December Heat - Asko Kase - Estonia

Airing times December Heat (Detsembrikuumus, 2008) Estonia Director: Asko Kase Cast: Sergo Vares, Liisi Koikson, Tõnu Kark Presentation: The early 1920’s saw the fate of the whole of Eastern Europe at stake. Contagious communist ideals sowed their seeds deep into almost every country of the region and Estonia was no exception. Eurochannel invites you to witness the Soviet Russian attempt to take over the recently independent country, a story seen through the eyes of a newlywed couple. A thought provoking tale, beautifully entwining love and history, December Heat reveals a series of emotive events that changed Tallinn and Estonia forever. December Heat is a poignant action-drama with sparks of romanticism, based on the true events of the attempted Communist coup in Tallinn on December 1, 1924. As the story unfolds, we meet Tanel Rõuk and his new wife Anna in the process of emigrating from Estonia to France. On the morning of their scheduled departure a rebellion breaks out and their trip takes an unexpected turn, destroying their carefully laid plans and leaving the future no longer as straight forward as they’d initially thought. Reflecting on Estonia’s vibrant history, director Asko Kaske compels viewers to truly feel the arousing turmoil of the 20s in his country. The processes and tragedies of the communist regime in Estonia are expressed through the forced separation of the two protagonists. However, as in every good historical film, as the plot develops, the hopes of a world at peace and ways to find it are gifted. Considered to be one of the most ambitious Estonian filming projects made in the last few years, December Heat became the official nominee at the 2009 Academy Awards with a budget of 1.7 million Euros. Synopsis: The young country of Estonia is dancing to the jazzy tune of the 1920's when on December 1, 1924, the capital Tallinn is overrun by members of the Comintern, attempting to stage a Communist coup. The film follows the fates of a young soldier called Tanel (Sergo Vares) and his new wife amidst the ensuing chaos: can the country hold on to its recently attained independence or is it destined to become another minor province of the Communist Empire? Trivia: • December Heat was Estonia’s official nominee at the 2009 Academy Awards with a budget of 1.7 million Euros but did not make it to the final nominations for the Foreign Language Award. Airing times