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.
Main country of production
Estonia
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 (b. 1987) is an Estonian writer/director working in fiction and documentaries. Her shorts LEMBRI UUDU (2017) and THE WEIGHT OF ALL THE BEAUTY (2019) gained international acclaim, with the latter longlisted for the Oscars. Her debut feature MO MAMMA (2023) received a jury mention at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Mägi has won several awards, including the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s Young Filmmaker Award. MO PAPA (2024) is her second feature.

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.
