The Shadow

Vari

Film

Thriller

2024

In the 1890s, poet-turned-detective Juhan Liiv chases murderers through ancient forests steeped in witchcraft. What’s darker - his inner demons or the evil he hunts?

Poster of The Shadow (Vari) — the main character facing the audience in a dramatic historical crime film set in 19th-century Estonia.
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Poster of The Shadow (Vari) — the main character facing the audience in a dramatic historical crime film set in 19th-century Estonia.
IMDb official logo in white

The Shadow

The Shadow

Original Name

Vari

Vari

Film

Thriller

2024

Logline

In the 1890s, poet-turned-detective Juhan Liiv chases murderers through ancient forests steeped in witchcraft. What’s darker - his inner demons or the evil he hunts?

Description

Juhan Liiv, a struggling poet and an unlikely detective, solves gruesome murder cases in Estonia, the “Wild West” of the crumbling Russian Empire in the 1890s. Investigations take him to miserable dwellings of the local Estonian peasants, luxurious castles of German nobility that have sworn allegiance to the Czar, and to the depths of ancient for- ests where witchcraft is still practiced. Juhan is fighting crime and his own inner demons. He is considered mad and pronounced crazy. But by standing for justice and truth, at the end of the day, he is the sanest of them all.

About

Format

Film

Format

Film

Format

Film

Format

Film

Released

2024

Released

2024

Released

2024

Released

2024

Production company

Taska Film, Apollo

Production company

Taska Film, Apollo

Production company

Taska Film, Apollo

Production company

Taska Film, Apollo

Country of origin

Estonia

Country of origin

Estonia

Country of origin

Estonia

Country of origin

Estonia

Genre

Thriller

Genre

Thriller

Genre

Thriller

Genre

Thriller

Details

Audio

Estonian

Audio

Estonian

Audio

Estonian

Audio

Estonian

Subtitles

English

Subtitles

English

Subtitles

English

Subtitles

English

Run time

90 minutes

Run time

90 minutes

Run time

90 minutes

Run time

90 minutes

Cast & Crew

Director

Jaak Kilmi

Director

Jaak Kilmi

Director

Jaak Kilmi

Starring

Pääru Oja, Rain Simmul, Karol Kuntsel, Kersti Heinloo, Peeter Tammearu, Riho Kütsar, Ago Anderson, Andres Mähar, Alice Siil, Tarmo Tagamets, Meelis Rämmeld, Lena Barbara Luhse, Indrek Sammul, Margus Jaanovits

Starring

Pääru Oja, Rain Simmul, Karol Kuntsel, Kersti Heinloo, Peeter Tammearu, Riho Kütsar, Ago Anderson, Andres Mähar, Alice Siil, Tarmo Tagamets, Meelis Rämmeld, Lena Barbara Luhse, Indrek Sammul, Margus Jaanovits

Starring

Pääru Oja, Rain Simmul, Karol Kuntsel, Kersti Heinloo, Peeter Tammearu, Riho Kütsar, Ago Anderson, Andres Mähar, Alice Siil, Tarmo Tagamets, Meelis Rämmeld, Lena Barbara Luhse, Indrek Sammul, Margus Jaanovits

Producer

Kristian Taska, Tanel Tatter, Veiko Esken, Armin Karu

Producer

Kristian Taska, Tanel Tatter, Veiko Esken, Armin Karu

Producer

Kristian Taska, Tanel Tatter, Veiko Esken, Armin Karu

Scriptwriter

Indrek Hargla

Scriptwriter

Indrek Hargla

Scriptwriter

Indrek Hargla

Editor

Jaak Ollino

Editor

Jaak Ollino

Editor

Jaak Ollino

Cinematographer

Mihkel Soe

Cinematographer

Mihkel Soe

Cinematographer

Mihkel Soe

Cast & Crew

Director

Jaak Kilmi

Starring

Pääru Oja, Rain Simmul, Karol Kuntsel, Kersti Heinloo, Peeter Tammearu, Riho Kütsar, Ago Anderson, Andres Mähar, Alice Siil, Tarmo Tagamets, Meelis Rämmeld, Lena Barbara Luhse, Indrek Sammul, Margus Jaanovits

Producer

Kristian Taska, Tanel Tatter, Veiko Esken, Armin Karu

Scriptwriter

Indrek Hargla

Editor

Jaak Ollino

Cinematographer

Mihkel Soe

Laurel icon for the awards

Awards & Festivals

Laurel icon for the awards and festivals
  • Black Nights Film Festival main program 2024

  • Boston Baltic Film Festival 2025

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