Goodbye Soviet Union

Goodbye Soviet Union (Estonian: Hüvasti, NSVL, Finnish: Näkemiin Neuvostoliitto) is a 2020 Estonian-Finnish tragicomedy film and the first Ingrian film. It was written and directed by Lauri Randla.^[1]

Goodbye Soviet Union
Directed by	Lauri Randla
Written by	Lauri Randla
Produced by	Peeter Urbla Mark Lwoff Misha Jaari
Starring	Niklas Kouzmitšev Nika Savolainen Ülle Kaljuste Tõnu Oja Pääru Oja Elene Baratašvili Jekaterina Novosjolova
Cinematography	Elen Lotman
Edited by	Leo Liesvirta Andres Hallik
Production companies	Exitfilm Bufo
Release date	July 10, 2020 (2020-07-10)
Running time	86 minutes
Countries	Estonia Finland
Languages	Finnish Estonian Russian

Plot

Set during the final years of the Soviet Union, the film follows Johannes (Niklas Kouzmitšev), a young boy growing up in an Ingrian family in Soviet Estonia. Johannes's free-spirited mother (Nika Savolainen) is drawn to Western ideals, while his grandmother (Ülle Kaljuste) hopes to raise him as a loyal Soviet citizen. Amid the backdrop of Estonia's push for independence, Johannes navigates family tensions, his mother's emigration to Finland, and his first love with a Chechen girl named Vera (Elene Baratašvili).

Cast

• Niklas Kouzmitšev - Johannes
• Nika Savolainen - Mother
• Ülle Kaljuste - Grandmother
• Tõnu Oja - Grandfather
• Pääru Oja - Uncle Kolja
• Elene Baratašvili - Vera
• Jekaterina Novosjolova - Lidia
• Luule Komissarov

Production

The film was financed by Estonian Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Eurimages, and Eesti Kultuurkapital, and was co-produced with Yle. Distribution in Finland was handled by B-Plan Distribution. Both Estonian Film Institute and the Finnish Film Foundation expressed strong early interest in the project.^[2] Notably, it became the largest single investment by Estonian Film Institute.^[2]

Reception

The film was initially slated for release in March 2020, but its premiere was delayed. Pre-screenings in June were met with high demand, selling out in parts of the Helsinki metropolitan area.^[3]

Reviews

The film received generally positive reviews, with praise for its humor and unique perspective on Soviet life.

Rating (out of 5) | Reference

Karjalainen | 4/5 | [4]

Me Naiset | 4/5 | [5]

Helsingin Sanomat | 2/5 | [6]