Festival Blog Wednesday, November 5th

The Festival-Wednesday at the 35th FilmFestival Cottbus

The second day of the festival is all about discovery - from Estonian myth and Ukrainian resilience to Sorbian heritage, Wednesday’s program offers a rich tapestry of stories and experiences. 

For the first time, there will be a Student Day on Wednesday: all students with valid student ID cards will receive free admission at the festival box offices!

The day begins in the Kammerbühne at 10:30 a.m. with DORPAT – TARTU: VON TRACHTEN UND TATTOOS, a documentary inspired by Katrin Groth’s five-month stay as city writer in Tartu, the European Capital of Culture 2024. The following talk at 11:15 a.m. – with Groth, the filmmakers, Vera Schneider from the German Cultural Forum for Eastern Europe, and FFC Program Director Bernd Buder – explores Estonian culture, tradition, and modernity. The event is supported by the German Cultural Forum for Eastern Europe.

At 1 p.m., the Kammerbühne screens 8 VIEWS OF LAKE BIWA by Marko Raat. When several schoolchildren disappear during a boat trip, a chain of stories unfolds in an isolated Estonian fishing village. Inspired by Japanese mythology, the film paints a mysterious, poetic panorama of loss, change, and desire.

At 5 p.m., the short film program CLOSE-UP: ESTONIA at the Glad-House offers seven short films that highlight the diversity and creativity of Estonia’s film scene – between melancholy, humor, and reinvention.

The evening concludes with OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE by Alice Biletska at 8:30 p.m. in Weltspiegel Hall 3. When Sofia, a promising young musician from LA, returns to her hometown Kyjiv, a wedding celebration quickly turns into a struggle for survival as sirens wail outside. A powerful, personal story about home, family, and resilience in uncertain times.

Festival tickets are available online and at the venue box offices.