Screening of the documentary film “Anna Kaljas. The Untold Story”.

The documentary tells Anna's story and her journey from Pärnu to Canada, where she took under her care the outcasts of society, offering them unconditional love and care. Anna's path crossed with a teenage boy Jüri Täht. Despite having lived different kinds of lives in those difficult situations their lives where intertwined.

In addition to the theme of Canadian social welfare, an important topic in the film is the great escape of 1944. In 2024, 80 years will have passed from the mass flight of 1944, when over 80,000 Estonian citizens fled from the invading USSR forces and left their homeland behind. Anna and Juri among them.

Anna’s story is told through readings of her memoir, descriptions of historical events, and interviews with friends and family members.

The film is in English with Estonian subtitles. The Canadian film director Dwight Storring is the producer. In light of the 80th anniversary of the great escape, the film has been updated to focus less on Canadian social welfare issues and more on the lives of Estonians. The film is presented through the initiative of the Tammepuu Eesti Klubi and Jüri’s daughter-in-law, Evelin Täht, the author of his memoir, who translated the film’s subtitles.

Screening of the documentary film “Anna Kaljas. The Untold Story” is a part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 side programme. Film screening is supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

If you want to grab a bite or need a place to stay, see what the Tartu 2024 hospitality network offers in the area: https://tartu2024.ee/recommendations-tartucity