Yahoo Lifestyle Baltic TV Shows – and Locations – Are on the Rise: ‘Our Appetite Is Growing’
The Baltic States — Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania — are ready for a boom in local TV productions, and international partners are invited.
“It’s an intriguing environment — contemporary and innovative, but we carry tons of Soviet heritage,” says Toomas Ili, head of content at Elisa Estonia. “Our scenery and architecture has yet to be seen by the world, so Hollywood productions are looking into the Baltics. Then there’s our ability to do more with less.” His latest show, the Ukrainian-Estonian drama “My Dear Mother,” about a woman forced to deal with her mother’s tragic death, will premiere at Berlinale Series Market Selects.
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“I was asked which series it resembles. The answer is none,” he says.
“Writer Raoul Suvi has delicately stitched together all the elements as the story unravels, keeping the viewer — and the characters — in the dark until the end.” When Elisa Estonia started producing dramas six years ago, Estonian series were “in a really bad shape,” he observes, due to “extremely low budgets and nonexistent production value.
Now, our appetite is growing. We’re looking outside to find like-minded production partners.” In Estonia, all eyes have been on the period crime drama “Von Fock,” the first local show to be co-produced “at a high scale” with Italy, Latvia and Germany, points out director Arun Tamm.
“In our region, it seems like a unicorn,” says Tamm, crediting producers Toomas Luhats, Jevgeni Supin and Helen Lõhmus with instilling the series with ambition. “The hope is that it paves the way for other projects with international potential, showcases local talent and encourages filmmakers to think big. Our ideas can be compelling in a much broader sense.
“The last TV show I directed was in 2015, and things have changed when it comes to budgets and local streaming services. More scripts are getting made.” But “lack of funding contributes to these scripts being underdeveloped,” he notes. “There’s still a way to go when it comes to offering compelling storytelling.”
According to Edith Sepp, head of the Estonian Film Institute, the Berlinale’s pick of “My Dear Mother” marks an exceptional milestone for Estonian TV series.
“Its inclusion brings greater visibility to Estonia’s TV and film industry, opening doors to new opportunities,” she says, teasing a new “cutting-edge sound stage” in Tallinn, which should work “like a magnet” for international productions. “It will position Tallinn as a competitive hub for high-quality productions in Northern Europe,” she says.
Still, Estonia “needs to increase [its] cash rebate” and open for high-end TV dramas with the budget of at least €200,000 ($207,000) per episode. Minimum local spend is €70,000 ($72,000) per series. “Work on increasing the initiative began last year. We must look beyond our region to remain competitive,” she says.
Producer Jevgeni Supin of Zolba Productions praises the “no-bullshit” attitude of Baltic creators.
“Add to that strong tax incentives, Estonia’s nature and cityscapes, and you have an endless field for creative needs,” he says. “Co-productions are the only way forward. Without partners outside of the Baltics, our options for creating something truly competitive are limited.”
“The ice started to move” and Baltic productions are making more of an impact, from Lithuania’s “Troll Farm” and Latvia’s “Soviet Jeans” to “My Dear Mother” and “Von Fock,” Supin adds.
“They had budgets unprecedented for our region, yet still small compared to the rest of Europe. These are the first steps towards ambitious co-productions from the Baltics. Broadcasters across Europe will pick them up without hesitation.”
Zane Valeniece, head of acquisitions at Latvian Television, noted that in 2024, Latvian Public Service Media (LPSM) started an initiative to hold a competition for TV series funding. The next will be held in March.
“Seeing how the industry landscape is changing and what kind of content the audience is looking for, creating national TV series is one of the ways to cover a large spectrum of themes, explore the [country’s] identity and cultural heritage,” she says. “Each local series is a big event in Latvia.” Staņislavs Tokalovs and Teodora Markova’s upcoming series “The Last Divorce of Communism” follows a 1980s couple faking a split to keep their apartment. Tokalovs and Markova are also behind “Soviet Jeans,” distributed by Beta Film.
Sofia-based Markova praises Latvian talents: “They can stand proudly next to the filmmakers from countries with more established industries.” The main challenge, he says, is breaking away from stereotypes and telling stories in “fresh, unexpected ways. What’s needed now are more flexible funding schemes and opportunities that will allow Latvian productions to be competitive on the global market. There’s strong will from the Latvian Film Centre and the Ministry of Culture to support this.”
“The greatest challenge remains in securing regular annual funding schemes for high-quality TV series, which means reasonable budgets,” echoes Markova. “It’s a big step for a small country, but ‘Soviet Jeans’ proved it’s worth it.”
Funding allocation for minority co-productions for series would allow the region to thrive by “creating connections beyond borders,” Markova says.
Dita Rietuma, director of National Film Centre of Latvia, notes that six high-quality TV series have been supported in recent years. Between 2022 and 2024, with additional funding of €6 million ($6.2 million), four shows were produced, including “Soviet Jeans.”
“Traditionally, TV series in Latvia have been produced by TV stations with limited resources, so mainly for local audiences,” says Rietuma. “The involvement of the National Film Centre has shown that Latvian series makers have the potential to reach an international audience.”
To continue in the direction started by “Emily. Queen of the Press,” “Soviet Jeans” and “Mutiny,” the institution has to “secure a certain amount of funding to support series,” says Rietuma.
“It’s imperative that series production should be geared towards international cooperation. The Eurimages series support program, which Latvia is joining this year, is essential.”
Deimantas Saladžius, acting head of the film production department at Lithuanian Film Centre, praises the easily applicable and stable film tax incentive program for foreign productions. “What sets our system apart is its flexibility,” he says. “The annual budget cap stands at €55 million ($57 million), leaving room for growth and ensuring we don’t face issues with funding running out early in the year.”
Locations are also crucial, with Vilnius portraying London, Berlin, Oslo and other European cities in movies and TV shows. “It’s an excellent choice for depictions of Soviet-era or contemporary Eastern European realities,” says Saladžius.
Still, the absence of a large sound stage is an issue. “We are aware our neighbors in Estonia have taken meaningful steps toward creating such facilities,” says Saladžius. “This presents an opportunity for regional collaboration, strengthening the partnership among the Baltic States and providing more comprehensive support to international productions.”
Lithuania has hosted “Chernobyl,” the fourth season of “Stranger Things,” “Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter,” and an increasing number of German productions, including “Sisi,” which returned for four consecutive seasons. In Netflix’s “Clark,” historic Lukiškės Prison played an “incredible role,” notes Saladžius.
The Vilnius Film Office’s Jūratė Pazikaite noted that Vilnius and Lithuania have become favorite destinations.
“In 2024, U.S.-based Kaleidoscope Pictures returned for the third time to film ‘Truth and Conviction,’ set in 1941 Hamburg,” says Pazikaite, and “Whiskey on the Rocks” also filmed there, “continuing creative partnerships with Norway, Finland and Sweden.” Sony Pictures Television chose Vilnius for “Star City,” a spinoff of sci-fi drama “For All Mankind.”
“In the Baltic region, you’ll find friendly cooperation, diverse locations and resources readily at hand,” says Pazikaite.
Saladžius adds: “The Baltic States can grow significantly in the near future. By working together, we can fill in each other’s gaps. That seems to be the most strategic approach for our industries.”
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