First occupied by the Soviets in 1939, then by the Nazis, and then by the Soviets again, Estonia lived through decades of terror. By the end of World War II, more than one-quarter of the population had been deported to Siberia, been executed, or had fled the country. Music sustained the Estonian people during those years, and was such a crucial part of their struggle for freedom that their successful bid for independence is known as the Singing Revolution.

The Singing Revolution is the first film to tell this historically vital tale. “This is a story that has not been told outside Estonia,” said filmmaker James Tusty, who is of Estonian descent. “We felt it was time the rest of the world knew of the amazing events that happened here.”

In 1999, Tusty and his wife and co-producer Maureen lived in Tallinn, Estonia, while teaching film production at an Estonian University. The experience sparked their interest in the Singing Revolution, and in 2001 they returned to Estonia to teach and also to begin the meticulous research that would anchor their documentary.

To make the film, the Tustys interviewed more than forty movement leaders, Estonian statesmen, and average citizens. They also combed through archives around the world...unearthing rare, forgotten footage of life under Soviet rule.

Four years in the making, The Singing Revolution is a moving, intensely human testament to the sustaining power of hope and the motivating strength of song. The film reflects the indomitable human drive for personal freedom, political independence, and self-determination.

The Singing Revolution was produced by Mountain View Productions with Allfilm and Northern Light Productions, and in association with the U.S.-Baltic Foundation, The Estonian American National Council, and the Moving Picture Institute. The executive producers are Steve and Karla Jurvetson. The producers are the Tustys, Bestor Cram, Piret Tibbo-Hudgins, and Artur Talvik. The directors are the Tustys and Mike Majoros. The film was edited by Mike Majoros and written by Majoros and the Tustys.

The Filmmakers:

James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty (USA) (on the left in the picture) are the primary filmmakers of The Singing Revolution. They conceived the film, meticulously researched the subject matter, and worked collaboratively as Producers/Directors/Writers on the project. This is the Tustys' first feature film. Prior to The Singing Revolution, they have separately and together produced hundreds of programs, including television programs, TV commercials, and corporate films for some of the largest corporations in the world including Coca-Cola, GE, and IBM. Both have extensive international experience, having shot films in over thirty countries around the world. Maureen’s work has been seen on U.S. public television and she is an adjunct faculty member of Tallinn University in Estonia, where she teaches film production. Jim has prior experience with Eastern European production. He produced several Russian language programs for McGraw-Hill that were shot in multiple locations in Russia in 1986 and 1988, and immediately after the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, he produced a fifteen-part series on free market economics for Hungarian television. Maureen Castle Tusty and James Tusty together now run Sky Films Incorporated, which is distributing The Singing Revolution in all its forms.

Mike Majoros (USA) spent more than a year editing and writing the film. Together with Jim and Maureen, Mike played a major role in shaping the structure of the story...no easy task given the complexity of the history. He shares the Director/Writer credit with the Tustys. Mike has spent the last 20 years making feature-length documentaries about a broad range of subjects: Maasai warriors from Kenya marketing their culture in the US, homeless men surviving on the streets, veterans protesting to raise awareness about the futility of the Vietnam war, and people in wheelchairs confronting an inadequate healthcare system. His work has received dozens of awards, and has been screened internationally at festivals including Sundance and Berlin, as well as on PBS. In 1985, he received his graduate degree from the MIT Media Lab, and later he taught thesis level film production at the Rhode Island School of Design for 15 years. He is currently producing a documentary about nomadic life Mongolia.

Bestor Cram (USA) has over twenty years of experience as a director, producer and cinematographer. A friend of the Tustys for decades, Bestor was involved from the very beginning in formulating the creative approach to this story. He founded Northern Light in 1982, and has built it into one of the premiere documentary production companies producing works ranging from broadcast documentaries to historical, dramatic and educational media to Fortune 500 image pieces. As a cinematographer, Bestor has filmed and videotaped for all the major networks. The company has won numerous awards and prizes for its work, and additionally, Bestor has won many grants and prizes for his independent work. His independent film, Unfinished Symphony , premiered at Sundance in the Documentary Competition in 2001 and has won top honors at film festivals around the world. Bestor holds a BA in economics from Denison University, pursued graduate studies at the West Surrey College of Art and Design in Guildford , England , and has taught film at MIT, and the Maine Film & Television Workshops. He is a Vietnam Veteran.

Piret Tibbo-Hudgins (Estonia) worked as a Producer in Estonian state film studio Tallinnfilm after graduating in 1985 from All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow. Piret was the key Estonian producer for The Singing Revolution post-production and distribution. She helped with archival footage, negotiated Estonian contracts, and launched the film very successfully in Estonia. Over a five-year period from 1986-91 she produced three feature films. In the beginning of 90's she became a freelance filmmaker in different international productions. In 1995 Piret co-founded Allfilm and was a Managing Director of company until 2002. Since 2002 she has been working again as a Producer. For the fourth year, she is lecturing audiovisual management, first at Tallinn University, now at Baltic Film and Media School.

Artur Talvik (Estonia) is currently a partner and producer at the production company Ruut. Artur worked closely with the Tustys in the early stages of the project, organizing the first promotional trailer, supervising location shooting in Estonia, and introducing the Tustys to numerous Singing Revolution leaders who ended up in the film. He graduated from the Higher Theatre School of the Estonian Music Academy majoring in acting and has previously worked as a stage actor and a radio reporter, freelanced as a film producer and director and led the Council of the Estonian Film Foundation. Before becoming a partner at Ruut, he was one of the owners of the film studio Allfilm. Talvik has produced and directed more than ten documentary films, more than a hundred commercials, and produced five feature films; among them, the Estonian-German co-production Kõrini! (Fed Up! Ruut/Saxonia Media 2006).