WORLD WEDDINGS BALTIC BRIDES Tx Date: 6th September 2005 This script was made from audio tape – any inaccuracies are due to voices being unclear or inaudible 10.00.00 World Weddings Theme Music 10.00.05 Title Page WORLD WEDDINGS 10.00.11 Music 10.00.27 DJ Marx Eastern Estonian girls, my favourite. Marie, Christine, that’s my favourite ass. 10.00.37 Music 10.00.40 Narrator Tallinn, Estonia; one of Europe’s hottest weekend destinations. With a booming nightclub culture and a tiger economy, the Baltic republic is at the cutting edge of the new Europe. 10.00.51 Music 10.00.54 Narrator And this week DJ Marx of Tallinn’s Radio Uuno is launching a wedding competition to find the ultimate Estonian couple. 10.01.03 DJ Marx Voice over Good morning all you Romeo and Juliets. Today’s the start of our new competition; “Wedding Two Thousand and Five”. You can win a full wedding, the rings, the dress, the reception and the honeymoon. 10.01.14 Music 10.01.17 Narrator With the prize worth more than twice the average annual salary, couples from across Estonia will do almost anything to win their dream wedding. 10.01.25 Music 10.01.25 Title Page Baltic Brides 10.01.37 Marika Voice over Let me show you round our flat. Here we have two small rooms. This is our bedroom where we sleep. We like the mirror. In the morning we talk to each other in the mirror. It’s become a little habit. 10.01.58 Narrator Marika and her partner Mario are one of ten couples who have made it to the final of the Radio Uuno competition. They are both high-flyers working for internet companies, part of Estonia’s high-tech revolution. Their smart new flat was paid for with a hefty mortgage. 10.02.15 Marika Voice over It’s a bit small but we manage. We’d definitely like a bigger home. 10.02.23 Narrator They met at work and after a relentless pursuit; Marika gave in to Mario’s charms. 10.02.32 Marika Voice over I remember that we’d been together for a month or so. I remember him saying in the car; you know Marika, I’m afraid. I asked; what are you afraid of? He said; I’m afraid I’m falling in love. It was very beautiful. 10.02.48 Narrator For Mario and Marika the wedding prize is a fun way to get married without stretching the finances. 10.02.56 Music 10.03.07 Narrator But Estonia is not all internet whiz kids and hedonistic high-life. In spite of huge growth in recent years the country remains one of the poorest in the new expanded European Union. 10.03.21 Narrator And not all the couples in the wedding competition have enjoyed the economic boom. Siiri is a prison officer in one of Estonia’s two women’s prisons. 10.03.35 Siiri Voice over We’d like to have the wedding at my parents’ place. For food; definitely pork, some kind of salad, and a big cake for dessert. 10.03.51 Narrator Siiri met her partner Andrus four years ago. He’s a police officer. 10.04.00 Andrus Voice over How did I know I was in love? I think it was when I started thinking about her every day. 10.04.12 Siiri Voice over It was like Andrus said. It was about thinking about him and my heart was saying, this is the right person. And all my thoughts were about Andrus. 10.04.25 Narrator Andrus proposed to Siiri last year but on a combined salary of less than five hundred pounds a month they need to win the competition if they’re going to marry soon. 10.04.34 Andrus Voice over How soon will we marry? 10.04.37 Siiri Voice over As soon as possible. 10.04.42 Andrus Voice over When the financial situation allows us. 10.04.49 Siiri Voice over Now. 10.04.51 Andrus Voice over Or sooner. 10.04.56 Narrator Money is so tight that they’re living in a two- bedroomed flat with Andrus’ parents. 10.05.03 Siiri Voice over Living with Andrus’ parents isn’t the same as living with my own parents. Every family has its own way of doing things. But it’s not unbearable. 10.05.16 Music 10.05.21 Narrator The wedding race is on. It’s theme night with DJ Marx at Club Hollywood, one of the many nightclubs that have sprung up in Tallinn. In the first event of the wedding competition ten couples have been asked to dress up as cartoon characters. Prison officer Siiri and her policeman boyfriend are pinning their hopes on pig costumes. 10.05.41 Narrator First some introductions. 10.05.43 Mario Voice over I’m the wolf and she’s the bunny. 10.05.45 Andrus Voice over I’m the pig and she’s the sow. Andrus and Siiri. 10.05.51 Narrator Some of the couples have travelled a long way. Pippi Longstocking and her boyfriend are from the countryside. In real life he really does work as a fireman. 10.06.02 Music 10.06.05 Narrator The judges are watching the couples very closely; how they act, if their costumes are co-ordinated, and of course how they perform on the dance floor. First up, the waltz. 10.06.16 Announcer Marika and Mario. 10.06.19 Cheering/music 10.06.26 Narrator The internet couple know how to work the crowd. 10.06.29 Cheering/music 10.06.38 Narrator To crank up the atmosphere DJ Marx adds his own special touch. 10.06.42 Record scratching 10.06.51 Narrator It’s time for the final event of the night, the old Estonian favourite, the newspaper dance. 10.06.56 Music 10.07.00 Narrator Every time the music stops the paper is folded and the dance becomes more intimate. 10.07.10 Music 10.07.14 Narrator The judges are ready to seize on the slightest slip-up. 10.07.18 Music 10.07.22 Narrator Siiri and Andrus are making every effort to secure a win. They’ve even brought a fan club. But despite their efforts the judges eliminate them. 10.07.36 Narrator Mario the wolf and his bunny Marika have conquered the field with a barnstorming display. It looks like round one to the beautiful people. 10.07.47 Radio Uuno jingle 10.07.52 DJ Marx Subtitles At the weekend at Club Hollywood we started out new wedding reality show – Radio Uuno 2005. 10.08.00 Narrator One of the five judges who will decide on who will be Estonia’s golden couple, DJ Marx brings his own perspective to judging the contestants. 10.08.10 DJ Marx Voice over My first impression. First I look at the legs then the boobs, and then the face. 10.08.22 Aston RAGNAR Marketing Director, Radio Uuno Voice over My main criteria in judging the couples is how they fit together, that their relationship will last a long time, that they’re perfectly matched. 10.08.32 Music 10.08.41 Narrator Some of the other judges are finding it hard to remember who is who from Saturday night’s party. 10.08.47 Judge 1 Subtitles Which ones were Kairi and Janar? Was it this big girl? 10.08.52 Judge 2 Subtitles It was Pippi Longstocking and the policeman. 10.08.55 Judge 1 Subtitles Yes it was. The size is XL. It must have been her. 10.09.00 Narrator Despite their nightmare during the newspaper dance it seems that the pig costumes might have paid off for Andrus and Siiri. 10.09.08 Judge 1 Subtitles Siiri and Andrus, I like their costumes. 10.09.13 Ragnar Subtitle What do you think? 10.09.14 Judge 2 Subtitles I like Siiri and Andrus best at the moment. They’re a good match. And it’s obvious they can’t afford this kind of wedding. 10.09.29 Ragnar Subtitles Mario and Marika stood out for me. We should meet with the couples individually, in a quiet place. There are five of us, we all have our own questions. 10.09.42 DJ Marx Subtitle Let’s have a sauna party. 10.09.45 Music 10.09.51 Narrator It looks like Mario and Marika are among the front runners. They are the perfect pin-ups for the new Estonia. 10.09.57 Music 10.10.00 Narrator Ambitious and beautiful, they are everything young Estonians are striving for after the country’s post- communist facelift. 10.10.06 Music 10.10.12 Mario Voice over I bought the car. I’ve never liked going anywhere on foot. 10.10.17 Music 10.10.26 Narrator Marika is a Human Resources Manager for a successful Estonian internet company. 10.10.33 Marika Voice over I think Estonians have good prospects of finding a job and having a career. 10.10.39 Narrator But not everyone is part of the Estonian dream. Together Mario and Marika earn double what Andrus and Siiri make. 10.10.49 Narrator In his job as a Tallinn policeman Andrus sees a different side of modern Estonia. He and his colleague are checking up on some vagrants. 10.10.57 Andrus Subtitles Are you new here? I haven’t seen you here before. 10.11.03 Narrator Many of the homeless people Andrus encounters are of Russian origin. In Soviet times Estonia was ruled from Moscow. Thirteen years on, with the country independent and newly-admitted to the European Union, many from the ethnic Russian minority, the old top dogs, are now at the bottom of the heap. 10.11.24 Narrator In the women’s prison where Siiri works two thirds of the inmates are Russian, more than double the number in the population at large. 10.11.35 Siiri Voice over The Russians end up here more often because they have language problems. They haven’t learnt to speak Estonian. They get the worst jobs; they earn less. That’s the root of the problem. 10.11.53 Narrator The unemployment rate is twice as high for non- Estonians. 10.12.00 Narrator Andrus and Siiri are worried about the next round of the wedding competition. Siiri is up for a beauty make-over and Andrus has to prove his manly qualities by racing go-karts. The trouble is, even though he is a policeman, he hasn’t passed his driving test. 10.12.15 Andrus and Siiri’s friend Subtitles Siiri needs to teach you. She knows more about cars and engines than you do. She should go instead of you. You can go to the beauty salon instead. 10.12.26 Music 10.12.33 Narrator It’s the big day, the last chance to impress the judges. The women have been separated from their partners to see how they interact with each other. According to the judges, these are revealing moments. 10.12.51 Judge 2 Voice over Make-up is important because the girls can emphasise their best features. 10.12.59 Narrator Despite all the fun and attention Siiri wishes she was somewhere else. 10.13.06 Siiri Voice over I think I’d be better at go-kart racing than putting on make-up. 10.13.11 Narrator And it’s proving a bit of a challenge for Andrus. 10.13.13 Music 10.13.26 Andrus Voice over I increased my speed before the kerb and I crashed into the tyres. 10.13.30 Music 10.13.33 Narrator After a long day the couples are re-united for the grand finale of the whole competition, the fashion show. The girls are trying to find outfits that look nice for the catwalk. Some are more pleased with their choices than others. 10.13.51 Judge 1 Voice over We wanted to see the girls in dresses and skirts, not in trousers. 10.13.57 Siiri Subtitles No, I would never wear this. 10.14.00 Music 10.14.02 Narrator At stake, the wedding prize worth six thousand five hundred pounds. That’s more than two years salary for the average Estonian. The couples’ talents are tested to the limits and sometimes even further. 10.14.16 Mario Subtitles You are my angel, my princess, my mermaid. I am your pure-bred stud. 10.14.25 Marika Subtitles You are my angel, my prince, my stud. And I am your modest loving mermaid. 10.14.32 Music 10.14.33 Narrator Love takes many forms. Andrus and Siiri have a less poetic way of expressing their feelings. Others try and get the crowd going by singing their favourite song. 10.14.48 Singing 10.14.56 Narrator But amid all this talent a dark horse appears. Couple number nine seem to have all the right moves and have whipped the crowd into a frenzy. 10.15.05 Applause 10.15.07 DJ Marx Subtitles People’s favourite for the 2005 event is couple number 9, Kairi and Janar. 10.15.12 Applause 10.15.15 Narrator You may remember them as Pippi Longstocking and the fireman. The mystery couple have thrown the judges into confusion. But have they done enough to oust the frontrunners? 10.15.27 Ragnar Voice over Siiri and Andrus made a good impression, and Mario and Marika – basically the same favourites as before. They all have their plus points. And number nine. We didn’t notice them before but they stood out today. 10.15.44 Narrator Couple number nine, Janar and Kairi, live in a small town eighty-five miles outside Tallinn. They moved in together two years ago when Kairi was only nineteen and Janar twenty. 10.15.59 Kairi Voice over My dream wedding would definitely be in a church and it should definitely be with Janar. In this church there would be a lot of friends and family. 10.16.17 Narrator It’s Friday night at the local village hall. Janar and Kairi are honing the dancing skills that won them the popularity prize on Saturday night. 10.16.25 Music 10.16.26 Song Subtitles If the sea was beer I would become a dolphin But if the sea turned to vodka I would be a submarine I would be a submarine 10.16.45 Narrator Thousands of Estonians have left the countryside for the city. Janar and Kairi have decided to stay but are always on the lookout for a new thrill. 10.16.54 Janar and Kairi singing karaoke 10.17.01 Janar Subtitles We entered the competition because we wanted more excitement in our lives and to get out of our routine. 10.17.07 Janar and Kairi singing karaoke 10.17.18 Narrator Janar is a fourth generation fireman but he also has a second job as a mechanic. 10.17.27 Janar Voice over I work here to earn some extra money on top of my fireman’s wages. In the countryside wages are low so you need another job. 10.17.38 Narrator Janar’s father is head of the local fire union. He’s concerned that possible cuts to fire stations in the area will have dangerous consequences for the community, and of course for Janar’s job. 10.17.50 Janar’s father Subtitles In Torgu, the thing is that 15kim is no longer the safety range. Now it’s 50km to the closest fire station. Can you imagine that? Now if there’s a fire, the closest help is 50kim away, so it takes an hour. 10.18.13 Narrator The next day a barn fire breaks out near a primary school. It’s Sunday and there aren’t enough firemen on duty. Janar comes out to help fight the blaze. 10.18.41 Narrator It’s not easy for Kairi to watch. 10.18.51 Janar Voice over It was my day off. There were very few of us on shift and it was obvious that it was a big fire so I got the big truck and drove it here. 10.19.09 Janar Voice over When I come off duty I get paid two pounds twenty an hour for coming out. Minus taxes. 10.19.24 Narrator The other contestants Andrus and Siiri are taking a break from the pressures of city life. They’re visiting Siiri’s parents who are dairy farmers. The family has seen many changes since communist times but they don’t feel that much richer. 10.19.40 Siiri’s father Subtitles The people who worked on the collective farms just did their eight-hour shift. So there was more free time. But now we work as hard as we can. There’s no end to it. 10.19.59 Siiri’s mother Subtitles There is more work, but at least you can choose when you do it. 10.20.02 Siiri’s father Subtitles But the salary was guaranteed. The amount was guaranteed. 10.20.06 Siiri Subtitles But now on the farm you have more choice. You are not forced labour. 10.20.15 Narrator Winning the competition is Andrus’ only realistic chance of having a wedding in the near future. He’s worried about how the competition is being judged. 10.20.27 Andrus Voice over The judges can’t decide only on the basis of these events, they don’t show who really deserves to win. They don’t show the real relationship. 10.20.39 Narrator Andrus’ worries are beginning to materialise. Back in the city one of the judges is having doubts about their credentials as an ideal couple. 10.20.51 Ragnar Voice over Andrus and Siiri used to be right up there; everything about them seemed good. What has started to bother me is that Siiri doesn’t want to be feminine. I’m looking for an ideal couple, and one of the ideals is that the man is manly and the woman is feminine. 10.21.13 Narrator And no-one in the competition is more feminine than Marika. 10.21.16 Music 10.21.28 Marika Voice over I do think our chances are pretty good and that we might be among the top five, if not the top three. At some point we started thinking we might even win this thing. 10.21.42 Narrator It’s the day of reckoning and things are looking distinctly grim for Andrus and Siiri. 10.21.48 Judge 4 Subtitles The fact that their parents are dependent on them counts against them. 10.21.53 Ragnar Subtitles And he doesn’t have a driver’s licence. 10.21.56 DJ Marx Subtitle Hello! 10.21.58 Ragnar Subtitles It seems a bit odd for a man not to drive. 10.22.01 DJ Marx Subtitle He’s a wuss. Ragnar Subtitle That’s right, he’s a wuss. 10.22.03 DJ Marx Subtitles He lives with his parents and doesn’t drive. She wears the trousers. 10.22.07 Ragnar Subtitles I didn’t say that. That’s your opinion. 10.22.12 Narrator The couples have been called together to hear the result. Mario and Marika arrive fashionably late, as usual completely relaxed. For them the contest has always been for a bit of fun While Andrus and Siiri have pinned all their hopes on today. 10.22.30 Narrator If Kairi and Janar win their finances will be eased, but either way they plan to marry this spring. 10.22.36 Ragnar Subtitle Don’t be nervous. 10.22.40 Siiri Subtitles I don’t want anything at the moment. I’ve lost my appetite. 10.22.46 Narrator There’s a whiff of rebellion in the air. Some of the couples are wondering just how this competition has been judged. 10.22.53 Contestant Subtitle What were the main criteria? 10.22.56 Judge 3 Subtitles I was waiting for that question. It’s very subjective. 10.23.04 Contestant Subtitles We know it’s subjective, that’s why we’re asking. 10.23.08 Contestant Subtitles We can’t go into discussion about that right now. 10.23.20 Judge 3 Subtitles Oh God, there are so many things. 10.23.30 Narrator The result is going to be announced by DJ Marx calling the winners’ phone live on Radio Uuno. 10.23.38 Phone ringing 10.23.46 Narrator False alarm; it’s only the office. 10.23.53 Narrator The moment of truth approaches. The couples are asked to stand to await their fate. A last minute check to make sure the phone is on. 10.24.03 Phone ringing 10.24.07 Kairi Ja. Ja. 10.24.16 Narrator Fireman Janar and Kairi win the free all-inclusive wedding. Andrus and Siiri are going to have to wait and save up for their turn. 10.24.31 Andrus Voice over In a way we’re sorry we didn’t win, but life goes on. We never have any luck. Nothing comes easy for us. 10.24.47 Marika Voice over We didn’t think of them as favourites. We didn’t even notice them but then we saw them at the casino with all their relatives and supporters. 10.24.58 Mario Voice over And then we thought they could be a good couple. 10.25.02 Music 10.25.04 Narrator Wedding day a month after the competition and factory worker Kairi is enjoying her free designer makeover. As well as the make-up and dress the prize includes the rings and a slap-up wedding reception. Fireman Janar is always on his toes. 10.25.20 Music 10.25.35 Janar Voice over It’s very weird but I’m extremely calm. I’m not nervous but I think when I see Kairi in her dress my heart will start pounding. 10.25.46 Narrator It’s back to routine life for Andrus and Siiri but things aren’t all that bad. Andrus has passed his driving test and Siiri has got a new job working with juvenile delinquents and they are still hopeful about getting married. 10.26.02 Andrus Voice over We don’t know the exact date but let’s say in the near future. 10.26.06 Siiri Voice over That’s a bit vague. 10.26.09 Andrus Voice over Near future for some people could mean two years. For me two years is the near future. 10.26.18 Siiri Voice over If we win a million it will be immediately. 10.26.22 Andrus Voice over On the same day. 10.26.25 Wedding music 10.26.50 Janar Subtitles Kairi Kruusamagi, I take you to be my wife. 10.26.55 Priest Subtitle To love and respect. 10.26.59 Janar Subtitle To love and respect. 10.27.02 Kairi Subtitles Wear this ring… …as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. In the name of God the Father… …and the Holy Ghost. 10.27.29 Narrator The wedding has been a triumph. But celebrity comes at a cost. DJ Marx is broadcasting live to his posse on Radio Uuno. 10.27.43 DJ Marx Voice over Hello bride and groom. Congratulations. Janar; do you reckon you’ll be able to hang on to Kairi now that you’re married? 10.27.55 Janar Voice over Yes, but I’ve always thought that. 10.27.59 Narrator No honeymoon for Janar and Kairi. The wedding organisers couldn’t come up with the money. But they certainly know how to enjoy themselves celebrating in the time-honoured fashion of Estonian fire crews, in a mobile sauna. 10.28.11 Music Credits 10.28.29 Narrator MELISSA BERRY Camera DAVID NIBLOCK Sound RASMUS NURK Dubbing Mixer SCOTT MARSHALL Online Editor BOYD NAGLE Title Graphics WHY NOT ASSOCIATES Production Team MARTHA O’SULLIVAN LADONNA HALL Production Manager JANE WILLEY Research KÄTLIN PALM Unit Manager SUSAN CRIGHTON Picture Editor MARK COLLINS 10.28.41 Produced and Directed by BARBARA ARVANITIDIS 10.28.46 Executive Producer KAREN O’CONNOR Series Producer SAM BAGNALL BBC www.bbc.co.uk/thisworld © BBC MMV 10.28.49 End BBC World Weddings: Baltic Brides 1 1