The Singing Revolution

On Saturday afternoon, I went down to the U Vic movie theatre to watch a movie called The Singing Revolution.

My parents had gone to see it in Toronto, and as it turns out, it was the last day it was showing here in Victoria. I headed down after the run and ride, and caught the 2:45pm matinee. Here's a short preview of the movie.



It turned out to be a really interesting movie, chronicling the struggles that Estonia faced while under Soviet, German, and again Soviet rule. I had heard stories from my mom of what the conditions were like when her parents left Estonia for Sweden then onto Canada, but to see it in the movie put it into perspective.

"First occupied by the Soviets in 1939, then by the Nazis, and then by the Soviets again, Estonia lived through decades of terror. By the end of World War II, more than one-quarter of the population had been deported to Siberia, been executed, or had fled the country. Music sustained the Estonian people during those years, and was such a crucial part of their struggle for freedom that their successful bid for independence is known as the Singing Revolution.

"The Singing Revolution" is the first film to tell this historically vital tale. "This is a story that has not been told outside Estonia," said filmmaker James Tusty, who is of Estonian descent. "We felt it was time the rest of the world knew of the amazing events that happened here.""

Check out the website and see if it's playing in your area. I heard that it has been held over in Toronto. It's definitely worth seeing.