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A poignant script, attractive production design and appealing performances bring something fresh to familiar coming-of-age tropes in “On the Water.” Estonia’s submission for the international feature Oscar, the film unfolds in rural Soviet Estonia in the early 1980s, during a pivotal year in the life of the shy teen protagonist that finds him slowly unlocking his potential. The touching yet never sentimental screenplay is by Olavi Ruitlane, based on his own best-selling novel. Balancing gentle humor with the hard facts of life, veteran helmer Peeter Simm finds strong visuals and the correct tone to deliver the story.

Some 40 years ago, this sort of film would have been a staple at every international film festival, but may now seem old-fashioned. Nevertheless, the film’s sympathetic qualities and professional tech credits make it a solid bet for streaming platforms or smaller arthouse distributors.

In the small southern town of Võru, 12-year-old...

Gentle period drama “The Little Comrade” is an affecting and richly visualized coming-of-age story set in Soviet Estonia during the Stalinist terror of the 1950s. Adapting two autobiographical novels by Leelo Tungal, one of Estonia’s most beloved authors, documentary maker-turned-feature writer-director Moonika Siimets successfully captures the perplexed perspective of a traumatized 6-year-old who sees her mother, a school principal, arrested and taken away at gunpoint. The film was released in March, became a huge hit and currently ranks No. 4 all time at the Estonian box office. Further festival play is assured after its international premiere in Busan.

Intelligent and inquisitive, young Leelo Tungal (angel-faced Helena-Maria Reisner), can’t wait to start her education at the provincial school where her parents Helmes (Eva Koldits) and Feliks teach. Oblivious to the political portents of the time, Leelo idolizes the school’s red-kerchiefed “young pioneers,” the kids that she sees singing the Soviet anthem and shouting slogans,...