German student's impression of BFM while studying here

24 film students from Munich and Cologne arrived in the beginning of September to a beautifully warm and sunny Tallinn. This unusual weather made discovering the breath-taking Old Town, the harbor and the many Estonian parks and cafés even more fun. Additionally, the university welcomed us German students with a lot of activities and opportunities to get to know Estonia. Everyone here was very supportive and friendly. Even when Estonia got colder, we were still able to enjoy the beautiful city, and drink tons of hot coffee. We had a great time in Estonia, all of us were glad that we had the possibility to stay there for a  semester.

The two most memorable things we did were shooting our second movie during our studies, and the trip to Tartu, organized by the University. The film was shot in different locations around Tallinn and involved  about  30 people, which was a challenge, but also a lot of fun. Additionally, we  had  the creative possibility shoot in English, which was great for scriptwriters, directors and a new experience for the whole team. The second most memorable thing we did was taking the trip to Tartu, which a very beautiful city. Eve Müür showed us around the University, the park, and a brewery. We also visited the national museum, which has some very impressive exhibitions, and we learned a lot about Estonian culture. For me personally, those two experiences combined university and living in Tallinn  perfectly.

I did not expect to feel so comfortable in the beautiful Old Town, that after about a month I felt like home. We had such a great time, just strolling through cafés, going shopping, or going ice skating in the winter. It was amazing to feel so welcome in a naturally rather cold environment, so that was by far the most unexpected for me.

For me personally, because I come from a very small university in Germany, I liked studying in such a big building and diverse environment. I enjoyed the many cafés and cafeterias, that you had so many options in finding a quiet place to sit and study, or just to talk to your friends. The university provided also provided a great variety in subjects, which I found very nice.

It was very interesting to learn more about the Estonian TV and movie culture, to find new aspects of the subject I’m currently studying. It was also great to be able to work with different people from different cultures on our sets, since that improved our teamwork significantly.

We had a lot of different experiences with Estonian people, but I think that most of them are actually quite welcoming, friendly and helpful, if they open up a little. I never met one impolite Estonian (but maybe I was just lucky). Some of them were a little closed off, but that didn’t bother me, because Germans tend to be so as well. Estonia as a country is very beautiful, it has a rich culture and a very interesting history. I’m definitely planning on returning in the summer, because I want to experience this country again in a different season, but I would always recommend at least a trip to Tallinn whenever possible. There are many things to see and try out, and nobody should miss out.

- Valerie Schullan, student of Macromedia University in Germany

What did Dirk Hoyer, lecturer of Media studies in BFM think about German students semester in BFM and how they managed?

The collaboration between BFM and Macromedia is a good way for the students to experience film-making in a completely different context. They have learned a lot about Estonia, about film-making and developed a wonderful team spirit. Seeing them putting their ideas into practice with such a commitment and passion was a good evidence for something that really matters in film-making: a good idea driven by a great team spirit.

- Dirk Hoyer, lecturer of Media studies in BFM