10/09/2025 - The coming-of-age road movie, inspired by Mihkel Raud’s bestselling autobiographical novel, follows a teenage band on a rebellious journey through Soviet-era Estonia

l-r: Erik Hermaküla, Erling Eding, Rudolfs Apse and Timotheus Sammul in Dirt in Your Face (© Maria Kilk/Leena Kilmi/Maris Kilmi)

Estonian director Jaak Kilmi has entered post-production on his latest feature, Dirt in Your Face (Musta pori näkku), a nostalgic yet defiant road movie set against the backdrop of the late 1980s. The film draws inspiration from Mihkel Raud’s cult autobiographical novel of the same name, one of the most widely read works in contemporary Estonian literature.

Set in the summer of 1987, the film centres on 17-year-old Mihkel, a rebellious musician who sets off with his heavy-metal band, Golem, on a wild ride from Tallinn to Võru to perform at what could be the most important rock festival of their lives. As Estonia struggles under the final years of Soviet rule, the young musicians navigate the absurdities of the collapsing system alongside rivalries, love triangles and the intoxicating promise of freedom.

Mihkel’s friend and rival Hendrik, whose band has just broken up, joins the journey to impress the foreign music producers invited to the festival. He brings along his new girlfriend Liisa, who happens to be Mihkel’s dream girl, heightening tensions and emotions as the band heads south. The tour, charged with bravado and alcohol, accelerates through the absurd circumstances of a crumbling empire, colliding with the comedy and chaos of the era.

The leading roles are played by Timotheus Sammul as Mihkel Raud, Erik Hermaküla as Hendrik Sal-Saller, Erling Eding as Tarmo Kruusimäe (aka Kojamees), Carolyn Veensalu as Liisa and Rudolfs Apse as Ingvars. Other cast members include Carmen Mikiver, Nikolai Bentsler, Ago Anderson, Aarne Soro, Jaune Kimmel, Jane Napp, Simo Andre Kadastu, Kaarel Pogga, Mauri Liiv, Priit Pius, Riho Kütsar, Rain Tolk, Karin Rask and Ott Aardam.

Kilmi, known for The Dissidents, Disco and Atomic War [+see also:
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interview: Jaak Kilmi
film profile], describes the experience of shooting this film as true “rock and roll”, a nostalgic trip back to the 1980s. While the screenplay, written by Martin Algus (Kalev [+see also:
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Filming began in mid-July and wrapped last month. Cinematographer Elen Lotman (Goodbye Soviet Union [+see also:
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Dirt in Your Face is an Estonian-Latvian co-production led by Kristian Taska for Taska Film, alongside Tanel Tatter and Veiko Esken for Apollo Film Production, Janis Kalejs for Latvia’s Film Angels Studio, and Rain Rannu and Tõnu Hiielaid for Tallifornia. The project is supported by the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Cultural Endowment, the Viru Film Fund and the Tartu Film Fund, as well as the National Film Centre of Latvia and the Latvian State Guarantee Fund. The film is slated for release on 16 October 2026 through distributor HeaFilm in the Baltics.