August 1991 (film)

August 1991 is a 2005 television dramatization of a failed Soviet attempt to suppress the Singing Revolution independence movement in Estonia. At the same time as the events unfold in Estonia, a 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt is taking place in Moscow.[1] Tanks roll through the streets of Estonia, attempting to crush the fledgling democracy and assert Soviet authority. Written and directed by Ilmar Raag for Estonian Television,[2] the film focuses on the role of a newly defiant and independent Estonian media. In spite of a low budget and sometimes wooden acting, the film is seen as an effective, moving portrayal of Estonian independence.[3]