Darkness in Tallinn
| Darkness in Tallinn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Ilkka Järvi-Laturi |
| Produced by | Ilkka Järvi-Laturi |
| Written by | Paul Kolsby |
| Music by | Mader |
| Cinematography | Rein Kotov |
| Edited by | Christopher Tellefsen |
| Distributed by |
FilmZolfo Upstream Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country |
Estonia Finland |
| Language |
Estonian Finnish |
Darkness in Tallinn (a.k.a. "City Unplugged")(Estonian language:Tallinn pimeduses) is a 1993 feature film, a satirical political thriller directed by Ilkka Järvi-Laturi and written by Paul Kolsby. The film premiered on September 12, 1993 at the Toronto Festival of Festivals, and later played at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1994. Written by an American and directed by a Finn (the two met at New York University), the film was one of the more unusual and most popular of 1993. It was reshown at the Rotterdam Filmfestival 2013 for professional audience.[1]
Plot
In August 1991, Estonia became independent from the USSR and brings to its national bank nearly $1 billion in gold bullion that had been secretly hidden in Paris for 50 years. Russian mobsters have a bold plan to hijack the gold after shutting down Tallinn's power plant at midnight. For this they need Toivo, an electrical technician whose wife is heavily pregnant but urges him to take the job saying "$5000 buys lots of baby food". After Toivo leaves for the plant, his wife suddenly goes into labour and as the blackout occurs the baby needs an incubator, but there's no power. Jealousies within the Mob undercut the plan's smooth operation, and soon the Mob has Toivo to deal with as well.
Cast
- Elina Aasa as Violinist
- Milena Gulbe as Maria
- Jüri Järvet as Anton
- Kristel Kärner as Extra
- Kadri Kilvet as Nurse
- Enn Klooren as Mikhail
- Ulvi Kreitsmann as Nurse
- Väino Laes as Andres
- Kristel Leesmend as Saleswoman
- Anna-Liisa Lehtimetsä as Extra
- Leida Paju as Cleaning woman
- Külli Palmsaar as Extra
- Salme Poopuu as Nurse
- Kerstin Raidma as Gang girl
- Salme Reek as Shoplady
- Carmen Tabor as Diana
- Ivo Uukkivi as Toivo