Jaak Kilmi (born 12 August 1951) is an Estonian film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his films such as the internationally acclaimed feature film Names in Marble (2002) and the television film The Temptation of St. Tony (2009).
Kilmi was born in Tallinn, Estonia. He began his career in the early 1970s as an assistant director on several feature films, including The Confession (1974) and The Man Who Knew Nothing (1976). He then went on to direct several of his own films, including the short drama The Red Room (1981). His feature debut was the drama The Class (1985), which earned him a Special Award from the Estonian Film Critics' Association.
Kilmi's international breakthrough came with his second feature film, Names in Marble (2002). The film tells the story of a young Estonian man who returns to his homeland after World War II, only to find it in ruins. The film was well-received by critics, and it won the Grand Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
In 2009, Kilmi released The Temptation of St. Tony, a black comedy about a middle-aged man who is forced to confront his own mortality. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Kilmi has also written and directed several television films, including The Father (2004) and The Teacher (2007). He is currently working on a feature film about the Estonian poet and philosopher Karl Ristikivi.
Kilmi is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Special Jury Prize from the Venice Film Festival and a Best Film Award from the Estonian Film Critics' Association. He is considered one of the most important Estonian filmmakers of his generation.
