Best of Fest Encore Screening
And now for something completely different … an offbeat crime thriller set in medieval Tallinn. Handsome young apothecary Melchior is known for his skill in diagnosing illnesses and concocting medications, but in addition, he has a knack for solving grisly murders. The first in a trilogy of films directed by Elmo Nüganen, based on the popular seven novel series by Estonian author Indrek Hargla, finds Melchior investigating the murder of a famous knight known for driving pirates from the Baltic Sea. He soon discovers the victim was hunting a mysterious “Tallinn prisoner” whose trail leads to the local Dominican monastery. A series of gruesome murders follows, putting anyone who gets a sniff of this mystery in mortal danger. At the same time, the apothecary grows increasingly suspicious of his own apprentice, who seems to be hiding something. Estonia’s most-viewed film this year profits from the wealth of well-preserved architecture from Tallin’s Golden Age. –Alissa Simon
Director Biography
Elmo Nüganen is one of Estonia’s most highly regarded theater and film directors, as well as an acclaimed actor, and is the artistic director of the Tallinn City Theatre. He is the director of 1944 (2015), which was the Estonian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.