TALLINN: Estonian director Vallo Toomla is currently in production with his sci-fi drama Beatrice, a coproduction between Estonia, Lithuania and Italy planned to be released in Estonian cinemas in February 2028.
Set in a near-future in Europe, Beatrice is an intimate and emotional love story that explores identity, closeness, and transformation. It tells the story of Kirsti, who dies in a car accident but is brought back to life in another woman’s body. Returning to her family, she must confront whether her loved ones can still recognise her, and whether she herself is still the same person.
Małgorzata Piłacińska and Vallo Toomla penned the script, based on the play Beatrice by Siret Campbell. Given the international cast, lead by Italian actress Valentina Bellè, Finnish actress Alma Pöysti, Estonian actors Priit Võigemast and Maarja Jakobson, the film will be spoken in English, Estonian, Finnish, and Italian.
Producer Evelin Penttilä says the film’s strength lies in its emotional relatability: “Although the story takes place in the near future, it speaks to very contemporary emotions: the fear of loss, the need to be loved, and the difficulty of accepting change. It is a story that resonates with audiences precisely because of its humanity.”
Evelin Penttilä and Johanna Maria Tamm are producing through Stellar Film (Estonia) in coproduction with Tanel Tatter and Veiko Esken through Apollo Film Productions (Estonia), Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė through Just a Moment (Lithuania), and Giovanni Pompili through Kino Produzioni (Italy).
The project is financed by the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Cultural Endowment, the Lithuanian Film Centre (minority coproduction and tax incentive), Apollo Film Productions, Creative Europe MEDIA, the Tartu Film Fund, Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission, and the Italian Ministry of Culture.
The total budget is 1.795 m EUR.
The shooting began on 29 April and will end on 5 June 2026. Shooting locations are Tallinn, Tartu and Vilnius.
Estonian Theatrical Distribution will release the film in Estonia.
Vallo Toomla is an Estonian film director known for his work in the independent film industry. He gained recognition for his critically acclaimed debut feature Pretenders / Teesklejad (2016, produced by Amrion), which won several awards at international film festivals.
Production Information:
Producer
Stellar Film (Estonia)
Coproducers:
Apollo Film Productions (Estonia)
Just a Moment (Lithuania)
Kino Produzioni (Italy)
Credits:
Director: Vallo Toomla
Screenwriters: Małgorzata Piłacińska and Vallo Toomla, based on the play Beatrice by Siret Campbell
DoP: Erik Põllumaa
Production designer: Jaagup Roomet
Cast: Valentina Bellè, Alma Pöysti, Priit Võigemast, Maarja Jakobson
