Elmo Nüganen

Personal Info

Known ForDirecting
Born1962-02-15
BirthplaceJõhvi, Kohtla-Järve District, Estonian SSR, USSR [now Ida-Viru County, Estonia]

Elmo Nüganen

Directing

Biography

Elmo Nüganen (born February 15, 1962 in Jõhvi) is an Estonian theatre director, film director, and actor.

He has been the artistic director of the Tallinn City Theatre since 1992. He was a graduate of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 1988 and then a professor at the academy in 1998–2002 and 2008–2012. He directed the war films Names in Marble from 2002 and 1944 from 2015. Names in Marble was seen by more than 168,000 people in Estonia and was selected for the 2003 Taormina Film Fest, while 1944 had the highest opening-week audience numbers in Estonian film history and became the country's submission for the Academy Awards.

Nüganen has received multiple awards for his work in theatre, including the Estonian Annual Theatre Award for Best Director in 1992, 1995, 2000, 2007, and 2010, and the Estonian National Cultural Award in 1996, 1999, and 2009.

Filmography

Acting (18)

2025
One-Dimensional Manas Investigator
4.0
2025
Rebel with a Bow Tieas Self (uncredited)
2020
Dawn of Waras Major Kurg
6.1
2018
Portugalas Boss
5.7
2014
August väljaas Himself
6.5
2013
Tangerinesas Margus
7.7
2012
Demonsas Stranger
8.0
2012
Mushroomingas Gas Station Attendant
5.8
2012
Purgeas Father
6.8
2002
Names in Marbleas Armored Train Commander
5.9
1994
7.9
1993
Marraskuun harmaa valoas Tõnu Valjus
6.2
1993
Prompteras Robert
4.3

Production & Directing (14)

6.8
2015
1944Director
6.9
2006
MindlessDirector
4.9
2006
MindlessScreenplay
4.9
2002
5.9
2002
Names in MarbleScreenplay
5.9
2002
BurattinoDirector
7.9
7.9