Eyes Of The Forest (2025)

Eyes of the Forest is a mythological short film based on historical realism that explores trauma, transformation, and the fragile boundary between reality and the unseen. Rooted in folklore and grounded by psychological realism, the film builds an immersive visual world where nature becomes both witness and force.

The film is currently in festival distribution

Official teaser (2026)

Plot summary

In a 19th-century Estonian village, Elo lives in the shadow of her husband Johan-a heavy-handed man whose drinking and violence have become part of everyday life. One early spring evening, Johan leaves their home and never returns. The village fills with whispers, yet no one knows what happened to him. Confused and restless, Elo sets out to find him. The deeper her search takes her, the stranger the world around her becomes. The villagers begin to avoid her. The forest, long considered dangerous and mysterious, starts to draw her in with quiet insistence. Then she encounters Leeno-the village elder's daughter who died years ago. But Leeno is not merely a lost child; she is a mavka, a spirit from ancient myth, whose presence suggests that Elo's world no longer obeys human laws. Small, unexplainable signs begin to appear: fresh mint leaves materialize on her table though the ground is still frozen; a foreign gaze looks back at her from the mirror. When Elo enters the church and raises her hands in prayer, she is reminded that no one saved her when she needed it most. The village looked away. The church remained silent. The answers lie in the forest-where those whom people fear reside. Following Leeno, Elo ventures deeper into the unknown. The past returns in fragmented memories she can no longer fully trust. Her body no longer feels entirely her own. As she draws closer to the truth about Johan's disappearance, it becomes clear that she is not truly searching for her husband-she is searching for herself. Standing at the boundary between two worlds, Elo must choose: to cling to a life that no longer sustains her, or to fully step into the place where she now belongs.

Overview

The short film was shot in Estonia in 2025, the idea was ornamental in 2021 and inspired by Estonian and slavic (specifically northern Ukrainian, Belorussian, Polish) folklore and mythology. The film was produced in various heritage sites and protected natural landscapes to show historical authenticity and beauty of Estonia. Among the locations are the Estonian Open Air Museum, preserving traditional rural architecture from across the country; Nina Church, one of Estonia's oldest churches that has survived largely without major architectural reconstruction; and the Siniallikad (Blue Springs) Nature Reserve, a protected natural site renowned for its crystal-clear springs and long-standing place in Estonian folklore and mythology.

The film is also a linguistic milestone. It is the first known narrative film produced entirely in the Võnnu dialect, an extinct historical variety of southern-Estonian from 18th century that is no longer spoken natively. The screenplay and dialogue were developed in close collaboration with linguists and language specialists from Võru institute to ensure historical authenticity and preserve a unique part of Estonia's cultural heritage, as the cast also worked with linguists throughout the entire process.

Eyes of the Forest at Tallinn Black Nights (PÖFF) Shorts and received international festival recognition, including awards at several film festivals and the HÕFF Award for Best Estonian Genre Film, and in May 2026 was included in Shorts Wrap program and showcased at the Short Film Corner at Rendez-vous industry screening at Festival de Cannes 2026.

Global festival recognition