Competition Programme  

The Gold Spinners tells the story of the birth, glory and downfall of a peculiar, invisible and mighty business empire. It’s a story of the film studio Eesti Reklaamfilm – the only enterprise producing commercials in the Soviet Union. In the times of the “socialist empire”, under the conditions of planned economy and universal lack of everything, it had no actual goods to advertise, marketing rules did not apply and even the word advertisement sounded almost as horrible as “the CIA”, “the saxophone” or “Coca-Cola” to the thousands of concerned officials.  

Hardi Volmer  

After graduating from the State Art Institute he started to work in the film studio Tallinnfilm as a puppet film director and production designer. At the same time he was active as a freelance scenographer in almost all Estonian and some foreign theatres. Volmer has directed and designed a number of animated films, shorts, documentaries, and two full-length feature films. He has made about 100 sets for theatrical productions and directed several plays. He has also designed books and theatre posters, and worked as a docent at the scenography department of the Estonian Art Academy.  

Selected Filmography  

Living Images / Elavad pildid (2013)

All My Lenins / Minu Lenidid (1997)

The Firewater / Tulivesi (1994)