Eastern European Spotlight

The borders of Eastern Europe are on the move. The last 18 months have seen remarkable changes that have reshaped the continent. In the north, the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania – simultaneously joined NATO and then the EU. Further south down the political faultline saw literal revolutions in Ukraine and Georgia. As these people's gazes turn westwards, the political upheavals remind us that they possess incredibly rich and unique creative cultures that – at the very least – will be altered dramatically by the social changes that we are witnessing.

At this turning point in history, we wanted to pay tribute to the stunning collection of animated film that has been created in these countries which find themselves part of a new frontier. These are among the finest programs we have ever had to pleasure to curate and we hope you enjoy this glance towards a changing east.

Following on from last year's enthusiastically received Estonian Panorama & Priit Parn Retrospective and fuelled with fresh inspiration from our discovery of a vault of older Georgian, Ukrainian and Belorussian films, we have divided this spotlight into the north / south groupings as they appear on the map.

>> see program 2

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Program #1: Georgia / Ukraine / Belorus
Sat 25 June
1.30pm
ACMI Cinema 2

The Plague > David Takaichvili > Georgia 1983 > 9'21
A film of transfixing beauty. A shadowy figure glides through the nooks and crannies of a city.

The Lost One > A. Chtchepetov
Belorus, 1990 > 10'00
This film could only have been drawn in Eastern Europe and uses the visual metaphor of a solitary goose to depict the various perils of life's journey.

Kikos > A. Kapaeb
Ukraine, 1987 > 9'05
A sublime example of Eastern European paint-on-glass animation. A magic of a small dog's world and his brush with cats, snow, a grumpy frog, a kindly old man and a music box.

A Flash Of Life > Chadiman Tchavtchavadze
Georgia, 1981 > 4'20
Visually dramatic dreamlike film of horses and riders charging across a Valhalla-like landscape. The haunting sounds of a traditional Georgian male choir add another dimension to this experience.

Beware the Nerves / Attention les Nerfs > E. Sivokone
Ukraine, 1975 > 7'05
Stepping straight out of bold Eastern European poster art, Sivokone wastes no time introducing us to the dangerous, demanding, vital little 'man inside the man'.

Il Etait Une Fois Une Abre > Vladimir Petkevitch
Belorus, 1996 > 9'52
With, perhaps, a nod to Norstein this film epitomises the rich seam of Eastern European animation that populate their stories with animals as human stand ins.

Winter Study / Etude Hivernale > Chadiman Tchavtchavadze
Georgia, 1978 > 3'35
Intricately drawn fairy tale which follows the paths of two very different people.

The Knight Rusts > Levan Tchkonia
Georgia, 1984 > 9'55
The unique Eastern European element of surrealist symbolism tickles the edges of this film as a mechanical bird sets forth into a wide-open countryside.

The Prisoner > Bondo Chochitaichvili
Georgia, 1984 > 9'47
Piling detail upon ever-dizzying detail, this film explores the notion that the more we have, the more we have to lose.

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Program #2:..Latvia / Estonia
Sun 26 June
1.45pm
ACMI Cinema 2

Karl and Marilyn > Priit Parn
Estonia, 2003 > 23’00
What happens when Karl Marx, tired of the heavy burden of celebrity, crosses paths with fame-seeking Marilyn?

The Little Fairytales > Roze Stiebra
Latvia, 1997-2004 > 15’00
These 3 minute gems are like children’s poems: fantastical folk-songs full of dream logic, where figures change form, a fish lulls a baby and a cow walks through a mirror.

Living Room > Rao Heidmets
Estonia, 1993 > 10’00
A black and white Lynchian melodrama where a little girl and an old man play out their respective nightmares.

Woman > Signe Baumane
Latvia, 2002 > 10’00
A multi-award winning visually poetic story about where a woman originates from, and the two ways she may encounter a man – love or death.

The Turtles > Ansis Berzins
Latvia, 1987 > 10’00
An ecological film about the protection of nature, which dwells on life and death as a unified whole.

The Year of the Monkey > Ulo Pikkov
Estonia, 2003 > 12’00
The story of a monkey who lives in a zoo and is forced to live like a human being.

>> see program 1

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Admission is restricted to 18+
IMPORTANT: Film classification regulations do not allow us to admit any person under the age of 18 years EXCEPT to the Kids Animation and Ub Iwerks Short Films Collection.