AllMovie

August 1991 is a 2005 television dramatization of a failed Soviet attempt to suppress the Singing Revolution independence movement in Estonia. At the same time as the events unfold in Estonia, a 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt is taking place in Moscow. Tanks roll through the streets of Estonia, attempting to crush the fledgling democracy and assert Soviet authority. Written and directed by Ilmar Raag for Estonian Television, the film focuses on the role of a newly defiant and independent Estonian media. In spite of a low budget and sometimes wooden acting, the film is seen as an effective, moving portrayal of Estonian independence.