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Letters from the Island of the Insane (1966)

Original title: Kirjad Sõgedate külast

Based on the letters "Anguish" and "Perishing of the Reef" from the collection of short stories "Letters from the Island of the Insane" by Juhan Smuul

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Feature film | Drama Duration 75:23

Martin Puri is an elderly fisherman who is told to retire because of his old age by their chief fisherman August on a beautiful fishing day. Every now and then, Martin's fellow fishermen have saved him from hard work; however, every generation of the fishing people of the village has always known that they cannot be forced to be separated from the sea. At sea, one has to possess more than physical strength. When a group of people has to be saved from a boat in an autumn storm, Martin understands that one cannot act against the sea but together ...

Director: Jüri Müür

Keywords: eels | risking one's life | wisdom | mental suffering | humour | juniper forest | seagulls | seine fishing | cleaning the fishing nets | collective fishery | View all »

Photos and Galleries (16)

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Videos (2)

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Main Data

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Production Firm(s) Tallinnfilm
Color bw
Sound sound
Film Category Feature film, Full length feature
Genre Drama
Text / Dialogue Estonian
Voiceower Estonian
Dubbing Russian
Duration 75:23

Crew

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Director Jüri Müür
Screenwriter Juhan Smuul | Jüri Müür
Cinematographer Mihhail Dorovatovski | Jüri Garšnek | Mati Kask
Art Director Rein Raamat
Costume Designer Jutta Maisaar
Composer Eino Tamberg
Sound Designer Harald Läänemets
Editor Ludmilla Rosental
Content Editor Lennart Meri
Writer of Adapted Work Juhan Smuul
Managing Director Arkadi Pessegov

Cast

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Leading roles
Supporting roles

Aino Seep - Martin's wife | Eili Sild - Ruudi's wife | Helend Peep - Secretary of the Communist Party | Marje Mihhailova - Secretary | Jüri Müür - Head of the collective farm | Tamara Gajenko - Shop woman | Olev Eskola - Captain of "Pühadekari" | Jüri Garšnek - Boatswain of "Pühadekari" | Feliks Lindenburg - Steersman of "Pühadekari"

First releases

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  • in cinema: 22.08.1966, Tallinn, Estonia
  • in cinema: juuli 1967, Moskva, USSR

Partners and Sponsors

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