A festival is a festival not only because of the thoughtfully selected programme and colourful experiences in the cinema hall. A festival also happens in staff conversations in the cinema cafe, as well as in cider glasses in a pub at night; a festival also lives in sleepy mornings and in walkabouts on Toome hill, to rest the eyes. And so, on Thursday night, when all the festival team and guests had ‘landed’ together in a barrel-sauna by the river, many filmmakers revealed their well kept secret: “We wouldn't even dare to speak about the Worldfilm festival to our colleagues, or else they would all rush here immediately!”

So instead they return to their homes and tell curious stories about their sauna experiences:

“And there we were, totally naked under the starry sky, surrounded by mist, ice and snow. We climbed into a strange barrel full of cold water and started to think intensely. We thought and thought, and sang a few spellsongs until the water started to get warmer. Oh, how good that felt! But the more we thought, the more the water got hot, and hot... Finally I had to ask the Estonians – please, stop thinking! Stop! But the water only got hotter and hotter until I just had to pull myself out from the barrel! So strong is Estonian’s mind.”

Terje