Leelo is a cheerful and lovely young girl who is smothered with love by her teacher parents. One day, the Federal Security Servicemen arrest her mother, Helmes, for resisting Russian rule and supporting Estonia’s independence. Her father Feliks tries to get his wife released, but to no avail. Feliks, as a former Estonian sports hero, is under Russian government surveillance whereby the Russian police attempt to placate him with promises of a better life if he divorces his wife. While set in the dark, post-World War II USSR ruled by Stalin, the film presents bright and beautiful imagery in warm pastel tones. The filmmaker captures the mood of this particular era through the gaze of the young Leelo, who sees warm-hearted Russians instead of Stalinist rule and oppression of Estonians. The father and daughter endure grueling hardships in yearning for the absent Helmes. Freedom finally comes with Stalin’s death in 1953, and mother returns from her Siberian exile. Based on the autobiographical novel by Leelo Tungal, this is Moonika Siimets’ feature debut film. (Erica Nam)