Dark Paradise
By Triin Ruumet
2023 | 111 min | Crime
An unembellished look at the depths of human desires – intense, uncomfortable and deeply impressive.
Juhan Ulfsak
ActorJuhan Ulfsak is an Estonian actor with a striking presence in both arthouse and international cinema. His roles are characterized by precise physicality, controlled intensity, and a flair for atmospheric material. He combines stage experience with cinematic clarity, finding a convincing balance of restraint and power in characters with inner tension.
Among his most influential works is DARK PARADISE (2023, directed by Triin Ruumet), in which he sets the tone in a psychologically dense milieu. He previously attracted attention in the poetically dark November (2017, directed by Rainer Sarnet), where he demonstrated his strength in idiosyncratic, visual worlds. He also appeared in Tenet (2020, directed by Christopher Nolan), underscoring his range from Estonian auteur cinema to global blockbusters. This selection reveals a profile that consistently focuses on character-driven storytelling and stylistically independent projects, while not shying away from international productions.
Films
Concrete Night
2013 | 96 min | Drama
Awaiting his prison sentence, Ilkka spends his last night of freedom with his younger brother Simo.
Recommended for you
When It Blinds, Open Your Eyes
2014 | 75 min | Documentary
Ivette Löcker accompanies two addicted St. Petersburgers in her documentary chamber play. They are the lost "generation Perestroika", which broke under the newly gained freedom. Ljoscha and his mother live with Schanna in a small apartment in St. Petersburg - but Ivette Löckler is not concerned with an inventory of the things that make up a wasted existence, but with the human achievement of gentleness in dealing with each another. Schannas and Ljoscha's attitude to life is not only bitter. In the ...
Addiction
2012 | 85 min | Documentary
A candid look into the lives of four drug addicts in Berlin’s urban jungle, shedding light on the lesser-known aspects of addiction. ADDICTION follows four people—three men and one womangoing about their daily lives, without sugarcoating and without passing judgment. “We are there when the body demands a fix; we see how the drugs are bought; we observe the preparation, consumption, high, and withdrawal. Four people, four severely addicted individuals, show us their world and let us directly share ...
Lucky Devils
2013 | 95 min | Music, Dance, Theater
In St. Petersburg, 8,500 children live on the streets, but the innovative circus Upsala and its director Larissa give some of those children a chance to forget their hardships. The heartwarming documentary LUCKY DEVILS by Verena Endtner portrays day to day life in the circus and takes us on a journey from the Russian slums to the big top’s lights and the joys of a tour to Switzerland. LUCKY DEVILS portrays the half-orphan Danja, who discovers the pleasure of playing and performing, the street ...
Eho - Echo
2016 | 93 min | Drama
At the same time Ismet is waiting in Kosovo, destroyed by war and poverty, for a message from his son. In his feature film debut, director Dren Zherka builds a thematic bridge between his old homeland, Kosovo, and his adopted home Germany.
Asche
2024 | 87 min | Drama
A complex dynamic exists between muse and artist – one that is often characterized by dependency and exploitation. In a world where inspiration and ownership claims merge, power games, artistic craving for recognition and the longing for authenticity unfold. What happens when someone is no longer satisfied with the role they have been assigned? Elena Wolff's ASHES delves into these entanglements and uses black humor to expose the abysses of a self-centered art world. In the midst of this search ...
MPA - Medical Psychological Assessment
2011 | 6 min | Shorts
Robert Bohrer's short comedy looks at the bête noire of many a drunk driver in Germany, MPU - MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT. Two years of preparing for the MPU to get back a driver’s license and two years of being sober... well, not really... and today is the final test and the most important conversation with the psychologist. Hold on: today? TODAY??? On this Monday morning, as Frankie leaves a Berlin club with his girlfriend Lanka, he realizes that he has totally forgotten about his big MPU ...
Raju
2010 | 23 min | Drama
In this Oscar nominated short, a German couple, played by Wotan Wilke Möhring and Julia Richter, adopts an Indian orphan in Kolkata. On their way to the hotel, the boy disappears. The German officials have recommended a local Indian orphanage to them. There the four-year-old boy Raju, who comes from a slum, is introduced to them and handed over. When the boy suddenly disappears and the Indian police cannot get any further with their investigations, Jan himself starts an intensive search.
The Ugly Truth
2021 | 110 min | Drama
Theo and Mona, together with his daughter Hanna from his first marriage, lead a seemingly idyllic life on the outskirts of Berlin. Theo found support with his current partner after the death of his first wife, who was Mona's sister. Mona herself has been disabled since an accident, which is why she numbs herself with medication and alcohol. When Alina, the daughter of one of Mona's friends, temporarily moves in with the family, the shaky construct collapses. Theo takes refuge in romantic fantasies ...