Piret Kalda on Kyiv: Tears Flowed at Maidan Square

Actress Piret Kalda visited Kyiv in connection with filming of director Ilmar Raag's new thriller series "Girl from Tallinn". Kalda described her five days in wartime Kyiv, from air raid sirens and shelters to an emotional moment at Maidan Square, where fallen Ukrainian heroes are commemorated. The actress noted that Kyiv residents go about their daily lives and don't rush to shelters at the sound of sirens.

Estonian actress Piret Kalda made a trip to wartime Kyiv, where director Ilmar Raag is filming a new international thriller series "Girl from Tallinn". Kalda said the decision to go to Ukraine came somewhat by chance-another actress pulled out due to fear, and Kalda was ready to step in. "I'm one of those reckless types. For me, it was an interesting offer. My children are actually adults, so what could happen to me," she explained.

Air raid sirens and a shelter on standby

During five days, Kalda heard air raid sirens three times-twice at night and once in the morning. The first time, she went to a shelter set up in the hotel car park with actor Tõnu Oja. "We went down and thought we really didn't like it here. We two reckless ones went out onto the street and wondered if we might see or hear something. It's the silliest thing you can do," Kalda chuckled.

The second time, Kalda stayed in her hotel room, where she met a cleaner who calmly asked permission to continue cleaning, as if nothing unusual was happening. "Then I thought that people are living their lives, doing their work, they don't rush headlong into shelters, at least in central Kyiv," the actress reflected. She added that locals use an app that shows in real time what's moving in the air-drones, missiles, and so on.

Maidan Square moved her to tears

The most emotional moment for Kalda came at Maidan Square, where those who gave their lives for Ukraine are commemorated. "It moved me deeply. When I saw all those little flags and photographs, a huge number of young people who all perished, it made someone like me feel so tender. You think, when will this all end," Kalda said. According to her, it is a square of heroes, not merely a place of mourning: every flag represents a hero.

Kyiv has become Ukrainian-speaking

Kyiv's street scene also surprised Kalda linguistically-there wasn't a single Russian-language sign to be seen. "Everything is only in Ukrainian. It's happened so quickly. I also visited a bookstore and there wasn't a single Russian-language book. They don't even have that section," she described. The film crew told her that already in the first year of the war, performances in Russian were stopped at Kyiv's two Russian-language theatres. According to Kalda, you can see a clear desire from the entire city to join the European Union, and the people stand tall.

The series and a new season at Tallinn City Theatre

The series "Girl from Tallinn" unfolds between two eras-the early 1990s and the present day-and is connected to both Estonia and Ukraine. The crew is international: the technical team is from Ukraine, one lead actor is from Bulgaria. "It's a crime story, but it's rooted in politics, just as things were in the 90s," Kalda explained.

At Tallinn City Theatre, the actress is leaving behind an extraordinary season marked by the opening of a new theatre building and many new productions on stage. Soon she faces an autumn premiere: on September 12, "Night", written by Jaan Tätte and directed by Peeter Tammearu, will premiere. "It was written with many of us actors specifically in mind. We play very, very old people. It's funny, but when you start to delve deeper, it's also very sad," Kalda confirmed.