Baltic Event Works in Progress
Mo Hunt
"So that for once, that pain might have a meaning!"
A burnout ballerina becomes an illegal surrogate for a lonely priest, pushing her body to the limits in search of redemption — while her boyfriend clings to their love as it dissolves in the quiet storm of sacrifice, faith, and forbidden desire.
Director's note
This project was born from personal tension – the crossroads between artistic creation and the question of motherhood. As a woman navigating both, I became interested in the ways the female body carries expectations: as a vessel, a stage, and a battleground. Kore, a burned-out ballerina, channels that tension into an extreme act – offering her body in search of redemption, control, and meaning. I wanted to explore the intimate power dynamics between love, faith, and survival in a young couple drifting between artistic ambition and instability. The film looks at how ideals can be tested by economic pressure and emotional fragility. It's a story about sacrifice – both chosen and inherited – and the quiet, invisible costs of using one's body as currency.
At the same time, I wanted to reveal how blurred the line can be between artistic burnout and the search for sacrifice – while, in truth, the very systems and figures who have staged, shaped, and demanded perfection from artists are often the deeper source of their wounds. The film, then, is not only about personal choice, but also about the hidden architectures of abuse that masquerade as devotion, discipline, or destiny.
Producer's note
We are creating this film as a deeply independent project – emotionally raw, formally intimate, and grounded in lived experience. The film is part of our Mo movement, a new wave in Estonian cinema that refuses to conform. It stands for cinema that is instinctive, urgent, and free. We believe that film doesn't need grand budgets or years of scripted perfection – only the unbreakable spirit of those who dare to create.
Our motivation is to tell a story that pushes the boundaries of narrative convention while remaining rooted in emotional truth. We aim to work with a minimalist crew, real-life locations, and actors who engage in unscripted moments within authentic environments. This is a low-budget production with a lean, flexible approach – designed to embrace spontaneity, risk, and the beauty of imperfection.
Our financing strategy reflects this: we are combining small national funds, local in-kind support, and early-stage development investment to maintain creative freedom. We shot the film in August 2025 and are now in post-production. We are seeking international co-producers who share our vision and can help us secure complementary funding, post-production support, and potential pre-sales in their territories.
Subjects:
women, mental health, self realisation, abuse, art, theatre
Eeva Mägi (1987) graduated from documentary filmmaking at the Baltic Film and Media School. Since then, she has directed successful shorts such as “Lembri Uudu” (2017) and hybrid short doc “The Weight of All The Beauty” (2019) which was longlisted at the Oscars after winning Best Short Doc at Melbourne IFF; or her latest short “3rd Octave F” (2022) that kicked off at Winterthur, then won Best Estonian short at PÖFF Shorts. Mägi received the Young Filmmaker’s Award from the Estonian Cultural Endowment in 2018, and the DocPoint Tallinn Young Filmmaker Award in 2019. Her first feature film “Mo Mamma” received the Jury Special Mention Award in the PÖFF First Feature Competition programme in 2023. Filmography: Mo Mamma (PÖFF, 2023), Kellele ma naeratan? (Who am I Smiling For?, 2023, doc), Mo Papa (2025)
Eeva Mägi (1987) graduated from documentary filmmaking at the Baltic Film and Media School. Since then, she has directed successful shorts such as “Lembri Uudu” (2017) and hybrid short doc “The Weight of All The Beauty” (2019) which was longlisted at the Oscars after winning Best Short Doc at Melbourne IFF; or her latest short “3rd Octave F” (2022) that kicked off at Winterthur, then won Best Estonian short at PÖFF Shorts. Mägi received the Young Filmmaker’s Award from the Estonian Cultural Endowment in 2018, and the DocPoint Tallinn Young Filmmaker Award in 2019. Her first feature film “Mo Mamma” received the Jury Special Mention Award in the PÖFF First Feature Competition programme in 2023. Filmography: Mo Mamma (PÖFF, 2023), Kellele ma naeratan? (Who am I Smiling For?, 2023, doc), Mo Papa (2025)
Sten-Johan Lill (b. 1989) is an Estonian cinematographer whose visual storytelling has garnered consistent critical acclaim, including five Estonian Film and Television Awards (EFTAs) for Best Cinematography. His lens carries a pulse – intuitive, immersive, and sculpted with emotion. A graduate of the Baltic Film and Media School, Sten-Johan has become a trusted collaborator for some of Estonia's most visionary directors, including Veiko Õunpuu, Martti Helde, and Eeva Mägi. His body of work spans feature films, documentaries, and short films – each woven with a bold visual identity and a deep sensitivity to narrative.
Eeva Mägi (1987) graduated from documentary filmmaking at the Baltic Film and Media School. Since then, she has directed successful shorts such as “Lembri Uudu” (2017) and hybrid short doc “The Weight of All The Beauty” (2019) which was longlisted at the Oscars after winning Best Short Doc at Melbourne IFF; or her latest short “3rd Octave F” (2022) that kicked off at Winterthur, then won Best Estonian short at PÖFF Shorts. Mägi received the Young Filmmaker’s Award from the Estonian Cultural Endowment in 2018, and the DocPoint Tallinn Young Filmmaker Award in 2019. Her first feature film “Mo Mamma” received the Jury Special Mention Award in the PÖFF First Feature Competition programme in 2023. Filmography: Mo Mamma (PÖFF, 2023), Kellele ma naeratan? (Who am I Smiling For?, 2023, doc), Mo Papa (2025)