White Ship

2024

16 mm transferred to digital, sound

14 min 30 sec

Cast: Anne Türnpu, Vaim Sarv

Cinematographer: Alis Mäesalu

Composer: Lauri-Dag Tüür

‘White Ship’ is an experimental short film inspired by a historical and cultural symbol of the ‘white ship’ that, for Estonians, has signified redemption and salvation. The film consists of footage shot on the Tallinn Bay and portraits of two actors, Anne Türnpu and Vaim Sarv. The narrative part of the film is made up of a voiceover text read by the actors, describing the waiting for the white ship or fleeing from the homeland, focusing on two episodes in Estonian history – the Maltsvet religious movement in the 1860s and the great escape to the West in 1944. The text excerpts are taken from the novels of Aino Kallas, Eduard Vilde, Elin Toona Gottschalk, and Enn Nõu.