Truth and Justice, director Tanel Toom’s visually stunning epic, spanning the years 1872 to 1896, went on to become the highest grossing film of all time in Estonia, even surpassing The Avengers. The film also made it to the 2020 Oscars shortlist for International Feature Film Award, giving the 37-year-old his second brush with the Academy (he was nominated in 2011 for his short film The Confession).
The film, based on the eponymous 550-page novel written in 1926 by Anton Hansen Tammsaare, tells the story of farmer Andres Paas (Priit Loog) and his wife, Krõõt (Maiken Schmidt), as they arrive at Robber’s Rise to create a new life there. Krõõt isn’t as convinced about the marshy land but still toils alongside her husband. Convinced that a ditch will drain the water, Andres asks his neighbor Pearu (Priit Võigemast) to share the cost, despite warnings that Pearu is not one to be trusted. As life goes on, Andres changes from the man he once was.
Tanel, whose film was screened at BiFFes, spoke to MetroPlus.
Excerpts:
What made you decide to adapt the story for film and what changes did you have to make?
When I read the book, I was affected by how contemporary the struggles of the novel’s characters were and by how strongly they resonated with my pursuit for self-fulfillment. The way Andres never ceases the non-stop drudgery to acknowledge what he has achieved or to say a good word to his loved ones reminded me a lot of my father. And myself too.
There have been many attempts to make it into a film before. The first year, I was only working on structure and choosing the main events for the film. My intention was to maintain the essence of the story and tell it in the most effective and exciting way.
Initially, it seems like Pearu is the villain and but as the film progresses, we see that it is actually Andres who is increasingly blind to his many faults…
Yes, that was one of the things that I was initially excited about – Andres’ character arc and in the end is he a better man than Pearu? We all change. And we do because of the environment, the people we meet, the events and conflicts that happen to and around us. Although Pearu might be one of the most visible reasons, I think he is not the only one who pushes Andres for change. The land that doesn’t obey Andres’s will, the fact that he still hasn’t got an heir... all this creates disappointment. Of course, the nature of the character’s change is not just determined by the external events and conflicts that happen to us but are in close relationship with our nature. We might act very differently in similar situations. Andres is a rational and dogmatic man who is obsessed with justice and being right. This is actually the main source of the conflict as this determines how he deals with Pearu and also with his land.
Religion is a major theme in the film. But it seems Andres has a contradictory relationship with his faith…
There are a lot of people who do find consolation and help from the Bible while looking for guidance and answers. But Andres is not looking for answers. He knows he is always right. He just needs proof to show others and to confirm it to himself. And he is using the Bible for that. I think it’s not just about the book but about the person who is reading it. Andres is having a very unhealthy relationship with the Bible. He’s abusing that book. And this is something that has been happening for thousands of years — wars and conflicts because of religion. Sadly, it’s nothing new.
The film did extremely well in Estonia, surpassing even The Avengers. Were you at all surprised?
I was ready to get beaten and kicked out of the country. You have to be. The fact it is based on a well-known book doesn’t guarantee you success. There are even more reasons it might flop as everyone has a version of their own in their heads how this story should be. We were lucky; it did unbelievably well. But filmmaking is always a gamble, you never know the outcome. And I think you need that uncertainty. That keeps you on your toes and pushes you to do a better job. That is important. Because lazy filmmaking is the worst kind of filmmaking.
What was your experience like in Bengaluru? Did you get a chance to watch any Indian films?
I have been in love with India for quite some time now. The food, the culture, the people... This is not my first trip to India but it is my first time in Bangalore. And I love it. My stay was so short and schedule so packed that unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to see many films. But I love Indian movies. I’ve been saying for years that one day I’d really love to do a Bollywood movie. With all the dancing and singing.