Smoke Sauna Sisterhood

In the middle of a snow-covered Estonian forest, women meet in a blazing hot smoke sauna. In the deep darkness of the sauna, shrouded in smoke, they talk about their lives - about lust and shame, about first love and traumas. In the silence of the sauna, a meditative space is created in which the women can speak openly and without prejudice. The conversations make the strong solidarity between the women palpable.

The film accompanies this shared ritual in calm, very intimate images. The sauna becomes a place of honesty, of listening and perhaps also of healing. Wood, heat, smoke and birch branches characterize the atmosphere and connect the personal stories with a centuries-old tradition. Estonia's sauna culture is over 800 years old and has been declared an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. The film shows how a strong community can emerge from a shared space and old traditions, where women in their vulnerability can feel the healing effect of female solidarity.