LEGENDS OF WINDING ROADS – A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT LADA VFTS’ AND RALLY DRIVERS BACK IN THE 80S

A NEW FILM FROM THE MAKERS OF OTT TÄNAK – THE MOVIE!

One of the golden decades of 100-year-old Estonian autosport was the 80s. Estonians were such great rally drivers that several of our crews raced in the ranks of the USSR team every season. The status of a member of the Soviet Union team was the peak, and it was every driver’s dream to get there because it was the door behind the Iron Curtain. They drove a Lada VFTS with Group B homologation, which has become a cult object among Lada fans today. The cars were produced in Lithuania under the leadership of honored USSR Rally ChampionStasys Brundza at the Vilnius Vehicle Factory, in Russian Vilnjusskaja Fabrika Transportnõh Sredstv, hence the abbreviation VFTS.

The VFTS was supposed to show the world how good the Lada is. In the late 1970s, the Soviet Union began to market the Lada outside of its own country, and it was advertised through autosports. The Soviet Union rally team was sent to compete in the European and World Championships in countries overlapping the Lada markets. 

Estonian autosport enthusiasts have found our drivers’ former cars and breathed new life into them. The film shows the rebirth of four rally cars driven by Ilmar Raissar-Rein Talvar, Vello Õunpuu-Aarne Timusk, Vallo- Soots, Toomas-Putmaker, and Hardi Mets-Udo Mets. The rally cars are restored by experienced ESSR champions and their mechanics and the younger mechanics of the RedGrey Team. The goal is to maintain the authenticity of the vehicles, up to the nuts and bolts.

The rally legends have many untold stories about life as top rally drivers in the absurd Soviet system and on the world’s rally stages. 

 You can keep up to date with the film by following the FB page: facebook.com/vftsfilm

 The film will premiere in April 2023.

The film portrays the popular composer and pianist, Rein Rannap. His contribution to Estonian music is invaluable, but he is a very complex and controversial person who often puts the patience of singers and musicians to the test. In numerous TV shows, the viewer has met Rannap just the way he wants to show himself. He has a great ability to put on a mask and present a carefully composed text in interviews. When the cameras are filming, Rein plays his role. He also had his own vision of the finished documentary, which was in conflict with that of the filmmakers. Above all, they fascinated them as a maestro person – to look behind the mask and show Rannapi and help to understand why he has become such a person.

The same team has previously made the documentaries “Ott Tänak – The Movie” and “Estonian Soil and Estonian Ruja”.

The documentary “Lydia” portrays the acclaimed Song Festival conductor and music teacher Lydia Rahula. She has inspired the kids to love music for over five decades. However, his life’s work is the Tallinn Boys’ Choir. Besides vocal training, she has also raised generations of boys to be a gentleman. Thanks to her, many Estonian men are much better men.

It’s unbelievable that Lydia is in her eighties. She is extremely vital and full of energy. It is no problem for her even to have a football match with the boys. After all, age is nothing but a number, and she proves it.

The film’s culmination is the Estonian Song Festival in 2019, one of the largest choral events in the world, where Lydia is conducting the united boy’s choirs.

What’s life like for Ott Tänak in the WRC carousel? There is a whole team behind every top rally driver. Ott also has some fellow Estonians accompanying him, like a personal physical preparation trainer, a weatherman, and the gravel crew. What do they all do? What do the rally drivers wear? How hot will it get in an un-air-conditioned rally car, and what tricks are used to relieve the heat? How do the wives of Ott Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja feel about their husbands’ profession? Tänak receives invitations to glamorous social events as a top racer, but why would he rather stay at home?

Ott Tänak – The Movie: The Series:
In 2018, the film crew followed the Estonian rally driver Ott Tänak throughout the entire season of the world rally championship. The documentary ‘Ott Tänak – The Movie’ premiered in 2019, and it became a blockbuster! Yet there still was a lot of exclusive footage filmed in 13 countries. The external hard drives hold over 150 hours of exclusive footage! So, the filmmakers put together a 5-part TV series. It would have been pity to just let it stand. The series explores the life of a top rally driver. It is aimed for all rally fans and for everyone interested in traveling, human relationships, and who would like to discover a new exciting world one usually can’t be privy to.

The film portrays Estonian rally driver Ott Tänak, one of the most elusive athletes in the eyes of the media with highly reclusive character. His self-willed tenacity has forged this stubborn country boy with a roller-coaster career into a driven rally pilot. For the first time, he is in reach of fulfilling his childhood dream – to snatch the world championship title from equally hungry competitors.

In the course of one season viewers gain rare access to the process of rooting for Ott’s pursuit for the World Rally Championship (WRC) title and simultaneously witness him getting accustomed to the new car on the new team. Through the eyes of the top driver whose daily routine sees him race at deadly speeds all over the globe, both the nail-biting and the glamorous life of the rallying world is seen.

In parallel with the ups and downs from one rally to the next, a touching story of a stubborn kid from a small island in Northeastern Europe breaking into the rallying elite in spite of the long and winding road enravels.

In addition to Ott himself, people who have been close to him at different times in his life are opening up about the foundations of his adventurous life and career.

“The best quality film I’ve ever seen of rally.” – Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport

“It showed the highs, the lows and everything in between. The reality we never get to see. The human story.” – Becs Williams, Rally Commentator

“The film, like Tänak’s career, is a rollercoaster.” – David Evans, Autosport

It wasn’t long ago when we used horses widely for building houses, dousing fires, delivering post, working the fields and even traveling the world. Today, instead of watching horses in everyday usage, we’re left with watching them as part of horse shows as much as we come to see pop stars at Saku Suurhall venue. Tallinn International Horse Show with its sixteen years of history has earned their reputation as the Song Festival of the Estonian horse people.

The brand new documentary that offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse to horse shows and explores the inner lives of the people infected with the so-called horse disease, tells the story of how the idea to bring to Estonia the first and thus far the only indoor competition saw the light of day, what kind of hardships and happier moments the organisers had to face in the early years, and why a group of businessmen have thrown colossal sums of money into the seemingly bottomless and unappreciated pit.

Traditional Christmas Concert of Tallinn Boys’ Choir in St Nicholas’ Church

Recorded on 26 December 2017

In 2016, Rein Rannap together with a youth project rock band, headed by Kristjan Kannukene and comprising of a group of top young musicians, recorded the early period songs of the legendary ensemble Ruja. It could have been the first original Estonian rock album had the authorities back in the early 1970’s allowed for the band to record and publish such an album. The music documentary sees Ruja’s leader Rein Rannap reminiscing about the early days of Ruja intertwining with the footage of the studio album recording process. The film is produced by Sterotek Film.

On August 20th of 2017 the legendary Estonian rock band Ruja was reunited. They performed for just one show at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. The event was the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Estonian independence. The original members of the band were joined by Estonia’s most talented instrumentalists and singers. The pairing produced a powerful and engaging concert that created an unforgettable experience for everyone attending it.

The documentary Estonian Soil and Estonian Ruja captures this extraordinary event and shares the complete experience with the audience. From behind the scenes and exciting stage performance the viewer is immersed in the thrill of the special evening.

Ruja was one of the foremost Estonian rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. The band was created by pianist Rein Rannap in 1971 while he was in the 11th grade. Couple of years later a 10th grader Jaanus Nõgisto joined the band on guitar. Shortly he became the second leader of Ruja.

Rein Rannap has written most of Ruja’s songs both as a composer and pianist. Rannap has always been notorious for his ability to mix different genres. He has composed a diverse variety of music (symphonic, chamber, choral and for film and theater), but more than anything else he is loved for his popular songs.

The complex relationship between Rein Rannap and Jaanus Nõgisto has created a kind of myth. For the first time it is possible to see the passionate work of the two men when rehearsing for the concert. Their willingness to work towards the same goal despite their differences should be inspiring for any musician. As colorful characters, they offered a lot of admirable materials and savory moments for the film-makers.

The band’s lineup shifted over time, the lead vocalist Urmas Alender was the only constant member from the beginning until the break-up on 1988. Unfortunately Urmas Alender died in the sinking of passenger ferry M/S Estonia on the September 28th of 1994. The legendary singer is also remembered in the film.

The musical documentary Estonian Soil and Estonian Ruja has been produced by Sterotek Film.