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Land of Soul (2016)

Original title: Hingemaa

Title is based on the Ain Kalmus's book "Land of Soul" that tells about expatriate Estonians who moved to America at the end of 19th century and lived in Irma village

Documentary Duration 28:00

Sünopsis

In a remote countryside, six hours drive from Chicago, near Gleason village there is an alley called Estonian Church Road. At the end of this alley there stands a little wooden church and an abandoned graveyard that has probably a dozen graves next to it. This building with a broken roof and a leaning tower is the first church in America built by Estonians. It was built a hundred years ago and is desperately in need of repair.
In Peedu, Tartumaa County, Tõnis Mägi receives an unexpected phone call. Jaan Karukäpp is calling from Chicago. He with other local Estonians is trying to save the old church and now he invites Tõnis to America to give a benefit concert at the church restoration work days. The aim is to raise money in order to restore the wooden church and reunite local Estonians once again as Tõnis Mägi has once managed to do with the Estonians at home, in the days of the Singing Revolution.

Partners and Sponsors

  • Kultuuriministeerium
  • EFI
  • Eesti Kultuurkapital
  • ERR
  • Rahvusarhiiv
  • BFM
  • Kinoliit
  • Eesti Filmiajakirjanike ühing
  • Tallinnfilm