Every winter, the women of the Estonian biathlon team are thrust into a merciless battle for their place on the national team and in the elite sport. Tuuli Tomingas, the leading athlete of the Estonian women’s team, shows herself no mercy, neither in training nor in her expectations. She understands that a crucial skill for any athlete is the ability to get back on one’s feet after every setback and keep moving forward. There is sharp internal competition among these young women. They all want to be the best in Estonia and among the best in the world. However, at the Milan Olympic Games in February 2026, the expectations were not fulfilled. What will be the next opportunity?

“The film does not focus on a chronology of athletic results, as any sports enthusiast is already familiar with that, though such a timeline is necessary to understand the key milestones of the journey. Instead, the film poses and seeks to answer questions of ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Above all, ‘why’? Why choose a life of complexity and hardship when a much simpler and more comfortable path is possible? It is a universal story about human will and aspiration, aimed at a far broader audience than just sports fans”, producer Jaak Kilmi told FNE.

Jaak Kilmi is producing through Pimik (Estonia) with the support of the Estonian Film Institute, the Estonian Culture Endowment, and the Tartu Film Foundation, in partnership with ERR.

The total budget is 165,000 EUR.

Filming began in August 2022 and will continue until October 2027. Filming locations include Tallinn, Tartu, Otepää, Anterselva, Nove Mesto, and Östersund.

The postproduction is due to start in November 2026, with the world premiere envisioned in December 2027, at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

Credits:
Director: Andres Keil
Screenwriter: Andres Keil
DoPs: Madis Reimund, Alis Mäesalu, Taavi Arus
Editing: Taavi Arus
Music: Ardo Ran Varres