''Äratus'' (English: ''Awakening'') is a 1989 Estonian historical drama film directed by

Jüri Sillart Jüri Sillart (29 May 1943 Tallinn – 10 September 2011) was an Estonian film operator, director, producer and pedagogue. In 1970 he graduated from Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. From 1971 to 1994 he worked as an operator-director in Tal ...

Plot

The film chronicles the lives of Estonian villagers during "

Operation Priboi Operation Priboi ( – Operation "Tidal Wave") was the code name for the biggest Joseph Stalin, Stalin-era Population transfer in the Soviet Union, Soviet mass deportation from the Baltic states on 25–28 March 1949. Also known as the March depo ...

"; the 25 to 28 March 1949 Soviet mass deportation of more than 90,000

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

ns,

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

ns and

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

ns labeled as "

enemies of the people The terms enemy of the people and enemy of the nation are designations for the political opponents and the social-class opponents of the power group within a larger social unit, who, thus identified, can be subjected to political repression. ...

" to forced settlements in inhospitable areas of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

Production

The manuscript of the film was written by writer and playwright Rein Saluri and presented to

Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm () is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as Estonian Culture Film in 1931, and was nationalized in 1940 after Estonia was integrated into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet occcupation (1940 ...

editor Tiina Lokk in late 1986 or early 1987. Lokk liked the manuscript, but was initially dissuaded by other employees at Tallinnfilm from pursuing the project. In 1989, the editorial board at Tallinnfilm granted Lokk permission to turn the manuscript into a film.

Arvo Kruusement Arvo Kruusement (born 20 April 1928) is an Estonian actor, theatre and film director who has made some of Estonia's classic novels into films; '' Spring'' (1969), ''Summer'' (1976), and ''Fall'' (1990) The movie ''Spring'' has been noted as the b ...

was the first choice to direct the film, however, he disliked the material.

, who had worked as a cameraman and cinematographer up to that point in his career, showed an interest in the material and was hired as the director. Historian

Mart Laar Mart Laar (born 22 April 1960) is an Estonian politician and historian. He served as the Prime Minister of Estonia from 1992 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2002. Laar is credited with having helped bring about Estonia's Economy_of_Estonia#Restoration_o ...

interviewed subjects who were deported to Siberia in the late 1940s for research and the manuscript was finalized on

Hiiumaa Hiiumaa ( , ) is the second largest island in Estonia and is part of the West Estonian archipelago, in the Baltic Sea. It has an area of 989 km2 and is 22 km from the Estonian mainland. Its largest town is Kärdla. It is located within ...

by Saluri and Sillart. The filmmakers later recounted that they were surprised that it was not difficult to make a film about the deportations during the end of the Soviet era. Russian conscripts were even hired from their military base at

Tapa Tapa, TAPA, Tapas or Tapasya may refer to: Media *Tapas (website), a webtoon site, formerly known as Tapastic * ''Tapas'' (film), a 2005 Spanish film * ''Tapasya'' (1976 film), an Indian Hindi-language film * ''Tapasya'' (1992 film), a Nepalese f ...

as extras in the film. When the film was completed, Lokk, Sillart, and Saluri took the film in a taxi to the All-Union Cinema Committee in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

for review. Neither Lokk nor Sillart remember any reproach by Soviet authorities there.

Cast

Tõnu Kark Tõnu Kark (born 4 December 1947 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor. His older brother is actor and caricaturist Feliks Kark. Notable roles Notable film roles: * '' Nest of Winds'' (1979) * '' Metskannikesed'' (1980) * '' Nukitsamees'' (1981) * ' ...

as Voldemar Rass *

Sulev Luik Sulev Luik (16 April 1954 – 29 June 1997) was an Estonian actor. In 1976 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory. 1976-1988 he worked at Noorsooteater and since 1988 at Estonian Drama Theatre. Besides theatrical roles he played also in ov ...

as I Linnamees *

Kaljo Kiisk Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was a Soviet and Estonian actor, film director, screenwriter and politician. He was best known for his roles as from Spring (1969 film), ''Spring'' (), Summer (1976 film), ''Summer'' (''Suvi'' ...

as Mõistuse Jaan *

Maria Klenskaja Maria Klenskaja (29 January 1951 – 6 January 2022) was an Estonian actress. Early life and career Klenskaja was born in Tartu and was of Russian parentage. From 1968 until 1970, she worked in the Estonian State Youth Theatre in Tallinn as a ma ...

as Linnanaine *

Jaan Rekkor Jaan Rekkor (born 3 April 1958) is an Estonian stage, film and television actor. Early life and education Jaan Rekkor was born in the small village of Hõreda in Rapla County. He attended schools in Märjamaa, graduating from the Ants Lauter M ...

as Peeter Kängsepp *

Anne Paluver Anne Paluver (born 4 November 1952 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actress known for her work in film, television, and animation. Early life and education Paluver was born in Tallinn, the daughter of mathematician Nikolai Paluver. She attended scho ...

as Salme Peterson *

Arvo Kukumägi Arvo Kukumägi (9 August 1958 in Litvina, Setomaa – 16 May 2017) was an Estonian film and theatre actor. In 1980 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory's Performing Arts Department. From 1980 to 1984 he was an actor at the Tallinn Cit ...

as Kaarel Peterson *

Väino Laes Väino Laes (born 26 September 1951 in Jõhvi) is an Estonian actor. In 1974 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory. From 1978 to 1989 he worked at Rakvere Theatre, 1989–1995 in Estonian Drama Theatre, and since 1995 in Vanalinnastuudio. ...

as Saareaugu Arnold *

Ülle Kaljuste Ülle Kaljuste (born Ülle Side; 10 April 1957) is an Estonian stage, film, television and radio actress. Early life Born Ülle Side in Tallinn, she attended Tallinn Secondary School No. 2 (), graduating in 1975. Afterward, she attended the Tal ...

as Saareaugu Aliide *

Mati Klooren Mati Klooren (31 July 1938 – 16 July 2000) was an Estonian actor and theatre director. Mati Klooren was born in Tallinn. His younger brother was actor Enn Klooren. In 1961, he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn S ...

as Richard Sass * Feliks Kark as Ants Tammemets *

Katrin Kohv Katrin Kohv (born 8 February 1964 in Tallinn) is an Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea acro ...

as Vennaru Linda * Rein Oja as II Vallamees * Hilja Varem as Nuudimäe Armelde * Elle Kull as Antsurahva Leida * Kaie Mihkelson as I Naine *

Kaarin Raid Kaarin Raid (22 October 1942 Rakvere – 29 July 2014 Viljandi) was an Estonian director, theatre pedagogue and actor. In 1967 she graduated from GITIS in director speciality. 1967–1974 she was a director at Endla Theatre, 1974–1977 at Esto ...

as Maanaine *

Hannes Kaljujärv Hannes Kaljujärv (born 4 January 1957 in Tartu) is an Estonian actor. In 1979 he graduated from the University of Tartu with a degree in physical education (). In 1979 he also finished courses with Evald Hermaküla's Vanemuine study studio. Sinc ...

as Komsorg

Accolades

Awards, nominations, participations: * 1989: Monstra Internationale del Film d'Auttore (San Remo, Italy). Special Jury Prize * 1990: Espoo Ciné International Film Festival (Finland). Nyrki Tapiovaara Award * 1990: Riga International Film Festival (Latvia), Participation. Main Program * 1990:

Edinburgh International Film Festival The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), established in 1947, is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all titles are World, international, European or UK Premieres), in al ...

(Scotland, UK). Participation, Main Program * 2001: Baltic Film Festival (Gotland, Sweden). Participation, Main Program

References

External links

*
Äratus
entry in

Estonian Film Database The Estonian Film Database (, abbreviated EFIS) is an electronic film database launched online in 2012. Its purpose is to thoroughly describe Estonian film heritage, to collect film information about Estonian films, their producers, content, th ...

(EFIS) 1989 films Estonian drama films Estonian-language films Tallinnfilm films Soviet-era Estonian films {{Estonia-film-stub