THE FENCER/ MIKKAILIJA

Finland, Estonia, Germany, 2015, 99 minutes, Colour.
Mart Avandi, Ursula Ratasepp, Lembert Ufsak.
Directed by Klaus Haro.



Actually, the title is quite literal. The central character has been a fencing champion earlier in his life.

And, actually, there is a fair amount of fencing in the film, with the hero himself, his teaching youngsters at school, and, finally along the lines of many sports film, a competition where the underdogs have to prove themselves.

But, that said, there is so much more to the film. It is a coproduction between Estonia, Finland and Germany, principally set in Estonia.

The prologue informs us that the the Nazi occupation of the Baltic states meant the conscription of a lot of young men to work and fight for the Germans. In the aftermath of the war, and Estonia being part of the Soviet Union, Stalin set his secret police to search out and arrest these young men.

The setting for this film is the school year, 1952-1953. We arrive in a remote Estonian town with the hero, the camera following him down the drab streets, his immediately going to the school principal’s office where he is to teach and to coach the sports club. The principal is one of those bureaucratic types, power in a small pond, later explaining that he always did what was expected of him by the authorities. And he has a younger assistant, one of those incessantly toadying types.

The hero, Endal (Mart Avandi) is in his late 20s, obviously hiding himself from authorities. He has been in Leningrad where he has a close friend who gives him advice, especially to stay hidden.

The core of the film is Endel’s work in the school, with a group of children who are poor, some of their families having disappeared. He mends skis but is then told by the principal that they have to share the skis with the local military base. He decides then to unpack his fencing gear and to suggest that some of the children might like to train in fencing – and over 20 turn up for the initial session.

While the children are very loyal, Endal confesses that he himself is very bad in dealing with children, commanding them sometimes severely. The screenplay focuses on a couple of the children, a little girl who showed initial curiosity, Marta, and the young boy, Jaan, who is hurt by Endal and wants to drop out. His grandfather, who studied in Germany, was a fencer and gives his weapons and gear to Endal. The principal of the school decides that fencing is feudal and therefore not appropriate.

A feature of the film is the principal’s meeting with a group of rather subdued parents, an image of the Soviet Union and government, but with the parents surprising daring, raising hands very tentatively, to support the fencing training in the face of the principal’s opposition. Democracy can achieve some things.

While Endal is very private person, one of the teachers at the school, herself rather reticent, is attracted and the film shows their relationship in a very gentle manner.

The film does end with a fencing tournament, Endal choosing four students to represent the school in Leningrad. He obviously runs the risk of arrest, with the principal present, with military presence, which means that there is a dramatic tension between what is achieved with the young students and what is going to happen to Endal.

In many ways quite low key in its look, in its performances, in its treatment of situations – but very telling nonetheless.


1. Acclaim for the film? A northern Europe co-production?

2. The background of the Soviet Union, audience knowledge, the extent of the Union in those decades, from the Baltic states and East satellite nations? Russia and the experience of the war, Nazi occupation of Estonia, the conscription of young men, the Stalinist police hunting them down? The background of the film in the last year of Stalin’s life, his death?

3. 1953, the drabness of life in Estonia, the outlying town, the railway station, flats and homes, the school, offices, the sports room? The harshness of Soviet life?

4. The people of the town, their drab lives, the children at school, the kids lively, the parents overcome, at the meeting to discuss sport? The principal of the school, his toadying assistant? The contrast with the fencing competition, the variety of teams and their origins throughout the union, the fencing?

5. Information about Stalin and his pursuit of the conscripted young men? Endal arriving in the town, the audience following him, the camera at his back, arriving, the streets, discussions with the principal, preferring to live in a small town, his job at the school, the sports club, the poverty of the club, the skis and having to give them to the military, his past career in fencing, offering tuition, the large number of children turning up?

6. Endal, his personal story, eluding the secret police? His friendship with Alexi, the phone calls to Leningrad? Alexi’s visit, stalking and catching him? The plans? Alexi asking Endal to coach fencing elsewhere? The principal, the strict bureaucratic approach, his assistant doing investigations in playing up to the principal? The fellow teacher, pleasant, the introduction, Endal awkward with her, saying he was not good with children?

7. Audience interest in fencing, this being a sporting film, training, underdogs, victory?� And his past, bringing his equipment? The encounter with Marta, her interest in fencing? The techniques of fencing, the stances, the arm, practice, the children responding, Endal and his severity during classes and his demands? Alexi and the gift of the fencing gear, secondhand? The issue of the competition, Endal reluctant, the challenge? His decision? The training, his choosing of his team?

8. Endal’s personal life, emotions, the encounters with teacher, the hot chocolate, their discussions, falling in love, the tenderness of their relationship? Her not wanting him to leave? The farewell at the station?

9. The range of children, Marta and her interest, Jaan and his interest, being hurt by Endal’s treatment? His grandfather, the grandfather’s career, the gift of the rapier? His arrest?

10. The principal, investigating Endal, presiding at the meeting, dominating with his ideas? His dislike of fencing? His going to the competition? The authorities, the files? The touch of relenting in urging Endal to leave?

11. The competition, the train ride, the children’s joy, borrowing equipment, competing, the detailed encounters? The conventions of sports film and the triumph of the underdogs? Marta and the touch of girl power?

12. Endal’s arrest, being taken away?

13. Stalin’s death, the release of many from the camps, Endal’s return, the children meeting him, the teacher – and the prospects for his life? The information that his sports club had endured for several decades?