Estonian Documentary "Luulur" Wins Best Film Award at Dublin Festival

Raivo Kelomees's documentary film "Luulur" received the award for best feature documentary at the Bloomsday Film Festival in Dublin on June 15. The film, part of the festival's official selection in the Joycean Features category, screened at Belvedere College. The Bloomsday Film Festival, held in Ireland as part of a larger James Joyce celebration, focuses on the intersections of literature, film, and artistic experimentation. It highlights films engaging with literature, modernism, poetic imagery, and formal exploration. "Luulur" profiles Estonian poet and throat singer Jaan Malin, who works under the artistic name Luulur. The film follows Malin's journey toward poetry slams and the "Hullunud Tartu" festival, exploring throat singing as an art form connected to Dadaism and Surrealism. Central to the film is the question of whether art must always carry an unambiguous meaning. The documentary weaves together Malin's life story, his performances at international experimental poetry events, and conversations with authors and artists. It also touches upon Malin's relationship with his father, artist Ilmar Malin, and poet Ilmar Laaban, whose influence and legacy Jaan Malin engages with in his work. Director Raivo Kelomees examines Estonian Surrealism, the practice of throat singing, and experimental poetry within a broader international context. The recognition at the Bloomsday Film Festival connects "Luulur" to James Joyce's modernist heritage and the festival's interest in works seeking new forms of expression at the boundaries of literature, sound, image, and performance. "Luulur" is an Estonian documentary completed in 2025.