The Fifth Annual New York Baltic Film Festival (NYBFF) presented by Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America returns in 2022 as a hybrid festival with both in-person and virtual screenings on November 2-13! From November 2 through 6, in-person screenings and events will take place at Scandinavia House in New York, presented in accordance with new COVID-19 safety guidance and protocols. Following the success of last year’s festival, the online version will once again be available to viewers all across the U.S. via the Elevent streaming platform November 4-13.

On November 5, see the North American premiere of The Sleeping Beast (Tagurpidi torn, dir. Jaak Kilmi, Estonia/Latvia, 2022, Narrative). On a small Estonian housing estate, 10-year-old Kristjan (Nils Jaagup England) is the leader of his gang of friends. To while away the sleepy summer days, the children amuse themselves by exploring an abandoned estate, getting up to various mischief typical of their age. Though they are once chased away by the elderly security guard Elmar (Andres Lepik), the children choose to ignore him as well as their parents’ concerns about the dangers of the estate, and return – a decision that leads to an accident. Kristjan is now faced with a moral dilemma – does he go against his friends and help Elmar, or does he keep quiet and maintain the status quo? The Sleeping Beast is a gritty tale about childhood, and how naivety and innocence are pitted against questions of morality and responsibility.

Tickets to this event must be purchased in advance online at the link above; film screenings will take place in Victor Borge Hall.

Virtual screenings of this film will take place from November 6-13. To read more and purchase virtual passes, please click here.

About the Director

Estonian director Jaak Kilmi graduated from Tallinn University where he majored in film directing. He has (co-)directed and produced a string of award-winning short films, a number of documentaries, and two feature films, which have received international recognition. He is well known for his socio-critical films that deal with the Soviet era and its repercussions on today’s life. His most recognized films include: documentary fiction Disco & Atomic War (2009), and My Father the Spy (2019) and the feature films Revolution of Pigs (2004), and Came to Visit (1997).

About the NYBFF

Established in 2018, the New York Baltic Film Festival is presented and organized by Scandinavia House in collaboration with the Consulate General of Estonia, Consulate General of Lithuania, and Daris Delins, former Honorary Consul for Latvia in New York and founder of the festival.

Financial support for the festival comes from the Estonian Film Institute, National Film Center of Latvia, Lithuanian Film Center, and the Edhard Corporation with additional sponsorship by the Estonian American National Council, Lithuanian Culture Institute, Lithuanian Foundation, Consulate General of Estonia in New York, Embassy of Latvia in Washington D.C., Permanent Mission of Latvia to the U.N. in New York, Consulate General of Lithuania in New York, American Latvian Association, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, the PBLA Culture Fund, and Sondra Litvaitytė.

ORGANIZERS & SPONSORS