Ilmar Raag

DirectorWriterActorProducer

Ilmar Raag (born May 21, 1968 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian media executive, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his socio-critical film The Class. He has served as CEO of Estonian Television from 2002 to 2005. He is a well known columnist in many prestigious Estonian newspapers (Postimees, Eesti Päevaleht). He has written many scripts and directed critically acclaimed films, notably August 1991 and The Class. He received his high school education from Aleksander Mui (:et) secondary school No 2 of Kingissepa. He graduated from University of Tartu in 1997 and received his M.A. degree in screenwriting from Ohio University, the School of Telecommunications (1999). He made internships in Hollywood development departments (New Regency, Phoenix Pictures). His further career took him to the TV management. After being the Head of Acquisitions for Estonian National Television, he was promoted to the Chairman of the Board of the same TV company. In 2002, he staged a play in one of the Estonian theaters (Ugala). At the same time, he started to consult and doctor Estonian feature scripts. In 2004, he wrote two TV feature scripts. He directed one of them - August 1991 as made-for-TV movie for Estonian Television and the other, One More Croissant got the third prize at Hartley Merill International Screenwriting Competition and the support from MEDIA New Talent program. Eager to continue his filmmaking career, he quit as CEO of Estonian Television and made his first feature film The Class in 2007. Since then he shot a feature in France Une Estonienne à Paris with Jeanne Moreau and Laine Mägi in leading roles, back in Estonia Kertu that was released in 2013 and in Russia I Won't Come Back.

21-05-1968

Birthday

Gemini

Zodiac Sign

Genres

Total Films

Also known as (male)

Kuressaare, Estonian SRR, USSR [now Estonia]

Place of Birth

21-05-1968

Birthday

Gemini

Zodiac Sign

Genres

Total Films

Also Known As (male)

Kuressaare, Estonian SRR, USSR [now Estonia]

Place of Birth

Popular works

Media

Creative career

actor

6 Works

producer

2 Works

director

21 Works

writer

10 Works

other

0 Works

Uncaught Miracle

The 6 short films of "Tabamata ime" are based on Edward Vilde's play of the same name first published in 1912. Vilde's play is about a young piano player Leo Saalep, who returns to his homeland Estonia to give a concert, and whose alleged international breakthrough has given him the long awaited role of putting Estonian culture on the map in the eyes of the local culture elite.

0.0

Year:

2006

Men at Arms

Year 1208. The first Eastward enlargement of Europe is under way. Brutal forces of the Teutonic Order are steadily marching on. In their path live a simple and peaceful people, whose main pastimes include cultivating the earth, singing and, if possible, doing both at the same time. They are the Estonians. Ignorant in the ways of war, they find an unlikely leader in a young boy with Catholic upbringing. In their fight for freedom, the Estonians encounter numerous obstacles, including the Germans, French, Russians and, worst of all, the Latvians. Will they succeed in defeating their enemies or will they experience a cultural awakening?

6.1

Year:

2005

Shop of Dreams

Three friends return from a vacation and discover that the TV studio they work for has gone bankrupt - so they decide to start their own costume renting business.

5.4

Year:

2005

Visions of Europe

Twenty-five films from twenty-five European countries by twenty-five European directors.

4.9

Year:

2004

Killing Tartu

Half the film was shot with a video camera taken from a television station without permission, the cast and staff were unpaid, and the script was written as a screenwriting class assignment.

0.0

Year:

1998

All My Lenins

Young and active nationalist Aleksander Kesküla makes up his mind to use Lenin, the Bolsheviks' leader, in order to start a revolution in Russia with German money and create a new national state of Estonia in the north-east of Russia. For security reasons, five doubles will be found and trained for Lenin. All of them are finally sent to Russia to instigate the revolution. How will the real Lenin put up with all this?

4.9

Year:

1997