Tõde ja õigus
Directed by:
Tanel ToomScreenplay:
Tanel ToomCinematography:
Rein KotovComposer:
Mihkel ZilmerCast:
Priit Võigemast, Maiken Pius, Priit Loog, Mikk Kaasik, Simeoni Sundja, Ester Kuntu, Loora Kaarelson, Russell NewmanPlots(1)
Estonia, 1870. Young and staunch Andres along with his wife Krõõt arrive at a farm bought on a loan to establish their new life. Desolate and neglected between the marshes, Robber’s Rise must be transformed into a place that will take care of the family. All they have to do is to break the resistance of the barren land, make his neighbour cooperate, and raise an heir – a son to inherit his father’s life’s work. But when nature refuses to bend, the neighbour turns out to be a roughneck rival, and Krõõt keeps giving birth to daughters, Andres struggles to find the right way. In his desperate search for truth and justice – from the court, the tavern and the Bible, he sacrifices his family, his friends and eventually himself. The beautiful dream of prosperous and nurturing Robber’s Rise gives way to an obsession, resulting in none of the things Andres wanted and everything he was afraid of. (Estonian Film Institute)
(more)Reviews (1)
Here I was on the border of controversy and I haven't even seen the film yet. Estonia is as interesting to me within the Baltic region as Scandinavia, so I decided to go for it, even though the film is a respectable 149 minutes long. Still, I keep thinking that it takes a lot of confidence to shoot something so long and not be afraid that it will bore the viewer to death. More than any other film, one with such length has the certainty that it will either be a big failure or a great cinematic experience. But the Estonians surpassed themselves. Truth and Justice is a wonderful period epic set in a rural Estonian environment in the second half of the 19th century. The acting performances are respectable, also changing throughout the film, the camera work and setting absolutely captivating, the marshes often leaving a hypnotically splendid impression. And that story? I have no words. I was mesmerized from beginning to end. An excellent piece!
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