In the feature film competition of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, six young filmmakers were granted production support for their films. Among them is Kaur Kokk’s debut film Põrgu Jaan. The committee explained their decision to support the film as follows:
„Põrgu Jaan“, scriptwriter and director Kaur Kokk
An enthralling atmosphere looms over this film, set after the Great Northern War, in the beginning of 18th century Estonia, where recent turmoil has started to affect hierarchical and social relationships. The few people who remain start to wander, common sense starts to blur, and a new religion forcefully emerges – either from the fading world order or from the new saviors that appear. The strength and importance of the story is not only the way it diversely probes into people’s states of mind but also the more general conceptualization of life during a time of crisis. And that affords direct connections to the present day. Man and world order have to be redefined. But, interestingly enough, this chaos gives way to beauty – to pure, human, nonstratified empathy and hope. The minimalistically harsh, visual style gives tone to the raggedness of the postwar destitution and the graphical nature of the characters’ deadlocked existence.
