MELCHIOR THE APOTHECARY - THE EXECUTIONER’S DAUGHTER
In-Person Screenings: Saturday, November 11, 3:15 pm
Actress Maarja Johanna Mägi will present a Q&A following the screening
The first two films, Melchior the Apothecary (Apteeker Melchior, 2022) and The Ghost (Viirastus, 2022), will be available to stream virtually beginning November 10.
MELCHIOR THE APOTHECARY: THE EXECUTIONER'S DAUGHTER (Apteeker Melchior. Timuka tütar)
Elmo Nüganen, Estonia/Germany/Latvia/Lithuania, 2022
98 minutes, In Estonian with English subtitles
North American Premiere
The latest film in the medieval trilogy, Melchior the Apothecary: The Executioner's Daughter, takes an even darker and more sinister turn. When Keterlyn (Maarja Johanna Mägi), witnesses a brutal attack and rescues an unknown young man who has lost his memory, their lives become entangled in a web of mysteries that extend deep into the heart of Tallinn. Melchior (Märten Metsaviir) works to uncover the victim's identity and the motive behind the assault becoming unwittingly embroiled in the sinister activities of the night brotherhood, a clandestine group with chilling secrets.
Adding to the tension, the arrival of a papal envoy, a ruthless witch-hunter, casts a shadow over the city. As Melchior and Keterlyn strive to piece together the puzzle, they find themselves in a race against time, where the boundaries between truth and deception blur, and danger lurks around every corner. The film weaves together historical drama and enigmatic intrigue, delivering a gripping cinematic experience that brings the beloved characters and thrilling events of the Apothecary Melchior novels to life, while introducing new and exciting twists and turns that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Festival History
Cottbus Festival of East European Cinema 2022
FantasPorto Festival 2023
Director bios:
Director Elmo Nüganen is an Estonian film and theater director and actor. From 1992–2021, he was the artistic director of Tallinn City Theatre. His debut as a film director and screenwriter was Names in Marble (2002), which held the top position in terms of admissions for Estonian films until 2016. Nüganen’s filmography also includes Mindless (2006) and 1944 (2015). The latter became the country’s submission for the Academy Awards in 2015. With the Melchior the Apothecary trilogy, Nüganen continues his theme of historic films, based on best-selling and internationally acclaimed novels written by Indrek Hargla. The films are a co-production between Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Lithuania.