The Tallinn-based Vabamu Museum and the Estonian television channel, ETV2, are collecting films showcasing the lives of Estonian communities abroad; the collection initiative is set to last until 31 December 2020.
ETV2 and the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom are collecting 8 mm and Super 8 films recording the lives of Estonian communities abroad. A selection of the collected films will be shown on ETV2 in a series called 8 mm ELU (LIFE on 8 mm) and stored in the Vabamu’s collections.
“The goal of the initiative is to invite the Estonian communities abroad to send us their old films recording any meetings, birthdays, weddings or other important events in their communities that show how they maintained Estonian traditions and culture abroad during the occupation,” Keiu Telve, Vabamu’s executive director, said in a statement.
“Even if you feel the film only shows the simple day-to-day lives, such films may prove to be one of a kind in the context of recording history and telling the story of how our country regained its independence. Therefore, we encourage all Estonians to go through their film archives and take part in the initiative,” she added.
Vabamu already has a 8 mm film of the concert-demonstration that took place during the Estonian meet-up day in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, during the international exposition Expo 67. The film was recorded by Lemmik-Jaak Sirk, an Estonian who worked in the expo pavilion of the Soviet Union.
The initiative targets both digital and analogue film tapes and Vabamu has set up a special page for film submissions.
Cover: A group of Estonian expats at ESTO, a global Estonian cultural festival, in Sweden in 1980. The image is illustrative.
