Hiiumaa Cinema: “Etudes of Life” in Emmaste. Eha Urbsalu in attendance

Screenings of the feature film “Etudes of Life” on Hiiumaa:
– November 1 at 14:00, Emmaste school hall (Eha Urbsalu in attendance)
– November 1 at 18:00, Kärdla cinema hall (Eha Urbsalu in attendance)
– November 2 at 20:00, Kärdla cinema hall
– November 4 at 17:30, Kärdla cinema hall
– November 20 at 20:00, Käina Huvi- ja Kultuurikeskus

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ETUDES OF LIFE

It is 1994, and Paul arrives in Estonia for the first time, travelling to Hiiumaa to see the former home of his grandmother Elsa. He uncovers a family history whose secrets reach back to some of the most turbulent years in Estonia’s history.

In 1924, young Elsa leaves her home on Hiiumaa and her communist neighbour Vaino when the charismatic artist Markus Müller enters her life. Elsa chooses Markus and begins a new life in Tallinn. Twenty years later, in 1944, her life falls apart amid the turmoil of war. Elsa’s marriage to Makrus conceals dangerous secrets, and German officer Hans enters her life. The Chopin étude he plays on the piano accompanies a forbidden love at a time when the world around them is falling apart.

When Elsa’s daughter Marta falls into the hands of the returning Soviet army, Elsa’s past catches up with her. Her only chance to save her daughter is to turn to the man she left behind twenty years earlier. Vaino is now a Soviet officer—and Elsa’s daughter’s fate is in his hands.

“Etudes of Life” is an epic romantic historical drama about love, family and choices whose consequences can reach across generations. In its emotional world, the film evokes classic romantic dramas such as “Doctor Zhivago” and “Casablanca”, while telling a deeply Estonian story. The cast includes Eha Urbsalu, Mart Sander, Triin Lellep, Jasmin Selberg, Merle Palmiste, Crispian Belfrage and Saskia Slaaf.