#Estonian Film and Television Awards

[vanillaninjaconfessions]

Vanilla Ninja at Estonian Film and Television Awards gala 2021

[buddyrock]

VIE “Smerichka” (Ukraine)

     The legendary Ukrainian Vocal Instrumental Ensemble “Smerichka” was founded in 1966 by a young graduate of the music school Levko Dutkovsky.

    The talented musician managed to combine the beat-style, which was gaining huge popularity in Europe in those years, with Ukrainian folklore, thereby securing the popular name “Carpathian Beatles” to “Smerichka”.

    And so ... The second half of 1966, the town of Vizhnitsy, Levko Dutkovsky's group is still without a name. The repertoire of the collective was mainly rock and roll, shake, blues and consisted of famous western hits “The Beatles”, “Rolling Stones”, “Louis Armstrong”, “Tom Jones”.

The fame of the new team scattered far beyond the boundaries of Vizhnitsa

   Young people gathered at the “dances” from all the surrounding villages and even from Cherepovets.

   New Year's holidays were approaching and for a big performance at the local cultural center, Levko writes his first author’s song - “Snowflakes Fall.” Especially for this song, backing vocalists Raisa Khotinskaya, Maria Nagolyuk, Stella Frunze, Nina Tsopa (vocal quartet of the local culture house) are invited, and Alexey Goncharuk is the lead vocalist.

    The Christmas chimes struck, the group sang “Snowflakes”, the audience burst with applause, the song was performed “encore”, then again and again ... As Levko recalled on this New Year’s Eve, he came up with a name for his VIE. In the courtyard of the house of culture grew a huge Carpathian spruce, which in Ukrainian is "Smerichka".

Success needs to be developed

     New young soloists Lydia Shevchenko and Vladimir Matvievsky are invited to the team. Stage costumes were instructed to simulate then a student of the art school of applied art, and in the future, the most famous Ukrainian fashion designer - Alla Dutkovskaya.

     Alla took the folk costume as a basis and added a modern style to it. Variety costumes “Smerichki” were distinguished by their bright originality and always unique national style.

     Levko Dutkovsky continues to write his own blues and rock works, they determined the creative path of the ensemble, and the whole Ukrainian stage for many years.

     "Smerichka" is often invited to national television and radio, by the style of performance of the VIE they recognized even without performance. But behind this success lies the tremendous work of both the whole team, and especially its leader, who is madly in love with his job, who trained most of his musicians from scratch.

     Levko literally infected everyone with music; rehearsals sometimes began at 4 o’clock in the morning. In 1968, Levko’s song “Desire” was performed by a student at the medical school, and in the future, Ukrainian pop star Vladimir Ivasyuk.

Thus began the creative collaboration of two great Ukrainian musicians Levko Dutkovsky and Vladimir Ivasyuk

       Vladimir writes for “Smerichka” such hits as “My Sweetheart” and “Echo of Your Steps”. In early 1970, VIE became a laureate of the Republican Festival of Amateur Art. Especially for this festival new concert costumes were sewn, the first VIE vinyl minion is released.

     Smerichka is touring Romania in triumph, and in the same very successful year for the band, Ivasiuk writes immortal hits for Chervona Ruta and Vodograi for Smerichka. The company "Melody" releases a record of the series "Ukrainian Variety", which includes "Chervona Ruta" performed by VIE "Smerichka".

      The next year was no less successful for the collective, the musical film “Chervona Ruta” was shot, the main roles in it were played by the soloists of “Smerichka” and then teacher of the music school Sofia Rotaru. Vladimir Ivasyuk and the vocalists of the ensemble were invited to shoot the program “Song-71”, where they performed “Chervona Ruta” accompanied by the orchestra of Yuri Silantyev.

     In the next 1972, VIE takes part in the popular All-Union television competition “Hello, we are looking for talent”, where they win with Levko Dutkovsky’s song “Goryanka” and this victory paves the way for Smerichka to the professional stage.

    The ensemble successfully combines folk melodies with modern rhythms and central television now invites the entire ensemble to “Song-72” with Ivasyuk’s composition - “Vodograi” (initially the central editorial office approved Dutkovsky’s song for the contest, but Levko refused and insisted that it was exactly “Vodogray” Ivasyuk).

    The final touch in the career of an amateur ensemble is a joint concert with “Songs” in the columned hall of the House of Unions. The Moscow public warmly accepted the performance of ensembles from the Union republics.

     In 1973, VIE made its first steps on the professional stage from the Chernihiv Philharmonic. Triumphal tours throughout the Soviet Union. Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, two or three concerts a day and everywhere a full house.

    1975, the All-Union record company “Melody”, in a huge edition, releases the first VIE giant disc.

Movie, movie, movie ...

     Estonian television makes the musical film “Smerichka Performs,” which was shown on Central Television, but was removed from the air on Ukrainian TV and has never been broadcast, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, while Estonians sold the film to 15 foreign countries.

Black streak

     After the film, the band begins a “black streak”. Dutkovsky leaves the collective, works as a sound engineer on Chernivtsi TV, records “Golden Eagle”, “Gutsulochka”, S. Rotaru, writes phonograms for the central part and “Melodies”.

    The composition of the ensemble is constantly changing, V. Taperechkin becomes the leader, VIE records the next record in 1978, tours in Czechoslovakia and the German Democratic Republic, but Smerichka is rapidly losing its former popularity.

    In 1979, Dutkovsky returned to the leadership of the ensemble and tried to revive “Smerichka” with new soloists, but at that time, under mysterious circumstances, Vladimir Ivasyuk was killed (according to the official version - suicide).

    At the time of his death, Vladimir Ivasyuk was 30 years old. When they found him, his fingers were broken and his face was disfigured. The musician’s friends later said that a few weeks before the tragedy, Ivasyuk was shadowed by some people and threatened. The funeral in Lviv develops into protest movements.

    In 1980, VIE participated in the cultural program of the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow. In 1981, “Smerichka” won the Audience Award at the Bratislava Lyre with Raymond Pauls' song “I Draw You”.

    But the party leadership of the republic accused the collective of excessive nationalism and forced “Smerichka” to perform songs by Soviet composers, while editors of central music channels in Moscow asked for more national songs to be performed.

    In 1982, the non-party leader Levko Dutkovsky charter of constant pressure, forever leaves the team. But “Smerichka” continues to exist for another 13 years, thanks to the efforts of the talented vocalist of the ensemble Nazariy Yaremchuk.

    With his death, “Smerichka” ceases to exist and forever becomes a legend of the Ukrainian and Soviet music of the 60–80s.

[unofficial-estonia]

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[artwalktv]

Manivald, a fox, is turning 33. Overeducated, unemployed and generally uninspired, he lives with his overbearing, retired mother and spends his days learning piano while she makes his coffee and washes his socks. It is an easy life, but not a good one. Their unhealthy co-dependence is about to change when the washing machine breaks down and in comes Toomas, a sexy and adventurous wolf repairman, to fix it, and them. Directed by Chintis Lundgren Script: Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić Music: Terence Dunn Sound design: Pierre Yves Drapeau Produced by: Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio (Estonia) Adriatic Animation (Croatia) NFB - National Film Board of Canada (Canada) Supported by: EFI - Estonian Film Institute Cultural Endowment of Estonia HAVC - Croatian Audiovisual Center City of Zagreb 2017 AWARDS June 2017 Best Croatian Film - Animafest Zagreb, Croatia September 2017 Special mention - Animanima, Serbia September 2017 Craft Award for Best Script - Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada October 2017 Best European Short - 3D Wire, Spain October 2017 Best Film for Adults - International Festival of Animated Films TOFUZI, Georgia October 2017 Special Distinction Prize - BIAF - Bucheon International Animation Festival, Korea November 2017 Best Animated Short - Denver Film Festival, USA November 2017 Best Short Film - Manchester Animation Festival, UK November 2017 Golden Mikeldi Award for best animation - ZINEBI, Spain November 2017 Audience Award - New York City Short Film Festival, USA December 2017 Special Mention - Animateka Int. Animation Film Festival, Slovenia December 2017 Honorable Mention - LIAF - London Int. Animation Festival, UK February 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonia March 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - EFTA - Estonian Film- and Television Awards, Estonia April 2018 Special Mention - Aspen Shortsfest, USA April 2018 Special Mention - Animakom, Spain April 2018 Audience Award - Friss Hus - Budapest International Short Film Festival, Hungary May 2018 Best Short Film - Anifilm, Czech Republic July 2018 Special Mention - Countryside Animafest Cyprus August 2018 Special International Jury Prize - Hiroshima International Animation Festival, Japan

[taraschernenko]

Manivald from Chintis Lundgren on Vimeo.

Manivald, a fox, is turning 33. Overeducated, unemployed and generally uninspired, he lives with his overbearing, retired mother and spends his days learning piano while she makes his coffee and washes his socks. It is an easy life, but not a good one. Their unhealthy co-dependence is about to change when the washing machine breaks down and in comes Toomas, a sexy and adventurous wolf repairman, to fix it, and them.

Directed by Chintis Lundgren

Script: Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić Music: Terence Dunn Sound design: Pierre Yves Drapeau

Produced by: Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio (Estonia) Adriatic Animation (Croatia) NFB - National Film Board of Canada (Canada)

Supported by: EFI - Estonian Film Institute Cultural Endowment of Estonia HAVC - Croatian Audiovisual Center City of Zagreb

2017

AWARDS June 2017 Best Croatian Film - Animafest Zagreb, Croatia September 2017 Special mention - Animanima, Serbia September 2017 Craft Award for Best Script - Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada October 2017 Best European Short - 3D Wire, Spain October 2017 Best Film for Adults - International Festival of Animated Films TOFUZI, Georgia October 2017 Special Distinction Prize - BIAF - Bucheon International Animation Festival, Korea November 2017 Best Animated Short - Denver Film Festival, USA November 2017 Best Short Film - Manchester Animation Festival, UK November 2017 Golden Mikeldi Award for best animation - ZINEBI, Spain November 2017 Audience Award - New York City Short Film Festival, USA December 2017 Special Mention - Animateka Int. Animation Film Festival, Slovenia December 2017 Honorable Mention - LIAF - London Int. Animation Festival, UK February 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonia March 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - EFTA - Estonian Film- and Television Awards, Estonia April 2018 Special Mention - Aspen Shortsfest, USA April 2018 Special Mention - Animakom, Spain April 2018 Audience Award - Friss Hus - Budapest International Short Film Festival, Hungary May 2018 Best Short Film - Anifilm, Czech Republic July 2018 Special Mention - Countryside Animafest Cyprus August 2018 Special International Jury Prize - Hiroshima International Animation Festival, Japan

[ozkamal]

Manivald, a fox, is turning 33. Overeducated, unemployed and generally uninspired, he lives with his overbearing, retired mother and spends his days learning piano while she makes his coffee and washes his socks. It is an easy life, but not a good one. Their unhealthy co-dependence is about to change when the washing machine breaks down and in comes Toomas, a sexy and adventurous wolf repairman, to fix it, and them. Directed by Chintis Lundgren Script: Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić Music: Terence Dunn Sound design: Pierre Yves Drapeau Produced by: Chintis Lundgreni Animatsioonistuudio (Estonia) Adriatic Animation (Croatia) NFB - National Film Board of Canada (Canada) Supported by: EFI - Estonian Film Institute Cultural Endowment of Estonia HAVC - Croatian Audiovisual Center City of Zagreb 2017 AWARDS June 2017 Best Croatian Film - Animafest Zagreb, Croatia September 2017 Special mention - Animanima, Serbia September 2017 Craft Award for Best Script - Ottawa International Animation Festival, Canada October 2017 Best European Short - 3D Wire, Spain October 2017 Best Film for Adults - International Festival of Animated Films TOFUZI, Georgia October 2017 Special Distinction Prize - BIAF - Bucheon International Animation Festival, Korea November 2017 Best Animated Short - Denver Film Festival, USA November 2017 Best Short Film - Manchester Animation Festival, UK November 2017 Golden Mikeldi Award for best animation - ZINEBI, Spain November 2017 Audience Award - New York City Short Film Festival, USA December 2017 Special Mention - Animateka Int. Animation Film Festival, Slovenia December 2017 Honorable Mention - LIAF - London Int. Animation Festival, UK February 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonia March 2018 Best Animated Film of 2017 - EFTA - Estonian Film- and Television Awards, Estonia April 2018 Special Mention - Aspen Shortsfest, USA April 2018 Special Mention - Animakom, Spain April 2018 Audience Award - Friss Hus - Budapest International Short Film Festival, Hungary May 2018 Best Short Film - Anifilm, Czech Republic July 2018 Special Mention - Countryside Animafest Cyprus August 2018 Special International Jury Prize - Hiroshima International Animation Festival, Japan