Oscars send Estonian movie into big picture

Photo: Peeter Langovits

Lembit Ulfsak

actor

«This is absolutely unbelievable! I was totally convinced we’d not get it. I felt we were not favoured by the political and sporty atmosphere. I was a bit sceptical. For a country boy, this is a bit too much.

«This is so unbelievable I have my hands trembling a bit right now. I have to play this evening (at Estonian Drama Theatre, «Five O’clock is Tea Time»), I have to take a look at the text yet. At the moment, I know nothing about the dates and nothing much at all really.

«I just learnt this, a minute ago, my daughter called me on the phone. I just arrived yesterday, I am so tired from this last trip, I will not even think about it. Actually, we’ll have to say cheers to all Estonian movie guys, this is our great common shock.»

Elmo Nüganen

director and actor

««Tangerines» will not stir animosity between adversaries, it rather seeks to reconcile. That’s what counts most. I think this is where the success lies. «Tangerines» attempts to bring the different view point of a small nation. It’s not really the matter of us Estonians being the peacemakers, though it’s nice to put it like that.

«Even a crisis situation can be seen through a human, humane eye, while not forsaking one’s principles yet not becoming inhuman. It’s very nice with Estonian movie making it to the big picture. The world is so vast and so wide... to make it someplace with a movie, it first needs to be shown.  

«People need to understand if this movie is or isn’t worthy the recognition. That’s all. The success of «Tangerines» may draw attention to Eastern-European countries and the movies shot in the small nations. This just had to happen in some point in time!»

Sergei Rakhlin

Los Angeles, movie critic

«I Congratulate Estonia which is very close to my heart as one raised in Latvia and visiting Estonia on numerous occasions. Let me tell you, from the very beginning «Tangerines» has been liked by the foreign journalists at Hollywood, who nominated it for the Golden Globe and through whom the words went out about it in Hollywood, as well as within the Academy.

«Just the fact that the movie made it to pre-selection for Oscars is remarkable, but the nomination – especially in this year of such tough competition – this is such a remarkable achievement that it doesn’t really matter so much what comes next. This is not just shooting Estonia to the world movie map but will draw wider attention to this country and its talented and hardworking people.»