SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD

Anna Hints / Estonia, France, Iceland / 2023 / Czech Premiere / 89 min.

synopsis

Q&A with Anna Hints

An essential part of life in southern Estonia is the smoke sauna, which is strongly linked to local folklore and traditions. It also serves as a confessional, where people can bare their thoughts as well as their bodies. As the heat radiates from the pot-bellied stove and the smoke mixes with the smell of wood, a group of women begin to share their views on menstruation, pregnancy, abortion, cancer, unsolicited penis photos and the patriarchy without fear or shame. The sense of safety and intimacy is emphasized by the close-ups that make the seated figures merge into one collective body that is not only concerned with its own physical and mental cleansing, but also with societal change.

“A sisterhood was formed during the process. Sisterhood doesn't even need to be between women; it doesn't depend on gender. It's about community. It is the connection between humans who support each other and with whom any story can be shared.” — Anna Hints

Source: Cineuropa

biography

Anna Hints (1982) is an Estonian film director and screenwriter who also works in music. She studied photography at Tartu Art School and directing in Tallinn. Her work focuses on personal and cultural memory or the (im)possibility of communication. With the short documentary For Tomorrow Paradise Arrives, she initiated a public discussion about food waste.