BLACK HAIRY BEAST

During a folklore festival in Estonia, Mahesh, an Indian dancer, and Liis, a local journalist, fall madly in love. But as Mahesh tries to find his place in his lover’s country, he sees a shift in his body and identity, awakening a cursed mythological creature within. Their love soon grapples with society’s gaze and the wild instincts they find within.  

As in her previous films, Anna Hints’ work is rooted in Estonian culture and folklore. Written in collaboration with screenwriter Tushar Prakash, Black Hairy Beast is a body-horror musical about racism and love. At its core, the film tells a love story entangled with cultural prejudice, gender roles, and the fear of the other, using metaphors of physical and musical transformation. Blending poetry, femininity, and the reinvention of myths, the film explores how what seems monstrous can become a catalyst for newfound freedom. Striking a tragicomic tone, the film melds melodrama, irony, and black humour to expose the cruel absurdity of everyday racism. The soundtrack – a blend of rap, ballads, orchestral music and age-old songs – weaves a dialogue between Indian and Estonian cultures. In a world marked by migrations and the rise of nationalism, Black Hairy Beast tells a sensitive story of shame, assimilation fatigue, and the need to belong.