ISSN: 2560-1601

Vol. 19, No. 3 (EE)

June 2019

Estonia social briefing: The forthcoming ‘Tenet’ and the Dannebrog: Estonia is making plenty of international headlines E-MAP Foundation MTÜ

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The forthcoming ‘Tenet’ and the Dannebrog: Estonia is making plenty of international headlines

From all possible sides, this particular briefing will not be precisely on the Estonian society-related politico-economic concerns. However, the society’s direct involvement into the processes, which the briefing will highlight, is undeniable. Both Hollywood and history, fictional characters and real heroes, the dazzling creativity of the non-existence and the calm philosophy of the past – all of these were mixed and matched in Estonia, during the long- awaited June 2019.

Speculatively speaking, when the name of Christopher Nolan1 would be mentioned in Estonia before spring this year, the general public would not be exhibiting plenty of knowledge on what this British movie director had done by then and, more importantly for the context, what he had in mind regarding some of his immediate future plans. It would be irrespectively of the famous director’s ten major products, which were associated with 34 Oscar nominations, including 10 wins. In a truly dramatic way, the situation has substantially changed from May 2019. It was reported that “Hollywood director […] is to commence filming on a movie in Tallinn [in June], bringing a diverse range of globally famous stars to the Estonian capital, and no doubt a huge boost to tourism and business with it”2. From then on, Estonia and, more specifically, Tallinn residents became global experts on the Nolan-linked filmography. Putting the irony aside, however, it was indeed the pure reflection of reality that a significant segment of the Nolan’s newest movie – ‘Tenet’, a Warner Bros.-produced future blockbuster – is to be filmed in Tallinn, and it is argued to become “the first movie on this scale to be shot in the Baltic States”3.

An-easy-to-be-ignored routine for Paris, , Tokyo and Shanghai, this development is of immense significance for Estonia, a 1.3 million nation. Therefore, it was not a huge surprise when the country’s President Kersti Kaljulaid decided to comment on the news:

1 Melissa Albert, ‘Christopher Nolan’ in Encyclopaedia Britannica. Available from [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Nolan-British-director]. 2 ‘Christopher Nolan spy thriller to be filmed in Tallinn’ in ERR. 24 May 2019. [https://news.err.ee/945558/christopher-nolan-spy-thriller-to-be-filmed-in-tallinn]. 3 ‘Christopher Nolan spy thriller to be filmed in Tallinn’.

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That Christopher Nolan’s project is materialising in Tallinn is a recognition of the great work and development of the Estonian creative industry sector in recent years. […] On the one hand, film production on this scale arriving here in Estonia definitely gives us an impetus, and a lot of new experience to our local actors, while on the other, it offers an opportunity to introduce Estonia, and hopefully paves the way for […] larger film projects to come here, as well.4

While the movie’s detailed plot is an almost mysterious secret, it became publically known – during the press-conference of the Estonian Minister of Culture Tõnis Lukas – that “the production involves at least 13 locations in Estonia, predominantly in Tallinn”5. Intriguingly, some of the chosen Estonian localities (for example, the highly important Tallinn’s thoroughfare Laagna Road) are directly related to Estonia in the plot, but the other ones are to be linked to a range of different geographic areas elsewhere (for example, Ukraine)6. On 11 June, Christopher Nolan, together with the crew and some of the prospective movie’s leading actors (John David Washington and others), arrived to Tallinn7 to make ‘Tenet’ as well as history.

Logistically, considering the fact that Tallinn is not a huge city, the process of filming (even if what is getting filmed is a blockbuster) should not create a range of unsolvable issues for the city government. It was not the case for Tallinn, where the Mayor of the city, Mihhail Kõlvart, was openly dissatisfied with how negotiations with the movie-bound organisers went on the issues of where exactly and for how long the process would be taking place. It was even reported that Kõlvart was no longer wishing to “negotiate with filmmakers and [was] set to send an ultimatum to the […] production crew […]: the team can either accept the city’s proposal concerning road and street closures or not shoot the picture at all”8. It is practically impossible to speculate on the actual reasons for the Mayor’s publically exposed displeasure, but the media feedback on the Kõlvart’s message was, in general terms, summarised and formulated by the opinion of Andrew Whyte, Managing Editor of ERR News:

4 Kersti Kaljulaid in ‘Christopher Nolan spy thriller to be filmed in Tallinn’. 5 Anna Põld, ‘The plot of Nolan’s movie features Estonia’ in Postimees. 7 June 2019. Available from [https://news.postimees.ee/6702371/the-plot-of-nolan-s-movie-features-estonia]. 6 Põld. 7 ‘Gallery: Christopher Nolan, John David Washington arrive in Tallinn’ in ERR. 11 June 2019. Available from [https://news.err.ee/951234/gallery-christopher-nolan-john-david-washington-arrive-in-tallinn]. 8 Sander Punamäe, ‘Kõlvart hits production team with ultimatum’ in Postimees. 14 June 2019. Available from [https://news.postimees.ee/6707580/kolvart-hits-production-team-with-ultimatum].

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Needless to say, we need to ditch Kõlvart if portrayed as the defender of the common man and woman in Tallinn, against the corrupting influence of the exploitative outsider. It does not tell the whole story. There is another way of looking at the impasse (except it is not really that either – the movie will go ahead). Far from being smart, Kõlvart and his minions are acting incredibly stupidly in trying to obstruct one of the best things to happen to Tallinn in a long time, and losing Nolan’s custom – which they will not do of course – would be a tremendous own goal.9

As for the public, for few days, they went in thousands – having travelled to Tallinn from different Estonian localities and, in some cases, from Finland, Latvia and thereabouts – to be filmed in the movie’s mass scenes10. Each of the local participant had to sign an agreement of confidentiality, therefore there are only rumours about the actual happenings during the process of filming. However, the Estonian people do not mind – a real Hollywood still ‘lives’ in Tallinn, (would anybody ever believe) has already arrived to join the crew11, and, using a less sarcastic tone, a more experienced societal cluster has a perspective to see Sir walking in the medieval Old Town of the Estonian capital city. A total ‘nirvana’ for a movie buff society in any country! For the next year, it is very easy to make a prediction about the movie that will be the most watched by the people of the Republic of Estonia – ‘Tenet’ is planned to be released on 17 July 202012.

In the thrilled midst of the fictional social platforms created by Hollywood, there was a distinct moment when History (on such an occasion, this word needs to written with the capital letter ‘H’), retook the imagery stage for few instants. On 15 June 2019, Margrethe II, the Queen of Denmark arrived to Tallinn to celebrate a super-special day – the Danish National Flag’s 800th Anniversary. The Dannebrog – by this name the Flag is known in Denmark and globally – is a significant symbol, because there is a reason to claim that it is the world’s oldest national banner. Why Estonia then?

9 Andrew Whyte, ‘Opinion: Laagna Road procession of deadlocks itself worthy of a Nolan movie’ in ERR. 17 June 2019. Available from [https://news.err.ee/953038/opinion-laagna-road-procession-of-deadlocks-itself- worthy-of-a-nolan-movie]. 10 ‘Galerii: Linnahalli juures jätkuvad Nolani linateose võtted’ in Postimees. 19 June 2019. Available from [https://kinoportaal.postimees.ee/6711190/galerii-linnahalli-juures-jatkuvad-nolani-linateose-votted]. 11 ‘Robert Pattinson arrives in Tallinn’ in ERR. 17 June 2019. Available from [https://news.err.ee/953035/actor- robert-pattinson-arrives-in-tallinn]. 12 Kyle Kizu, ‘What will Christopher Nolan do with his next movie?’ in . 23 May 2019. Available from [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/tenet-what-is-christopher-nolans-next-movie- 1213038].

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There is a centuries-old legend that, on 15 June 1219, a particular red flag with a white cross on it “fell from the heavens”13 during a Livonian Crusade encounter, the Battle of Lyndanisse, when the Kingdom of Denmark together with some Germanic allies were fighting against Estonian tribes. The exact battlefield-associated spot is known in history as the Danish King’s Garden, and it is now situated on a slope of Toompea, a limestone hill in the Old Town of Tallinn where both the country’s Parliament and the Government’s House are also located. On its official web-portal, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that “King Valdemar II of Denmark began his great crusade to Estonia exactly 800 years ago, in 1219 […] [,] [where] the Danes began building a stronghold [;] [t]oday, the place is known as Tallinn – from the words ‘Taani linn’ or ‘Danish town’”14.

Considering the significance of the occasion, the big anniversary-related event generated plenty of interest from the public – the visitors “had the chance to enjoy choir music and Danish jazz as well as Estonian folk music, visit thematic tents to learn about Estonian-Danish relations, participate in games, drawings, and thematic activities as well as taste Estonian and Danish food”15. The day was culminating with the Gala Concert ‘Estonia 100 and Dannebrog 800’ at the Estonia Concert Hall, where “the world-renowned Danish baroque orchestra Concerto Copenhagen and Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir”16 performed a special musical gem. History has plenty of positive reverse effects – the Dannebrog story is one of those, which make a narrative on a fierce historic battle turning into a fairy tale.

13 ‘Galleries: Queen of Denmark visits Freedom Square, Danish King's Garden’ in ERR. 15 June 2019. Available from [https://news.err.ee/952743/galleries-queen-of-denmark-visits-freedom-square-danish-king-s-garden]. 14 ‘Dannebrog 800’ in Välisministeerium. Available from [https://vm.ee/en/dannebrog-800]. 15 ‘Galleries: Queen of Denmark visits Freedom Square, Danish King's Garden’. 16 ‘Gala Concert “Estonia 100 and Dannebrog 800”’. Available from [http://www.decc.ee/en/events/events/event/320-gala-concert-estonia-100-and-dannebrog-800].

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