Estonian grand-old lady of the cinema, Leida Laius’s landmark film Smile at Last / Naerata ometi was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2025 within the prestigious Berlinale Classics programme, marking the first time an Estonian film was included in this section dedicated to digitally restored cinema heritage. Originally premiered at the Berlinale in 1987 and awarded the UNICEF Prize, the film returned in a newly restored version, reaffirming Laius’s enduring significance as one of the most important voices in Estonian cinema, after which the film travelled widely around the world, bringing renewed international attention to her work.
The construction of Ida Hub, the first audiovisual and multimedia innovation centre in the Baltics, advanced in 2025 and the inauguration is planned for 2026. The studio complex will be the first in Estonia bringing together the entire active production process under one roof. It will include a 2,000-square-metre soundstage, a multifunction studio, and postproduction suites.
The Estonian Government decided in 2025 to place the development of the national film infrastructure complex under the Estonian Film Institute, with the project operating under the name Tallinnfilm Studios, designed to include multiple large sound stages suitable for international productions, along with production offices, postproduction and technical facilities, and infrastructure for set construction, storage, and logistics. This is the biggest investment in film, all together 25 m EUR, and it will open in the end of 2027 - beginning of 2028.
PRODUCTION
In 2025 Estonia produced 61 films, all backed by the Estonian Film Institute: nine feature films, five minority coproduction feature films, 10 short animated films, 30 documentaries, two minority coproduction documentaries, and five short fiction films.
Ove Musting shot his sophomore feature Pig Slaughter / Seatapp in January - March 2025. This black tragicomedy is produced by Estonia’s Downtown Pictures, and Hea Film will release it in Estonian cinemas.
Evar Anvelt shot his crime thriller Something Real / Midagi tõelist in March – April 2025. This debut feature tackles cyber threats, porn addiction, and modern loneliness. It was shot in Lithuania, produced by Nafta Films and coproduced by Apollo Film Productions (Estonia) and InScript (Lithuania). Hea Film will release it in Estonia.
Ivan Pavljutskov shot his Estonian/Lithuanian coming-of-age drama Morten in May – August 2025. The film is based on the popular Estonian youth novel Morten, Emilie, and the Lost Worlds (2020) by Reeli Reinaus. It was produced by Estonia’s Kopli Kinokompanii in coproduction with Lithuania's Fralita Films.
Veiko Õunpuu’s Serafima, a story of moral choices and survival under authoritarianism in Soviet Estonia, was shot in Latvia by Estonian cinematographer Mart Taniel also in 2025. Based on award winning writer Vahur Afanasjev’s novel Serafima and Bogdan, the film was produced by Estonia’s Nafta Films in coproduction with Nafta Films Latvia, Orka Films (Poland), and Apollo Film Productions (Estonia).
Estonian actor Priit Võigemast and Georgian actress Tinatin Dalakishvili play the leads.
Jaak Kilmi wrapped the shoot for Dirt in Your Face / Musta porinäkku in August 2025. This late-'80s coming-of-age road film inspired by the autobiographical novel of Mihkel Raud is produced by Estonia’s Taska Film in coproduction with Estonia’s Apollo Film Production, Latvia’s Film Angels Studio, and Estonia’s Tallifornia. Hea Film will distribute it in the Baltics.
Janno Jürgens is exploring the burden of guilt and the meaning of forgiveness in his feature film No Me without You / Mind ei ole sinust eraldi, shot in July - September 2025.The film is produced by Filmivabrik, and Mari Abel and Eva Koldits play the main characters.
As local costs are on the rise and the public funding is becoming increasingly scarce, many Estonian filmmakers are looking to Latvia and Lithuania to better their budget option.
In February 2025 the Black Nights Film Festival and Industry@Tallinn& Baltic Event launched Creative Gate, a platform designed to connect filmmakers with Estonia's vibrant film industry. Creative Gate provides an extensive overview of Estonia's film funds, production companies, casting agencies, and other industry resources. To enhance its usability, an AI-powered tool has been added.
The construction of Ida Hub, the first audiovisual and multimedia innovation centre in the Baltics, advanced in 2025, with the inauguration planned for 2026.Located in Jõhvi, the administrative seat of Ida-Viru County, the 18.2 m EUR initiative is funded by the EU’s Just Transition Fund, and it aims to revitalise the region by merging film, tech, and entrepreneurship.
The studio complex will be the first in Estonia to bring together the entire active production process under one roof. It will include a 2,000-square-metre soundstage, a multifunction studio and postproduction suites.
Initiated by the Ida-Viru Investment Agency (IVIA), the Ida-Viru Business Centre (IVEK), and the Baltic’s largest science park Tehnopol, the project aims to foster international productions and local talent development.
IVEK, which manages Estonia’s first regional Viru Film Fund, runs the Film Industry Incubation Programme, offering hands-on training in essential behind-the-scenes roles. Tehnopol leads the Film and Multimedia Accelerator, hosting startups that work with AI, virtual location scouting, and modular studio systems.
Startups like VisioTag and the A-category Black Nights Film Festival’s own Creative Industry Hub are already active in the accelerator.
At the 2025 Cannes Marché du Film, Tehnopol sought further networking and investment opportunities to grow the hub’s growing ecosystem.
The appeal of filming in Estonia is further strengthened by government-backed financial incentives. The national cash rebate scheme, Film Estonia, offered 6 m EUR in 2025. Regional film funds are in Tartu, the Estonian islands, and in Ida-Viru County.
DISTRIBUTION
A total of 448 films screened in Estonian cinemas in 2025, of which 305 were new films. They had 2.39 m total admissions and cashed in 17.37 m EUR. The cinema attendance per person was 1.75, and the average ticket price was 7.26 EUR.
A total of 446 films were released in 2024, resulting in 2,469,861 admissions and 18.38 m EUR gross. The admissions per capita were 1.80, and the average ticket price in 2024 was 7.44 EUR.
From 74 Estonian films screened in cinemas in 2025, a total of 34 were new films. They had 334,471 admissions and 2.27 m EUR gross, resulting in 13.98% market share. In 2024, admissions for domestic films were 323,741.
In 2025, the Estonian Film Institute selected the long animated film Long Papers / Pikad paberid by Meel Paliale as Estonia’s candidate for the 98th Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award in the Best International Feature Film category.
Long Papers had its world premiere in the Just Film section, within the International Youth Competition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), where it won the Audience Award. It was also chosen as the Film of the Year 2024 by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
The film was produced by Urmet Piiling, Tõnu Hiielaid and Rain Rannu for Tallifornia Productions with support from the Estonian Film Institute, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the Tallifornia Film Fund.
The Estonian/Armenian stop motion short film Winter in March directed by Natalia Mirzoyan has been chosen as a candidate for the European Film Awards European Short Film – Prix Vimeo 2027 by the Uppsala Short Film Festival. Since its world premiere in Cannes 2025 the film screened in several international film festivals and received numerous accolades including the 3rd prize (ex-aequo) in the Festival de Cannes La Cinef section, the Animist Tallinn Grand Prix, the Oscar-qualifying Heart of Sarajevo for Best Short Film at Sarajevo Film Festival, the Grand Prix at the Siam International Animation Festival (Thailand), the Audience Award in the International Competition at Switzerland’s Fantoche - International Festival for Animated Film, the Grand Prix in the Student Film category at the Taichung International Animation Festival (Taiwan), and an Honorable Mention for Best Short Film at the Philadelphia Film Festival, among others.
The film was produced by Rebel Frame (Estonia) and ArtStep Studio (Armenia), in coproduction with the Estonian Academy of Arts, Black Boat Pictures (France), and White Boat Pictures (Belgium), with support from the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Cultural Endowment, and the Cinema Foundation of Armenia.
Hair of Hare / Jänesejuus, the new project by the award-winning Estonian animator Sander Joon, won the Audience Award in the Focus WiP (Work in Progress) section of the Cinéma de 
Demain programme at the Cannes’ Short Film Corner.
The grant, 5,000 EUR in postproduction support provided by the festival’s technical partner TransPerfect, was awarded to Joon’s film after a live audience vote. Produced by Aurelia Aasa of AAA Creative, Hair of Hare follows a bearded architect, whose facial hair transforms into a rabbit and runs away.
Marko Raat’s feature film 8 Views of Lake Biwa took home seven awards from its 15 nominations at the annual Estonian Film and Television Awards (EFTA), held on 11 April 2025. The Estonian/German/Latvian coproduction Lioness / Emalõvi directed by Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo received the award for Best Film. A total of 31 awards were handed out, including 16 in film and 15 in television categories.
VOD PLATFORMS AND ONLINE DISTRIBUTION
Next to the main players (Amazon, Netflix, Disney+ and Go3) there are a whole lot of niche providers focussing on arthouse cinema and other themes.
The Estonian Public Broadcast’s (ERR) Jupiter is improving its position as the only classical FVOD provider without advertising or any paywall, hitting over 350,000 streaming clients monthly.
The Arkaader platform offers access to a wide selection of Estonian films, ranging from classics of the Tallinnfilm era to contemporary works. Arkaader serves as an essential resource for schools, researchers, educators, and film enthusiasts, ensuring that Estonia’s cinematic legacy is preserved and accessible.
When we compare VOD data to linear TV statistics, it becomes clear that VOD cannot be ignored, and it takes up a large portion of any measurable screen time.
One notable trend is the growing versatility of the telecom’s TV-application offers. Telia TV box, for example, has made it much more comfortable to navigate between HBO, Netflix and Telia’s own content. The client doesn’t have to juggle with different remotes and platforms any longer, getting a handier interface and better screen experience.
VOD platforms have started to create more of their own content than before. Go3 has produced several TV series, and partly even independently from its linear sister TV3, meaning also that not all content produced by Go3 would make it to TV3 channel.
Pan-Baltic collaboration has also become more active and there are various negotiations going on about projects planned to be coproduced.
EXHIBITION AND BOX OFFICE
Tõnis Pill’s coming-of-age drama Fränk finished second in the admissions Top Ten 2025 with 112,104 admissions, below The Minecraft Movie (127,475), and ahead of the Latvian/Belgian/French animated hit Flow / Straume directed by Gints Zilbalodis and produced by Dream Well Studio (Latvia) in coproduction with Sacrebleu Productions (France) and Take Five (Belgium)(90,498 admissions), and the Hollywood blockbusters Zootropolis 2 (87,739 admissions), Avatar: Fire and Ash (65,762 admissions), F1 (60,154 admissions), Wicked for Good (52,905 admissions), How to Train Your Dragon (51,605 admissions), Jurassic World Rebirth (46,010 admissions), and Paddington in Peru (45,369 admissions).
Fränk (produced by Allfilm, distributed by Hea Film) obviously leads the Top Ten of the domestic films too, followed by Rain Rannu’s New Money / Uusraha (produced and distributed by Tallifornia) with 40,376 admissions, Jan Uuspõld Goes Home / Jan Uuspõld lähebkoju directed by Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk (produced by Apollo Film Productions, distributed by Hea Film) with 34,868 admissions, Jaan Tootsen’s Rebel with a Bow Tie / Kikilipsuga mässaja (produced and released by Aadam ja Pojad) with 25,012 admissions, Aurora directed by Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk (produced by Kuukulgur Film and distributed by Hea Film) with 22,693 admissions, Meel Paliale’s Rolling Papers / Pikad paberid (produced and released by Tallifornia) with 13,886 admissions, Heilika Pikkov and Liina Särkinen’s My Family and Other Clowns / Minu pere ja mud klounid (produced and released by Silmviburlane) with 11,275 admissions, Mikk Mägi’s Peetrikese jõulurobot (produced by A Film Eesti, distributed by ACME Film) with 9,459 admissions, Andres Puustusmaa’s One-dimensional Man / Ühemõõtmeline mees (produced by Leo Productions, released by BestFilm) with 5,536 admissions, and Riho Västrik’s Notes from the Woods / Kriimsilm, karuottjarebane. Märkmeid metsast (produced by Vesilind, released by 
Hea Film) with 4,562 admissions.
Fränk ranks 12th in the top of the most popular Estonian films from 2000 to 2025. The most popular film of this period is still Tanel Toom’s Truth and Justice / Tõde ja õigus (2019, produced by Allfilm) with 269,909 admissions, followed by René Vilbre’s Class Reunion / Klassikokkutulek (2016, produced by Taska Film) with 189,244 admissions, and Elmo Nüganen’s Names Engraved in Marble / Nimed marmortahvlil (2002, produced by Estonia's Taska Film in coproduction with Finland's MRP Matila Röhr Productions) with 168,743 admissions.
In 2025, Estonian Theatrical Distribution was the leader of the domestic market with 49.92% market share, followed by ACME Film with 33.03% market share, Adastra Cinema with 2.98%, Tallifornia with 2.73%, GPI with 2.63%, KP Distribution with 1.91%, Estinfilm with 1.42%, and the rest with 5.37 %.
The market share by region in 2025 was led by USA with 56.73%, followed by Europe with 25.53%, Estonia with 13.98%, and other countries with 3.76%.
Estonian Theatrical Distribution is also the leader in releasing domestic titles, with 55% market share, followed by Tallifornia with 20%, Aadam ja Pojad with 7%, ACME Film with 4%, Silmviburlane with 3%, BestFilm with 2%, and the rest with 9%.
In August 2025, the new Apollo Plaza entertainment centre opened in Tallinn's Rotermann Quarter, on the premises of the former Coca-Cola Plaza. It is now home to Estonia's biggest cinema, a bookstore, a cinema shop, and restaurants.
The Apollo Group is the largest entertainment company in the Baltics, owning the Apollo cinemas, among others.
Apollo Cinema is the leading cinema operator in the Baltics, holding the top position in Estonia and Latvia, and second place in Lithuania. In 2024, Apollo Cinema received the International 
Union of Cinemas (UNIC) Cinema of the Year title at UNIC’s official convention, CineEurope.
In 2025, Estonia had 56 screening places, 22 cinemas, one multiplex, 94 screens, 56 3D screens, and 94 digital screens.
GRANTS AND LEGISLATION
The Estonian Film Institute distributed 14,928,412 EUR in 2025, compared to 14,987, 398 in 2024. In 2025, the annual state support for film industry also included 1,646,616 EUR from the Estonian Ministry of Culture (compared to 1,729,965 EUR in 2024), and 3.1 m EUR from the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (compared to 3.4 m EUR in 2024).
In 2025, the Estonian Film Institute gave out 6,050,500 EUR for the production of ten feature film projects, 310,500 EUR for the development of seven features, 66,500 EUR for feature film script support (12 projects), 150,000 EUR to three short films, 80,000 EUR for the development of three miniseries, 570,000 EUR for the production of 12 documentaries, and 245,000 EUR for the development of 17 documentary projects. Estonian Stories documentary chronicles and documentary portraits got 150,000EUR. Eleven animated films received 870,000 EUR for production, and 11 animated projects received 147,000 EUR for development. A total of 905,500 EUR went to 12 minority coproductions.
Production grants went to the following feature films: Dirt in Your Face / Musta porinäkku by Jaak Kilmi, Serafima by Veiko Õunpuu, Beatrice by Vallo Toomla, Morten by Ivan Pavljutshkov, Sacred and Profane Love / Taevane ja maine armastus by Reiner Sarnet, No Me Without You / Mind ei ole sinusteraldi by Janno Jürgens, Silverwhite / Hõbevalge by Martti Helde, Conteiner / Konteiner by Arun Tamm, The Godkiller / Ümerajõel by Mikk Mägi, and Mommy's Boy / Memmek by Ivar Murd.
In 2025, the Film Estonia cash rebate programme gave out a total of 6 m EUR for foreign projects shooting on location in Estonia. In 2025,twelve titles were granted a rebate: Finnish feature Sisu 2 directed by Jalmari Helander, produced by Subzero Film Entertainment and serviced in Estonia by Allfilm; Finnish feature Super Furball & the Lying Squirrel, directed by Joona Tena, produced by Yellow Film & TV, and serviced by Nafta Films; Finnish feature Therapy directed by Paavo Westerberg, produced by Kaiho Republic, and serviced by Stellar Film; Latvian feature Escape Net directed by Dzintars Dreibergs, produced by Kultfilma, and serviced by Three Brothers; Finnish feature Perfect Strangers directed by Rike Jokela, produced by Lucy Loves Drama, and serviced by Menufilmid; Danish animated film Checkered Ninja 3 directed by Thorbjørn Christoffersen and Anders Matthesen, produced by A. Film Production, and serviced by A Film Estonia; Estonian/Finnish/Swedish Orenda directed by Pirjo Honkasalo, produced by Bufo, and coproduced by Allfilm; Danish animation Mugge and Supper Happy directed by Mikael 
Wulff, Anders Morgenthaler, produced by A. Film Production, and serviced by A Film Estonia; U.S. feature Bubble & Squeak, directed by Evan Twohy, produced by Squeak Productions Inc., and serviced by Three Brothers; Finnish feature Never Alone directed by Klaus Häro, produced by Matila Röhr Productions (MRP), and serviced by Taska Film; Danish/Estonian/French/German animated film Panda Bear in Africa directed by Richard Claus and Karsten Kiilerich, produced by A. Film Productions, and coproduced by A Film Estonia;and French/Estonian/Finnish/German/Swedish feature Quiet Life directed Alexandros Avranas, produced by Les Films du Worso, and serviced by Three Brothers.
In 2025, the Tartu Film Fund had a dedicated budget of 150,000 EUR for productions shot in Tartu and South Estonia, while the Viru Film Fund had a dedicated budget of 200,000 EUR for productions shot in the Ida-Viru County.
CODA – Co-development Animation Awards, created to support early stage animated film project development and boost cross-border collaboration, have been unveiled at the industry programme of PÖFF Shorts (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, 2025).
Initiated and administered by CEE Animation, and supported by national funds from 11 CEE countries – including the Estonian Film Institute, the awards will be distributed across three categories: Feature Film Co-Development Award (20,000 EUR), TV/Web Series and TV Specials Co-Development Award (20,000 EUR), Short Film Co-Development Award (5,000 EUR). A yearly open call for animated projects is planned, with the first edition expected to launch in the spring of 2026.
TV
A new television, TV3 Gold, was launched in Estonia on 10 March 2025, aiming to target a 40+ audience and focusing on popular international/local series. The channel replaced 3+, which ceased broadcasting on 9 March 2025, due to declining demand for Russian-language content. TV3 Gold joined the TV3 Group’s portfolio, which included TV3, TV6, and TV3 Life.
CONTACTS:
ESTONIAN FILM INSTITUTE
Uus 3, Tallinn 10111
Phone: +372 627 60 60
Fax: +372 627 60 61
www.filmi.ee
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CULTURAL ENDOWMENT OF ESTONIA
Suur-Karja 23, Tallinn 10148
Phone: +372 699 9150
www.kulka.ee
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ESTONIAN ANIMATION UNION
Roo 9, Tallinn 10611
animaliit.ee
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ESTONIAN DOCUMENTARY GUILD
Ankru 10, 11713 Tallinn
www.dokfilm.ee
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ESTONIAN FILMMAKERS’ UNION
Uus 3, Tallinn 10111
Phone: +372 646 4068
www.kinoliit.ee
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Contact: Liisa Lotta Kask
ESTONIAN FILM INDUSTRY CLUSTER
Saue 11, Tallinn
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Contact:PiretTibbo-Hudgins
ESTONIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS ESC
Contact: Elen Lotman
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ESTONIAN FILM DIRECTORS’ GUILD
www.efg.ee
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Contact: LiinaTrishkina-Vanhatalo
ESTONIAN SCREENWRITERS’ GUILD
www.stsenaristid.ee
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Contact: Leana Jalukse
THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ACTORS OF ESTONIA
Uus 5, Tallinn 10111
Phone: +372 646 4517
Fax: +372 646 4516
www.enliit.ee
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Contact: Reimo Sagor
THE ESTONIAN FILM JOURNALISTS’ASSOCIATION
Narvamnt 11e, Tallinn 10151
Phone: +372 669 8210
www.filmikriitik.ee
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Contact: Andrei Liimets
THE UNION OF ESTONIAN FILM CLUBS
Vikerlase 13-62, Tallinn 13616
Phone: +372 632 4662; +372 55 46042
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Contact: RaivoOlmet
ESTONIAN FILM MUSEUM
Pirita road 56, 10127 Tallinn
Phone: +372 6 968 600; +372 5620 8875
http://www.ajaloomuuseum.ee/en/filmmuseum
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Contact: Sten Kauber
ESTONIAN FILM DATABASE
Koidu 17-1, 10137 Tallinn
Phone: +372 6015982
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www.efis.ee/en
ESTONIAN FILM ARCHIVES
Ristiku 84, Tallinn 10318
Phone: +372 693 8613
www.filmi.arhiiv.ee/index.php?lang=eng
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Report by FNE Staff
Sources: the Estonian Film Institute, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia
