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The year is 1993. In a tiny Estonian town, where nothing ever happens, a lion breaks loose. An emergency state akin to a nuclear attack is declared, where hunters, police officers, the town council and the Romani – from whose camp the lion slipped out – all face off against each other. The police seek to do their duty, the hunters are in it for the thrill, the mayor desires glory and the Romani simply want their lion back. The ambitions of different people cannot be linked up to a common goal. Chaos ensues. Meanwhile, how should an ordinary man, on his way to receive his layoff notice, but in whose apartment the same lion has covertly settled, make it through all this?

Martin Algus’s “The Lion” doesn’t only touch on the restoration of Estonia’s independence, but turns a satirical lens on the tumult intrinsic to all societies, wittily portraying the strengths and shortcomings of everyone involved, with a humaneness that tends to go missing during times of crisis.

“The Lion” is Martin Algus’ dramatisation of the same-titled story from his short story collection “Hinterland”.