Imbi Paju and Tiit Ojasoo have been awarded by Foreign Ministry Cultural Stipends

15.01.2010

Foreign Minister Paet Presented Foreign Ministry Cultural Stipends to Imbi Paju and Tiit Ojasoo

15.01.2010
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Today Foreign Minister Urmas Paet presented Foreign Ministry cultural stipends to two creative Estonians—author, director and journalist Imbi Paju and theatre director Tiit Ojasoo.

Foreign Minister Paet stated that Imbi Paju and Tiit Ojasoo have made a significant contribution to successfully presenting Estonia’s society and culture abroad. “We wish to recognise both of these creative individuals—as a result of their valuable artistic and intellectual work, many more people abroad know about Estonia’s society and history,” stated Foreign Minister Paet.

Tiit Ojasoo is a respected Estonian director who views social life and the events therein with a critical eye. Ojasoo’s production “ГЭП—Garjatšije estonskije parni” has participated in many theatre festivals abroad. The production has travelled outside of Estonia more than any other Estonian production. In March of 2009 the production took the stage at the Russian theatre festival “Golden Mask” and in May at the a/d Werf festival in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In 2008 performances were given in Cologne, Oldenburg, St. Petersburg, Tampere, Wiesbaden, Vienna, Torun, and Bern, and in 2007 in Poniewiez, Lithuania.

Imbi Paju attempts to look to the future by talking about the past, since the way to a healthier society is by examining its painful areas. Imbi Paju examines history primarily through emotions. In 2009 Imbi Paju premiered her historical-psychological documentary film “Sisters Across the Gulf of Finland”. It premiered in Helsinki, Tallinn and Brussels. Paju’s film talks about the experiences of Estonian and Finnish women through the events of the 1930s, the Second World War, and the Soviet occupation. In 2005 Paju’s documentary film “Memories Denied” was released, which describes two sisters growing up among Stalinism, Soviet occupation and terror, where suppressing one’s memories was the only form of self-defence. In March of 2009, a compilation of articles created in co-operation by Imbi Paju and Sofi Oksanen entitled “Fear Behind Us All” was published on the 60th anniversary of the Estonian deportations.

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