This time, the portrait film competition will feature a film about Aveliina Helm, a professor of restoration ecology at the University of Tartu and head of the Landscape Biodiversity Workgroup. The film “Aveliina Helm. Rebellion Against Extinction,” set to premiere in 2026/2027, will highlight Aveliina and Estonia’s heritage meadows, as well as nature and modern nature conservation.
In films funded by the Estonian National Museum (ERR), the Estonian Film Institute (EFI), and the Estonian Cultural Endowment since 2006, writers, artists, musicians, athletes, theater legends, and also scientists have been portrayed.
Following the main character’s journey, adventures take place in Estonia’s forests, meadows, and fields while assessing the state of Estonian nature. Meetings are attended where interests related to nature collide. Participation occurs in legislation and policy-making both in Estonia and Europe – in the corridors of Brussels and at intergovernmental summits. The soul is drawn to Aveliina Helmi’s parental home where she takes time off with her children and parents, as well as in Laelatu wooded meadow, one of Europe’s most biodiverse places.
The film is directed by Maria Uppin; the screenwriter is Merle Karro-Kalberg; the cinematographer is Robi Uppin; and it is produced by Black Plastic Media Productions.
For more information about portrait films, read on the websites of ERR and the Estonian Film Institute.
