Names Engraved in Marble (2002)
"Nimed marmortahvlil" (original title)

This movie is about Estonian freedom. How Estonian schoolboys fought against Soviet Union soldiers and won freedom in 1918.

Director:

Elmo Nüganen

Writers:

Albert Kivikas (novel), Elmo Nüganen (screenplay),

Stars:

Priit Võigemast, Indrek Sammul, Hele Kõre

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Priit Võigemast	...	Henn Ahas
Indrek Sammul	...	Ants Ahas
Hele Kõre	...	Marta
Alo Kõrve	...	Käsper
Ott Aardam	...	Kohlapuu
Karol Kuntsel	...	Martinson
Anti Reinthal	...	Tääker
Ott Sepp	...	Mugur
Mart Toome	...	Miljan
Argo Aadli	...	Konsap
Bert Raudsep	...	Käämer (as Bert Raudsepp)
Jaan Tätte	...	Captain
Hannes Kaljujärv	...	Militia unit leader
Peter Franzén	...	Sulo Kallio
Guido Kangur	...	Karakull

Storyline

Based on an acclaimed 1935 novel about the War of Liberation (1918-1920) that ensured Estonia's independence, the film tells about a group of young schoolboys heading to the front to fight the army of Soviet Russia.

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Plot Keywords:

estonia | anti communist | war for independence | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Taska Productions [ee] TipTheAuthors [EST]

Country:

Estonia Finland

Language:

Estonian German Finnish

Release Date:

1 November 2002 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Names in Marble

Filming Locations:

Tartu, Estonia

Box Office

Budget:

EEK 24,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Matila Röhr Productions (MRP), Taska Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

There's a surfaced road in one scene, but in Tartu in 1918 there were no tarmac roads.

User Reviews

Effective propaganda, in the best sense

My wife and I saw this at the Toronto Film Festival debut, as a walk-in, knowing nothing about it.

The film deserves wider viewer-ship in North America, for the many reasons given by other reviewers.

The only novel comment I can make is that this is a propaganda film, in the very best sense. 'Propaganda' usually brings to mind more or less crude attempts from totalitarian regimes to manipulate (or ignore) facts in the service of a political agenda. We can (if we wish) admire 'Triumph of the Will' as a masterpiece of effective propaganda: do your feet begin to tap when they sing the Anthem of Nazi Youth? We can also admire 'Guadalcanal Diary' as wartime propaganda that presents the Marine Corps in an ideal light, while for reasons of wartime security the lost Battle of Savo Island is ignored.

'Names in Marble' like the Polish 'Katyn' is in contrast an effort to present historical truth effectively to a new generation that may have forgotten it, if indeed they ever knew it. One of the lingering effects of the 'former Soviet Union' is the re-writing of central and eastern European popular history, to turn nationalist patriots into enemies of the state. (One of the most popular Polish TV series of the 60s presents a Polish tank unit fighting alongside their Soviet brothers, an utter non-event but very useful to the regime).

See the movie.