“Arts of Survival” short films screened in urban space

The short film collection “Arts of Survival” presents eight stories about Tartu and Southern Estonia, capturing the tricks and mysteries about the arts of survival. During the Tartu Architectural Lighting and Light Art Festival TAVA, these stories will reach the audience along the festival's journey – over three evenings, short films will be screened in the urban space.

In TAVA festival program:
📍 University of Tartu Botanical Garden at 7-11 PM (festival area pass: 6 €)
📍 Facade of Lossi 36 at 7-11 PM (free)
📍 Facade of Estonian Sports and Olympics Museum at 7-11 PM (free)

Renowned filmmakers from Estonia and abroad bring us uniquely wild tales of people, communities, and the culture they live in. In these stories, we meet peculiar vehicles known as “karakat” from Peipsi, charming non-places of Tartu, the wild German woman living an off-grid life without water and electricity, mischievous goats and crazy village parties, the diverse Annelinn residents and nostalgic Petseri, slime mould and space exploration, and of course, the artists of survival from today and past.

📆 From November 7th until 9th, the “Wild South” short films will take over Tartu’s urban space, bringing together eight wild stories about people, communities, and their surrounding cultures.
All 8 films will be screened on November 7. On the first night, November 8th, films by international directors will be screened, while on November 9th, works by Estonian filmmakers will be showcased, bringing together eight wild stories about people, communities, and their surrounding cultures.

On November 8, films on the festival trail:
“Cohabitants” (Viesturs Kairišs / Latvia)
“The House” (Carl Olsson / Sweden, Denmark)
“The Art of Looking” (Andris Gauja, Latvia)
“A Perfect Day For Karakat” (Andrey Paounov / Bulgaria).

On November 9, films on the festival trail:
“Artists of Survival” (Jaan Tootsen / Estonia)
“Hilda Ha. Off the Grid” (Eva Kübar / Estonia)
“The River and A Cat” (Maria Aua / Estonia)
“Sewing Machine” (Ülo Pikkov / Estonia)

✅ The films have English subtitles.
✅ Viewing the films in the urban space is free of charge. (Lossi 36, Estonian Sports and Olympics Museum).

To see the films at the Tartu University Botanical Garden, it is necessary to purchase a TAVA24 festival area pass: €6 (Tickets can be bought from Fienta or at the botanical garden gate).

The film collection “Wild South,” created as part of the Arts of Survival Doctoral Program, is part of the main program of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. The project was supported by the Estonian Film Institute and SA Tartu 2024.

👉 CURATOR’S TOUR:
8.11 from 7 PM / start: Toomemägi (Tartu Cathedral)
9.11 from 7 PM / start: Toomemägi (Tartu Cathedral)
On Friday and Saturday evenings, guided tours will take place, where film enthusiasts will be led on a journey by the curator of the “Arts of Survival” collection, Kaarel Kuurmaa.
The estimated duration of the tour is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
To participate in the entire tour, it is necessary to purchase a TAVA24 festival area pass (tickets can be bought from Fienta or at the botanical garden gate).