Kaljulaid told ERR that the proposal was not connected to a decision made by Tallinn city government on Wednesday to not approve of extensions to the current National Opera Building.

"I saw the film campus idea and project back when I was the district mayor of Põhja-Tallinn and I was interested that it would be developed in Põhja-Tallinn," he said. "I have considered this a project with much perspective start from the start, in culture, business and export."

Kaljulaid said the "Film Wonderland" idea stuck out to him among the list of cultural objects presented to the Riigikogu in the start of May. "We saw for 'TeneT' that the production of a feature film in Estonia meant the city and nation were in the picture and our actors got to play in a large-scale Hollywood movie. No other form of art has this kind of effect," the MP said.

"People in film say it themselves: there have not been any major investments into Estonian film. There have been movies, but there are no great and permanent conditions to show for it," he added.

The MP added that the film campus is not a project that needs to be supported from the state budget in the future. "Culture must be supported, that is one of the main functions of the state, but this is art that will likely pay for itself and can maintain itself and that is important," Kaljulaid concluded.

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