Estonia opens film and video game funding competition worth up to €250,000

The Defence Ministry is seeking projects intended to strengthen public willingness to defend the country. Applications close on November 18.

Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported that the ministry was inviting feature films, documentaries, animation, television series and narrative video games. The funding can be used next year. Projects must align with national defence objectives to qualify.

Ministry representative Thomas Mell said different audiovisual formats could reach different generations. He said the ministry did not dictate scripts, themes or how characters should be portrayed, and that creators submitted their own proposals.

Film director Ilmar Raag, who previously received ministry support for a documentary, warned that an overly propagandistic approach could backfire. He argued that credibility mattered more than an excessively polished message. The ministry has supported Estonian war films for more than 20 years, including '1944' and 'O2'.