- Occupation
Director - Country
Estonia
Soosaar Mark
Man From Kihnu
In 1986, twelve years after his film Kihnu Naine (The women of Kishnou), Mark Soosaar made this complementary documentary at the centre of which are the male inhabitants of the island. With a bitter undertone to it, Soosaar shows how, to this view, a lack of possibilities for self-government and the conceited attitude of the mainland towards the islanders have caused great problems to this society. The island has been negligently placed under far too large a kolkhoz. Enormous alcoholism is prevalent among the male population and, increasingly, among the women. Sheer possession of money has become a standard of regard. If a family cannot spare 4,000 roubles for the marriage of their children, they are ignored by the other islanders. In this dramatic as well as poetic documentary we see how the social awareness of a society has gone by the board. Merely concrete and strict reformations can improve the situation the island is in.
Miss Saaremaa
Miss Saaremaa charts the life of Lyubov Hermann, who was Miss Saaremaa in 1931. Lyubov recalls her past with great vivacity and humour. The second theme of the film is the history of Estonia from 1939, as seen through newsreel footage. Both strands of the films are interwoven and complement each other. The film that was looking at a woman's life becomes political. It ends in 1988: once again girls are competing for the title of Miss Estonia, and Lyubov Hermann celebrates her 80th birthday. People make history.
In 1986, twelve years after his film Kihnu Naine (The women of Kishnou), Mark Soosaar made this complementary documentary at the centre of which are the male inhabitants of the island. With a bitter undertone to it, Soosaar shows how, to this view, a lack of possibilities for self-government and the conceited attitude of the mainland towards the islanders have caused great problems to this society. The island has been negligently placed under far too large a kolkhoz. Enormous alcoholism is prevalent among the male population and, increasingly, among the women. Sheer possession of money has become a standard of regard. If a family cannot spare 4,000 roubles for the marriage of their children, they are ignored by the other islanders. In this dramatic as well as poetic documentary we see how the social awareness of a society has gone by the board. Merely concrete and strict reformations can improve the situation the island is in.
Miss Saaremaa
Miss Saaremaa charts the life of Lyubov Hermann, who was Miss Saaremaa in 1931. Lyubov recalls her past with great vivacity and humour. The second theme of the film is the history of Estonia from 1939, as seen through newsreel footage. Both strands of the films are interwoven and complement each other. The film that was looking at a woman's life becomes political. It ends in 1988: once again girls are competing for the title of Miss Estonia, and Lyubov Hermann celebrates her 80th birthday. People make history.
Estonian Television, 1970 - 78 as a film director
Tallinnfilm Studios, 1978 - 91 as a film director
Free lance film maker 1991 - 96
Museum of New Art, 1995 - since today as the director
Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament), 2003 -since today as MP
1987 - since today, the International Documentary Film Festival in Parnu, Estonia, Director.
Created more then 50 documentary films on ethnography, folklore, arts.