Veiko Õunpuu (born 16 March 1972, in

Saaremaa Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hi ...

) is an

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

film director and screenwriter who is best known for his artistic movies ''

Autumn Ball ''Autumn Ball'' () is a 2007 Estonian drama film directed by Veiko Õunpuu, adapted from Mati Unt's 1979 novel of the same name. The film depicts six desolate people of different yet similar fates in characteristically Soviet pre-fabricated ho ...

'' (''Sügisball'', 2007) and '' The Temptation of St. Tony'' (''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'', 2009). Õunpuu's films are usually slow-paced artistic movies with eccentric characters.

Film work

In 2006 he wrote and directed the independent short film '' Empty'' (''Tühirand''). In 2007 he adapted Mati Unt's novel ''

'' (''Sügisball'') that won the Horizon Award at the

64th Venice International Film Festival The 64th annual Venice Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, was held from 29 August to 8 September 2007, at Venice Lido in Italy. Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou was the jury president for the main competition. Italian actress Ambra ...

, which remains the highest international recognition an Estonian film has ever received. In 2010 Õunpuu's second feature drama '' The Temptation of St. Tony'' (''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'') screened in

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...

. The film was selected as Estonia's submission for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

at the

83rd Academy Awards The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2010 in the United States and took place on February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, be ...

, but it didn't make the final shortlist. His third feature "Free Range" Premiered at 2014 Berlin International Film Festival and fourth "Roukli"(2015) at 28th Tokyo International Film Festival in 2016. "Free Range" was selected as the Estonian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. Õunpuu has also done two stage directions in NO99 theatre in Tallinn. In 2010 Rainer Werner Fassbinder's play "City, Garbage and Death" and in 2016 Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage".

Filmography

;Director * '' The Last Ones'' (2020) * ''

Roukli A list of films made in the Republic of Estonia since 1991: For a list of Estonian films released prior to 1991, see List of Estonian films. 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Estonian Films Lists of E ...

'' (2015) * ''

Free Range Free range denotes a method of farming husbandry where the animals can roam freely outdoors for at least part of the day, rather than being confined in an enclosure for 24 hours each day. On many farms, the outdoors ranging area is fenced, th ...

'' (2013) * '' The Temptation of St. Tony'' (2009) (''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'') * ''

'' (2007) (''Sügisball'') * '' Empty'' (2006) (''Tühirand'') (short film)."Kes? Mis? Kus?" 2008, lk. 366

Awards

;Venice Film Festival * Won: Venice Horizon Award for ''

'' (2007) (''Sügisball'') ;Sundance Film Festival * Nominee: Grand Jury Prize - World Cinema - Dramatic for '' The Temptation of St. Tony'' (2007) (''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'') ;Karlovy Vary International Film Festival * Won: East of West Award - Special Mention for ''The Temptation of St. Tony'' (2007) (''Püha Tõnu kiusamine'')

References

* Jaan Ruus
"Õunpuu ränk heitlus elu ja kunsti nimel"
Eesti Ekspress, 18. oktoober 2009

External links

Veiko Õunpuu
at the

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ounpuu, Veiko 1972 births Living people People from Saaremaa Parish Estonian film directors Estonian screenwriters Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 4th Class