets * Priit Strandberg as Lembit Raadik *

Andero Ermel Andero Ermel (born 6 August 1976) is an Estonian stage, film, television, and voice actor. Early life and education Andero Ermel was born in Tartu. His father was Meelis Ermel and his mother's maiden name was Uibopuu. He has two siblings. He att ...

as Oskar Lepik *

Jaak Prints Jaak Prints (born Jaak Teppart; 7 May 1981) is an Estonian actor, director, television presenter and former footballer. Prints was born in Tallinn to actors Sulev Teppart and Anu Lamp. His younger brother Tõnn Lamp is also an actor. In 2004, h ...

as Richard Pastak *

Tõnu Oja Tõnu Oja (born 4 July 1958 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor. In 1980 he graduated from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Since 2003 he has worked at the Estonian Drama Theatre. He has also played in films. His elder brother is actor and dir ...

as Omakaitse lieutenant * Anne Reemann as Omakaitse female fighter *

Anne Margiste Anne Margiste (often credited as Anne-Reet Margiste; born 3 August 1942), is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress whose career began in the mid-1960s. Early life and education Anne-Reet Margiste was born in Vääna, the only child of ...

as Farm woman

Production

The first part of filming took place in October 2013 till the Easter break of 2014. It then continued at the start of the summer of 2014 where filming also took place at the

Sinimäed Hills The Sinimäed Hills (or Blue Hills; et, Vaivara Sinimäed) are three linked hills in northeastern Estonia. The heights which are aligned west–east, consist of Tornimägi, Põrguaugu mägi (also known as Grenadierimägi) and Pargimägi (also kno ...

. The film was funded by the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Ministry of Defence, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and private investments.

Reception

On the film aggregation website

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

, ''1944'' has a weighted average score of 7.5/10, based on votes from 1,005 users. The film has been banned in the Russian Federation.

Box office

In Estonia, ''1944'' was a huge box office success. With local opening weekend admissions at 19,030 ''1944'' set a new opening weekend record for an Estonian film, beating the previous record of 15,611 admissions set by '' Names in Marble'' in 2002. ''1944s first week also broke records by achieving 44,879 admissions, the highest ever for an Estonian film that premiered in Estonia.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:1944 2015 war drama films 2015 films Estonian war drama films Estonian-language films Eastern Front of World War II films Films set in 1944 Films directed by Elmo Nüganen World War II films based on actual events 2015 drama films Baltic states World War II films