Man of Kihnu (1986)

Twelve years after making the documentary "Woman of Kihnu" (1973), director Mark Soosaar films another documentary where the focus is on the male residents of Kihnu island. The right to organize their life has been taken away from Kihnu people: important decisions are made in the mainland, local culture is vanishing, social problems are getting worse. Local men are drinking vodka, become alcoholics, or die at sea. The filmmakers ruthlessly record situations that normally would not see any strangers as witnesses. The documentary has followed the actions of sincere people; the stories told by Mark Soosaar are both colourful and sad at the same time. The author wonders whether the culture of Kihnu island has any hopes to survive.