26/09/2012 - Dark satire by Toomas Hussar to represent Baltic county in consideration for 2013 Academy Awards

Toomas Hussar's Mushrooming (Seenelkäik) has been selected as Estonian’s entry for the 2013 Academy Awards.

The film follows the fortunes of politician Aadu Kägu (Raivo E. Tamm) who is desperate to connect with the voting public. But, unbeknownst to him, a scandal is brewing over his expenses, which will be an embarrassment to his party. But after going into the forest to pick mushrooms with his wife and hitch-hiking rock star Zak, Kägu goes missing. As he struggles with his spouse, travelling companion, the elements and the inhabitants of the forest, his party secretly hope that he’ll stay missing…

Receiving its world premiere in the East of the West competition at the 2012 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival the blend of political satire, farcical humour and dark drama has already proved popular with festivals and audiences. Also screening at the likes of Toronto, the film was released domestically recently and has had the most popular opening weekend of an Estonian film this year.

The film was chosen from the six Estonian released domestically between October 1 2011 and Septemeber 30 2012; The Idiot, Bad Hair Friday, Lonely Island, Umbkotid, That's It! and eventual winner Mushrooming. The jury consisted of the Estonian Film Institute Head of International Relations Tristan Priimägi, producer Anneli Ahven, director Anu Aun and distributors Tiina Savi and Timo Diener.

Mushrooming will be joined by the short Body Memory, Ülo Pikkov's spectacularly popular abstract animation that has won numerous awards across the festival circuit including top honours at the Krakow and Leipzig Film Festivals.