Ilmar Raag

Ilmar Raag born May 21 1968 in Kuressaare is an Estonian media executive actor screenwriter and film director best known for his sociocritical film The Class He has served as CEO of Estonian Television from 2002 to 2005 He is a well known columnist in many prestigious Estonian newspapers Postimees Eesti Päevaleht He has written many scripts and directed critically acclaimed films notably August 1991 and The Class He received his high school education from Aleksander Mui et secondary school No 2 of Kingissepa He graduated from University of Tartu in 1997 and received his MA degree in screenwriting from Ohio University the School of Telecommunications 1999 He made internships in Hollywood development departments New Regency Phoenix Pictures His further career took him to the TV management After being the Head of Acquisitions for Estonian National Television he was promoted to the Chairman of the Board of the same TV company In 2002 he staged a play in one of the Estonian theaters Ugala At the same time he started to consult and doctor Estonian feature scripts In 2004 he wrote two TV feature scripts He directed one of them August 1991 as madeforTV movie for Estonian Television and the other One More Croissant got the third prize at Hartley Merill International Screenwriting Competition and the support from MEDIA New Talent program Eager to continue his filmmaking career he quit as CEO of Estonian Television and made his first feature film The Class in 2007 Since then he shot a feature in France Une Estonienne à Paris with Jeanne Moreau and Laine Mägi in leading roles back in Estonia Kertu that was released in 2013 and in Russia I Wont Come Back