02/04/2013 - Main film organisation for Estonia re-organised with changes at the top

The Estonian Film Institute, the newly titled Estonian Film Foundation, have named Edith Sepp-Dallas (photo) as their new head. Sepp studied at the Lodz Film School in Poland as well as Sheffield University in the UK and, over the past few years, has served as a cinema adviser for the Culture Ministry of Estonia and will replace previous head Marge Liiske. The move represents the latest in a series of changes at the EFI that has seen the Baltic country’s film body overhauled with a number of new remits including marketing and film heritage.

Some of the changes at the EFI have not been without controversy with some filmmakers believing that the changes have been rushed through by Estonia’s Culture Ministry without any consultation with the industry. There has also been concern with the lack of filmmaker presence on the EFI’s board. The appointment of respected producer Piret Tibbo-Hudgins, who will become the chief producer for reviewing financial applications, may mollify some of the criticism that has been levelled at the new body. Tibbo-Hudgins is a prolific producer whose latest film Mushrooming premiered at Karlovy Vary and managed to crack the Box Office top ten of all movies released in Estonia during 2012.