Disco and Atomic War tells the story of a strange kind of information war, where a totalitarian regime stands face to face with the heroes of popular culture. And looses. Producer Kiur Aarma maps out the ideological battlefield of the time: "It was a time when it was possible for erotic film star Emmanuelle to bring down the Red Army and MacGyver to outdo an entire school administration."
"It is a film about our generation, who was unknowingly brought to the front line of the Cold War. Our brains were bombed with television waves. This completely changed our whole lives," says director Jaak Kilmi.
Western popular culture had an incomparable role shaping Soviet children's worldviews in those days - in ways that now seem slightly odd. Finnish television was a window to a world of dreams that the authorities could not block in any way. Though Finnish channels were banned, many households found some way to access the forbidden fruit.
Acclaimed director Jaak Kilmi is well known for his socio-critical feature and documentary films that deal with the Soviet Era and its repercussions on life in Estonia today, such as The Art of Selling (2006), Choose Order (2004), and Revolution of Pigs (2004). Together with producer Kiur Aarma, they wrote the story of their Soviet childhood into a witty, provoking narrative documentary. They interweave their political thriller with stories based on the memories of children, like themselves, who grew up during that era.
"These stories are absurdly funny. The children were in a schizophrenic situation where their real life world was a little asinine and all the pretty and exciting things were hidden away in their television sets," says Kilmi.
Disco and Atomic War offers its own version of recent history, mixing spy games into a human tragicomedy.
Jaak Kilmi and Kiur Aarma's new documentary will open in cinemas across Estonia starting April 10, 2009.
The film production was supported by the Estonian Film Foundation, Finnish Film Foundation, Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonian Ministry of Culture, Estonian Public Broadcasting, YLE, Eesti Ekspress, Radio Kuku and Viking Line.
Press contact: Kiur Aarma, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +372 565 1560
DISCO AND ATOMIC WAR
Script: Jaak Kilmi and Kiur Aarma
Director: Jaak Kilmi
Co-producer: Aleksi Bardy
Producer: Kiur Aarma
Length: 80 min.
Production company: OÜ Eetriüksus, Estonia 2009
Co-production company: Helsinki Filmi, Finland
Press photos: ftp://mail.efsa.ee/Disko%20fotod/
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Film trailer available online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Ocuy6LsDw
