The movie shows a young Finnish student traveling from Moscow to Murmansk to escape from a complicated relationship in Moscow. She is forced to share the train coupe with a gloomy Russian miner, who turns out to have more in common with her than initially expected.

"Compartment No. 6" is the second full-length feature film from Juho Kuosmanen, his debut film "The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki" won in the Un Certain Regard Cannes festival program in 2016 and also received the Discovery award from the European Film Academy.

Several Estonians were involved in the process of making the movie, including screenwriters Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman, producer Riina Sildos and costume designer Jaanus Vahtra. Julia Aug, an Estonian-born Russian actor, is also in the movie.

Producer Riina Sildos began developing the idea for "Compartment No. 6" a decade ago. For the movie to reach the official selection at Cannes is a historic event for Estonian film, according to the producer.

"To end up in the Cannes Film Festival main program is completely unbelievable, because it is the absolute top festival in the world for autuer cinema. This year's competition is the toughest, because films from the previous two years are actually shown and all the films that were not premiered last year due to COVID-19 were also competing. And for our movie to make it is a great achievement," Sildos told ETV's daily affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera".

The movie is based on a 2011 book of the same name by Rosa Liksom, which won the top Finnish literary award, Finlandia. "The story it has become in the film is quite distant from the book. But the most interesting part we found for ourselves is the idea it deals with, these uncapturable moments that life is made up of," said screenwriter Livia Ulman.

Film director Juho Kuosmanen's last feature film "The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki" won the Prize Un Certain Regard award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

"Rosa Liksom herself wanted Juho Kuosmanen to make this movie. The movie speaks about humanity above all. It is beautifully captured, with excellent light humor and self-irony," said Riina Sildos.

The movie was finished in cooperation with Finland, Estonia, Russia and Germany. Along with the aforementioned Estonians, the crew also included an Estonian costume designer, make-up artist, executive producer and assistant directors. The Estonian premiere is scheduled for the fall.

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