A screening of James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty’s documentary The Singing Revolution, an inspiring account of Estonia’s independence from the Soviet Union.

Most people don’t think about singing when they think about revolution. But song was the weapon of choice when Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. The Singing Revolution is an inspiring account of one nation’s dramatic rebirth. It is the story of humankind’s irrepressible drive for freedom and self-determination.

The Singing Revolution shares how, between 1987 and 1991, hundreds of thousands of Estonians gathered publicly to sing forbidden patriotic songs and share protest speeches, risking their lives to proclaim their desire for independence. While violence and bloodshed was the unfortunate end result in other occupied nations of the USSR, the revolutionary songs of the Estonians anchored their struggle for freedom, which was ultimately accomplished without the loss of a single life.

James Tusty is an independent filmmaker, speaker, and entrepreneur. He is Co-Owner and Co-Filmmaker of Sky Films Inc.

Maureen (Mo) Castle Tusty is co-owner and the primary creative director and film director for Sky Films Inc. Her documentary films have been seen in theaters, on Public Television, and in classrooms across the country.

Reviews

‘Imagine the scene in Casablanca in which the French patrons sing La Marseillaise in defiance of the Germans, then multiply its power by a factor of thousands, and you’ve only begun to imagine the force of The Singing Revolution.’ New York Times

‘Provides an uplifting depiction of vitally important political ends achieved via nonviolent means.’ Hollywood Reporter

‘a wonderful exploration of that still little-understood period, from the mid-1980s through 1991, when the empire of soviet communism rapidly collapsed.’ salon.com

‘inspiring!… gripping!… a story of how feelings became songs, songs became a national voice and voice became action!’ LA Times