Since September, the creative duo Gert Põrk and Johannes Lõhmus, known for their previous joint projects such as Secret Film Club and Valga Hot Shorts, have taken over Cinema Sõprus. Trickster set out to find out what their plans are.
Johannes Lõhmus, Program Director
Cinema Sõprus represents the last opportunity to experience cinema in a romantic and original way in Tallinn. The last Mohican from the 20th century, still bold enough to dim its lights until the credits end and to greet you as you enter the hallway — all while managing state-of-the-art projection and problem-solving superpowers.
Human contact and friendliness are our virtues (“sõprus” means friendship in Estonian) — something that can, but shouldn’t always, be replaced by self-service machinery.
Our program brings together both the timeless pearls from the vaults of cinema history and the films that capture the zeitgeist of the here and now.
In October, we’ll be traveling through time with Richard Linklater’s films that take place within 24 hours, preparing us for the premiere of his new film “Nouvelle Vague” — a tribute to that very beautiful era in cinema history, the 1960s — on the 28th of November.
We’ll also celebrate the power of Iranian cinema with Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident,” coming to our screen after winning the Palme d’Or in Cannes in May.
For Halloween, we’ll open our own little house of horrors, screening “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Flesh for Frankenstein,” and a live-dubbed “Hard Ticket to Hawaii,” while having a jolly good (and costumed) time.
In December, we’ll celebrate the birthday of cinema with a selection of anniversary screenings: “Sunset Boulevard” (75), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (50), and “Amores Perros” (25), as well as some of the most important films of this year, including “Sentimental Value” by Joachim Trier and “The Secret Agent” by Kleber Mendonça Filho. Hopefully, this celebration will carry us in good spirits into 2026.
Gert Põrk, CEO
One of my earliest and most unforgettable memories from Sõprus is the very first Freedom Fries film festival in 2012. I remember vividly how my dear sister somehow convinced me and my friends to serve pizza wearing nothing but underpants decorated like American flags. I remember clearly the moment the film ended and the credits started rolling, and we had to walk down the stairs - in front of the entire audience — to deliver pizza in our patriotic underwear.
Looking back, it’s hilarious and a bit surreal, but also oddly symbolic of what kind of place Sõprus is. It’s even more special to think that one of those friends was Johannes — and now, more than ten years later, we’ve come full circle, working together at Kino Sõprus.
From that same year, I also remember the screening of 1982 film Liquid Sky by Slava Tsukerman— a film that went straight to my brain and never left. It was strange, electric, and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. I’ve also always loved Sõprus as the kind of cinema where you can sit in the back rows with a beer and a couple of friends, watching new Estonian films (the worse, the better) and laughing with tears in my eyes.
I must admit, I dreamed about working at Sõprus, but I never really believed it would become a reality. Now I can tell you that the door at the back might be far from glamorous, and as a building from the 1950s, Sõprus has its share of quirks and flaws. But the feeling inside the screening hall and the sight of those big letters SÕPRUS on the rooftop give me a sense of warmth and belonging. They remind you of the cinema’s heritage and long history. Sõprus is the oldest still-running cinema in Estonia, and it’s essential that it stays with us. This place has an enormous cultural significance and a deeply personal meaning for everyone who has been here. I want it to remain that way and to stay true to what Sõprus is and always has been.
We’re focusing on rebuilding the experience of what it truly feels like to be welcomed in our cinema. As the name suggests, we want Sõprus to live up to its meaning — to be the friendliest cinema, a place that has this warm and welcoming community. It’s not just about showing great films, but about creating a space where people want to stay — to talk, to connect, to share ideas. A cinema you come to for the films, but stay for the people.
Cinema magic happens when people decide to leave their big TVs and comfy beds behind and come together to experience something real. It lives through the people who value the joy of a shared film experience — the laughs, the silence, the feeling that you’re part of something. And when that happens, you know that your goal has been achieved.
As far as I know, Sõprus is the only cinema in Tallinn where dogs are also welcome. I’ve spent countless hours there with our poodle Rosin watching films. Although I must say, he wasn’t too happy about how dogs were depicted in “Flow”. And as a new father, I wouldn’t rule out some baby screenings in the near future either. For Halloween weekend, the entire Sõprus building will open as we team up with HÕFF to dive into a weekend filled with horror, laughter, and unforgettable fun. We’ll be screening some of my absolute favorites from recent years — including HÕFF’s legendary hit “Hard Ticket to Hawaii,” with Evelin Võigemast live dubbing, and the 1973 3D cult classic by Paul Morrissey “Flesh for Frankenstein” - where you can expect bloody body parts and floating limbs drifting through space.
See you in the cinema!