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Estonian Puppet and Stop-Motion Animation ‘May Not Be Mainstream, but It's Still Thriving'
Fashions come and go, but Estonia is still betting on puppet and stop-motion animation.
'It may not be mainstream anymore, but Estonian stop-motion is still thriving, with many directors choosing it as their main style. It's taught in the Estonian Academy of Arts on a very high level, so future generations could also fall in love with the technique and preserve it in their art,' says Rebel Frame producer Kadriann Kibus.
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The studio – alongside with the Academy – recently celebrated Natalia Mirzoyan's win at Cannes' La Cinef for 'Winter in March.'
'My plan was to come to Estonia to study puppet animation, because it has wonderful traditions. I wanted to learn from Anu Laura Tuttelberg ['Winter in the Rainforest'] and Ülo Pikkov ['Body Memory'],' says the Armenia-born director.
In the film, she talks about Russian emigration following the invasion of Ukraine, combining documentary and road movie. While her chosen technique is that of puppet animation mixed with embroidery and fabric manipulation, 'materials are sometimes sewn accurately and sometimes more roughly to emphasize the meaning of each scene.'
As a minority co-producer, Rebel Frame is also working with Lithuanian studio Akis Bado on puppet film 'Glass Elephants.'
'One of our studio founders and owners, Sergo Kibus, used to work for a decade in Nukufilm before we established our own studio,' explains Kadriann Kibus. While Nukufilm works in stop-motion technique, newer establishments also picked up the technique, she notes. 'There's also a separate niche, stop-motion cut-out, that's popular in Estonia.'
While the country is ready to celebrate the 100th birthday of Heino Pars, one of the founding fathers of the Estonian puppet animation, Nukufilm – established in 1957 – will be turning 68 this winter.
'All that time, we've done different kinds of stop-motion films for different audiences – both for children and adults,' says producer Kerdi Oengo. Among the company's award winners, 'The Master' by Riho Unt was noticed at Annecy and 'Dog Apartment' by Priit Tender was shortlisted for the Academy Award only last year.
Current films are made in the style of 'classical puppet [animation], although the artistic style of each film is very different.'
'We have just released one film, another will be released later this year, we have three in production and two in the development stage. We can say that the overall situation in animation in Estonia is good. Mari Kivi has just completed her debut, and Jonas Taul is finishing his second short.'
Kivi's 'Eating Time' sees a woman literally eating her way through time, triggering a time shift. Taul's 'A Serious Thought' follows a boy pondering his place in the universe as he goes to bed. But if Earth is just a 'tiny marble floating in space,' does his existence matter?
Nukufilm is also overseeing 'The Big Other' by Andres Tenusaar, Kalju Kivi's 'My Friend the Cucumber' and a co-production with Latvia: 'Nesting' by Anna Zača. According to Oengo, the industry is bound to see more and more co-productions due to lack of sufficient financing from one country.
'Stop-motion is more expensive in comparison with computer-made films, and co-production is also trickier. Since there are actual puppets and sets, a major part of the film can't be done online. It's a problem, and a struggle, to establish a smooth workflow, it includes more travelling and more understanding from financiers. But we're trying to survive in an unstable world.'
Producer Edina Csüllög agrees: 'Greater emphasis on co-productions would be beneficial.'
Csüllög's recent films, 'The Shadow of Dawn' and 'Flow of Being,' the latter combining stop-motion, sand animation, cut-out and 2D, have already hit the festival circuit. There's a strong pool of talented animators in Estonia – but not enough opportunities.
'I work with numerous foreign colleagues who chose to stay in Estonia as animation directors or creators, but it's often nearly impossible for them to access local funding to complete their projects. It's a pity, as there is a wealth of talent, and many come from countries where animation funding is limited or non-existent.'
Erik Heinsalu (Grafik) is producing stop-motion short 'Uka-uka,' to be released in 2026, which will mark Henri Veermäe's debut.
'In Estonia's animation scene, films are often made thanks to the passion and dedication of professional enthusiasts. However, funding remains limited. This means we must be very creative throughout the production process,' he says.
'Uka-uka' is a dark comedy set in the early 2000's Estonian countryside.
'This duality of old and new will be reflected in the techniques and materials used in the film – for example, we intend to use old Soviet camera lenses. The main idea is to look at the world through the eyes of a child. To see what we, as adults, might miss.'
'Animation in Estonia and the Baltics seems to be blossoming, but shorts are on a 'poorer' side. It's not easy to screen [your works] and it's hard to find money. In the ideal world, it would be easy to fund a new project with previous works' screening fees, but we can only dream about it,' explain Piret Sigus and Silja Saarepuu in a shared statement. Their indie cut-out animation studio Animailm has delivered 'The Turnip' and 'Robot Leo,' but – as many other creators – is also open for external collabs.
'We offer studio space, skillful hands and bright ideas,' they say.
Oskar Lehemaa's 'stop-motion love' started all the way back in childhood, when he saw 'the slightly jagged and eerie movements of the first 'Wallace and Gromit' short on TV.' While he describes himself as a 'newcomer in the animation world,' Lehemaa co-directed outrageous comedy 'The Old Man Movie,' about a dramatic search for an unmilked cow, and 'The Mystery of Missing Socks.'
'I just love the texture and the tangible quality that stop-motion can offer. Sure, you can create pretty much anything on a computer, including a decent 'stop-motion look,' but its actual restrictions – real puppets, sets, camera and lights – inform the work. It becomes a part of your art.'
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