SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD

In the organizer's words:

EST/FRA/ISL 2023, documentary film, 89 min.

Director: Anna Hints.

Language: OmU (Estonian, Seto, Võro with German subtitles).

The smoke sauna is a sacred place where all taboos fall away along with the covers. A group of women meet in this remote place, seemingly far away from civilization, and confide in each other, share their stories, reveal painful experiences and thus tell a story of female pain and life experience. Smoke, sweat, wood, birch twigs and ritual chants accompany each sauna session, which ends with a plunge into the cold water of the lake to cleanse body and soul.

The film takes us to a mystical place that almost seems to have fallen out of time. The sensitively chosen camera angles never seem voyeuristic and at the same time capture the magic of this special place. Paired with the soft voices of the women, an intimate portrait of a custom that has provided a place for feminist solidarity for centuries emerges.

ENG: The smoke sauna is a sacred place where all taboos fall away along with the clothes. A group of women meet in this remote place, seemingly far away from civilization, and share their personal and at times painful stories and thus tell a story of female experience. Smoke, sweat, wood, birch twigs and ritual chants accompany each sauna session, which ends with a plunge into the cold water of the lake to cleanse body and soul.

The film takes us to a mystical place that almost seems to have fallen out of time. The sensitively chosen camera angles never seem voyeuristic and are paired with the quiet voices of the women to create an intimate portrait of a custom that has provided a place for feminist solidarity for centuries.

Price information:

- 7.00 € (regular) - 5.50 € (reduced*) - 3.50 € (with Leipzig Pass, disabled pass, volunteer pass) - Films longer than 130 min: + 1.00 € - Tickets are available online (plus € 0.70 booking fee), remaining tickets at the Box Office.