Maria Avdjuško

Acting

Maria Avdjuško

Born

1968-05-09 (58)

Place of birth

Tallinn, Estonian SSR, USSR [now Harju County, Estonia]

Known for

Acting

Credits

34 titles

Maria Avdjuško (also Maria Avdjushko; born May 9, 1968) is an Estonian actress, film producer, director and screenwriter. Avdjuško is the daughter of Russian actor Viktor Avdjuško and Estonian actress Liina Orlova, who is of Russian and Estonian descent. She was born and raised in Tallinn. In 1990 she graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory's performing arts department. From 1992 until 2014, she was an actress in Estonian Drama Theatre.

Known for

The Fencer poster
7.0

Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches up and puts him in front of a difficult choice.

The Fencer

2015

Purge poster
6.9

Aliide experienced The Great Terror under Stalin’s regime, and decades after her hometown people were deported to Siberia, she lives alone in an isolated house. One night, she finds a young woman in her yard – Zara has just escaped from the claws of the Russian mafia that held her as a sex slave. Survivors both, Aliide and Zara engage in unearthing each other’s motives and gradually their stories merge into one, revealing the tragedy of a family during the cruelest years in Estonian history.

Purge

2012

The Invisible Fight poster
6.4

After surviving a deadly attack, a guard on the Soviet-Chinese border decides to become a monk but must continually prove along the way that he's capable of becoming the enlightened man he set out to be.

The Invisible Fight

2023

The Little Comrade poster
6.9

In the midst of Stalinist tyranny, six-year-old Leelo's mother is sent to a prison camp. Haunted by her mother's last words telling her to be a good kid, Leelo vows to be on her best behaviour in the confusing grown-up world in the hope that it will bring her mother back.

The Little Comrade

2018

Candles in the Dark poster
6.0

Candles in the Dark is the story of a girl who comes to visit her father's homeland, the Soviet Republic of Estonia. After she arrives, she finds that her father is part of the dissident anti-soviet underground. She soon find her self engulfed in the struggle with her father and a lot of new friends, and finds herself being hunted by the KGB.

Candles in the Dark

1993

Touched by the Unknown poster
6.0

Mati is an assistant in TV studio. Patiently he has waited for his time to become a TV star but seems that he has to wait forever. One day an alien called Tipp is sent on Earth (by its chief Tapp) to find out the purpose of Estonian children's TV show "Tipp and Tapp". Tipp nestles himself inside Mati's brains that leads the man to unpredictable actions.

Touched by the Unknown

2005

Film credits

2020s · 4 titles

2010s · 5 titles

The Fencer poster
7.0

Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches up and puts him in front of a difficult choice.

The Fencer

2015

The Little Comrade poster
6.9

In the midst of Stalinist tyranny, six-year-old Leelo's mother is sent to a prison camp. Haunted by her mother's last words telling her to be a good kid, Leelo vows to be on her best behaviour in the confusing grown-up world in the hope that it will bring her mother back.

The Little Comrade

2018

Landscape with Many Moons poster
7.0

“Landscape with Many Moons“ is a drama about a middle-aged man who lives a seemingly ordinary life with his wife and children. The truth is, however, that their relationship has reached a dead end but they prefer the illusory decorations of living together to the free fall into emptiness. The man gallivants around between his previous and current relationships without knowing exactly what to do with them. Living on the edge starts to overburden his nervous system and as a result, actual reality and dream-like reality blend together and it becomes ever harder to distinguish between what is real and what is not.

Landscape with Many Moons

2014

The Graveyard Keeper's Daughter poster
5.0

A snapshot of one segment of Estonian present-day life, shown through the eyes of a child: 8 years old Lucia is leading a jolly and naughty Pippi-Longstocking-style life in a small town in Estonia. Her father Kaido, a graveyard keeper, can hardly provide for the family, her mother Maria is a drunk. Then the family receives an unexpected invitation to spend a week in Finland, in the house of the female pastor Sipra. This week will change everybody's life in unexpected ways...

The Graveyard Keeper's Daughter

2011

A Bad Scene: Christmas Mystery poster
NR

"A Bad Scene" is a film compilation, which speaks about the darker currents hiding in human relationships, situations, which are practically inescapable, in five different ways. Harassment, mental violence, manipulation, cornering – these topics are current in both politics as well as private sphere. In these nightmarish confrontations, dramatics, mysticism as well as twisted comedy can be found. The short film “Christmas Mystery” by Andres Maimik and Katrin Maimik talks about student Jass, who makes extra money by playing Santa Claus. Behind one door, however, a lonely woman awaits him, who pulls him into weird role plays the polite youngster cannot say “no” to.

A Bad Scene: Christmas Mystery

2018

2000s · 4 titles

1990s · 8 titles

Candles in the Dark poster
6.0

Candles in the Dark is the story of a girl who comes to visit her father's homeland, the Soviet Republic of Estonia. After she arrives, she finds that her father is part of the dissident anti-soviet underground. She soon find her self engulfed in the struggle with her father and a lot of new friends, and finds herself being hunted by the KGB.

Candles in the Dark

1993

American Mountains poster
10.0

A former goldminer who has run afoul of the law is made an unusual offer by the mafia. The power of money and popularity among women won't let him step down from the rollercoaster in order to make the right decisions.

American Mountains

1994

Hotel E poster
4.6

A confrontation of two worlds-- Two rooms, one of which is full of light and colors, the other a monotonous gray.

Hotel E

1992

He Will Receive poster
8.8

No synopsis available yet.

He Will Receive

1992

For Crazies Only poster
4.8

A young man is taken to a small town hospital after a suicide attempt. Rita is a beautiful married Russian nurse taking care of him.

For Crazies Only

1991

SuperCop poster
NR

An adventurous action-packed story about a police officer nicknamed "Sheriff", who, bravely fighting mafia functionaries, easily and simply takes bribes from its bosses.

SuperCop

1990

Peace Avenue poster
9.0

On Christmas Eve, the residents of Peace Avenue discover that there are military guards in front of their houses. Soon they have to start showing their passports when entering their homes. The residents are told by the authorities that in order to keep the peace they have to be ready to co-operate. It is an order and people stick to it. It is heard that the foreign troops will leave when the snow will be gone - so it won't be long until the everyday life will be normal again. When spring arrives, not only the snow disappears but also lots of residents. Those who stay will look forward to the Midsummer Day.

Peace Avenue

1991

Surmatants poster
7.0

A historical costume drama where the fragments of the adventurous lives of Bernt Notke, one of the most influential Late Gothic painters, and carpenter Michel Sittow are brought together by the story of the panel painting "Danse Macabre" by Notke and the way the painting reached Tallinn, Estonia from Lübeck.

Surmatants

1991

1980s · 3 titles

Midday poster
8.0

The film based on Eno Raua's stories "Päris kriminnene lugu" and "Telepathic lugu" takes the viewer to a summer town in Estonia, where boys and girls meet with exciting adventures, dreams and falling in love. There are no real forensics and telepathy here, but it is about the disappearance and finding of a little boy. In addition to adventures, the main characters find something else - both in life and in themselves.

Midday

1982

Murder on the 31st Floor poster
8.5

Police officer Jensen orders the evacuation of a leading media group's office building after a bomb threat is made. There won't be any explosion, however, the media group sustains big losses because of the work stoppage and the management requires investigation of the case. Officer Jensen identifies six suspects, then finds out that he is being followed himself, especially when he gets involved in the obscure activities of the mysterious 31st department.

Murder on the 31st Floor

1981

Puud olid... poster
9.0

Typhus has killed the father, mother and older son of Palanumäe farm. Hind, younger son, realizes that he won't be able to manage the shabby farm alone. Paabu, the wife of older son, is good at housework and Hind likes her; however, more help than that is needed for maintaining the farm. Jaak, the farmhand, does more harm than good. The rumour is around that when converting to orthodoxy one will lead better life in a warm country - this, of course, attracts Hind, but angers the estate owners. How come this young inexperienced man wants something else than serving the Livonian feudals?

Puud olid...

1986

Behind the camera

Purge poster
6.9

Aliide experienced The Great Terror under Stalin’s regime, and decades after her hometown people were deported to Siberia, she lives alone in an isolated house. One night, she finds a young woman in her yard – Zara has just escaped from the claws of the Russian mafia that held her as a sex slave. Survivors both, Aliide and Zara engage in unearthing each other’s motives and gradually their stories merge into one, revealing the tragedy of a family during the cruelest years in Estonian history.

Purge

2012

Unt's hour poster
NR

One of the most extraordinary personas in Estonian cultural history is undoubtedly the writer, director, publicist, lecturer and a public figure Mati Unt. The Documentary Unt’s Hour takes us back to the bright generation of the ‘60s with their innovative and creative ideas in the literary world and the theatre. The film depicts Mati Unt as a charismatic persona, a phenomenal thinker and an anarchist who used cinematic tools to reinvent old forms. The film includes never before seen footage of Mati during his creative process and among his friends. The story centers on different groups of friends that formed over the years which provide the basis for the selection of characters. The Salon of Mati’s best friend Vaino Vahing in Tartu which brought together writers, scientists, and theatre pioneers; and the literary salon at Vilde tee in Tallinn in the home of Mati Unt and Kersti Kreismann at the beginning of Mati’s career as a director in the Youth Theatre in Tallinn.

Unt's hour

2015

Unt's hour poster
NR

One of the most extraordinary personas in Estonian cultural history is undoubtedly the writer, director, publicist, lecturer and a public figure Mati Unt. The Documentary Unt’s Hour takes us back to the bright generation of the ‘60s with their innovative and creative ideas in the literary world and the theatre. The film depicts Mati Unt as a charismatic persona, a phenomenal thinker and an anarchist who used cinematic tools to reinvent old forms. The film includes never before seen footage of Mati during his creative process and among his friends. The story centers on different groups of friends that formed over the years which provide the basis for the selection of characters. The Salon of Mati’s best friend Vaino Vahing in Tartu which brought together writers, scientists, and theatre pioneers; and the literary salon at Vilde tee in Tallinn in the home of Mati Unt and Kersti Kreismann at the beginning of Mati’s career as a director in the Youth Theatre in Tallinn.

Unt's hour

2015

Fire Lily poster
NR

The mystical and thrilling drama asks what sort of reality can give our life meaning. The film tells the story of Pia (38), an ophthalmologist, whose marriage has recently ended because she was not able to have children. As she strives to move forward with her life, Pia learns the unknown but also finds her inner strength. Unexpectedly, her deepest wish to become a mother materializes, but not quite in the way she imagined it.

Fire Lily

2018

Fire Lily poster
NR

The mystical and thrilling drama asks what sort of reality can give our life meaning. The film tells the story of Pia (38), an ophthalmologist, whose marriage has recently ended because she was not able to have children. As she strives to move forward with her life, Pia learns the unknown but also finds her inner strength. Unexpectedly, her deepest wish to become a mother materializes, but not quite in the way she imagined it.

Fire Lily

2018

Good People poster
NR

Maria Avdjushko’s documentary Good People offers a heartfelt look into the work of the Hille Tänavsuu Cancer Treatment Foundation “The Gift of Life” – and the people it helps. In a world where terminal diagnoses often come with no options, this film introduces us to patients who refuse to give up, their loved ones, and the dedicated volunteers and donors who make life-saving treatments possible. Through honest and emotional testimonies, we see the very real impact of hope, community, and care. Over ten years, the foundation has become an essential part of Estonia’s healthcare landscape. Good People is a tribute to those who help others carry on – a moving story about resilience, compassion, and the value of every single day.

Good People

2025

Kalev poster
7.1

The Soviet Union teeters on the verge of collapse in 1990 and tiny Baltic nations struggle to take back their independence. A rising tide of public opinion opposes the Estonian national team's participation in the USSR's basketball championship. The team makes the unpopular choice to participate.

Kalev

2022

A Bad Scene: Mesmerized poster
NR

"A Bad Scene" is a film compilation, which speaks about the darker currents hiding in human relationships, situations, which are practically inescapable, in five different ways. The fourth short film, “Bewitched”, directed by Maria Avdjushko, talks about middle-aged Rainar, who discovers on a family outing that they have left behind their food. Wandering in the forest, he stumbles upon mysterious Liina, who slowly bewitches him.

A Bad Scene: Mesmerized

2018

A Bad Scene: Mesmerized poster
NR

"A Bad Scene" is a film compilation, which speaks about the darker currents hiding in human relationships, situations, which are practically inescapable, in five different ways. The fourth short film, “Bewitched”, directed by Maria Avdjushko, talks about middle-aged Rainar, who discovers on a family outing that they have left behind their food. Wandering in the forest, he stumbles upon mysterious Liina, who slowly bewitches him.

A Bad Scene: Mesmerized

2018

Hermaküla: Lost Father poster
NR

The 1960s and 70s brought a new wave of talented young poets and writers, painters and theater innovators to the gray and established culture of Soviet Estonia. Evald Hermaküla began his theatrical career as a young, angry genius working at the Vanemuine Theater, where he staged several legendary productions. The direction of Hermaküla was clear - away from the text and the rationality towards the subconscious. The film mixes theatrical and personal memories of the author with documentary archival material and Hermaküla's contemporary thoughts on theater, life and death.

Hermaküla: Lost Father

2022