Janno Jürgens
Writer / Director
Estonia
Janno Jürgens was born in the small Estonian fishing town of Haapsalu in 1985, the youngest of four siblings. He graduated from the Baltic Film and Media School as a director in 2012. His short film Distance premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and sparked his interest in the theme of intergenerational differences and similarities, and whether it’s possible to break free from the chain of predetermined destinies. Subsequent projects have explored this theme in various ways, including the mid-length film They Say Tomatoes Love Rock Music (2016). His debut feature film Rain was completed in 2020, focusing on the relationship between brothers against the backdrop of conflicts between fathers and sons.
Project
The Man Who Wasn’t Meant
After years at a Finnish tractor factory, 38-year-old Vaiko returns to Estonia to pursue an unlikely dream: becoming a rapper. He moves in with his uncle Johan (45), a childhood father figure now stuck in his own polished but joyless life. Vaiko brings chaos and color to the household, bonding with Johan’s kids but clashing with his wife Siiri. As Vaiko’s reckless behavior escalates and his music career stalls, buried tensions rise. Johan begins to unravel, and Vaiko pushes him to confront the passion he once abandoned. After a violent breakdown and emotional reckoning, the two men embark on a raw, redemptive journey. Vaiko, long unseen, finally feels cared for. Johan, at last, breathes freely. When they return home, Johan surprises everyone with a bold decision: he’s quitting his job to open a Choco Ball Café with Vaiko. For the first time, the dreamer and the realist find common ground – and when Vaiko begins to rap again, this time, everyone listens.
