Ice, Men and a Starling (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Set on the frozen waters of Hiiumaa, Ice, Men and a Starling follows 87-year-old ice-sailing figure Vello Jürjo as he constructs his last iceboat. His grandson, filmmaker Mihkel Oksmann, records the process, creating a personal Estonian documentary centered on craft, family and a changing moment.

Ice, Men and a Starling is an Estonian documentary set against the frozen waters of Hiiumaa. At its center is 87-year-old Vello Jürjo, a renowned figure in ice sailing, who undertakes the construction of what may be his final iceboat.

The film is directed and written by Jürjo’s grandson, Mihkel Oksmann, who begins documenting the project after hearing about it. The result is framed around family connection, a distinctive maritime tradition and one significant final undertaking.

Ice, Men and a Starling movie details

Story without spoilers

The documentary follows Vello Jürjo as he builds his last iceboat on Hiiumaa. Known as a legendary figure in the world of ice sailing, Jürjo becomes the focus of a filming project led by his grandson, Mihkel Oksmann. Oksmann’s decision to record the construction gives the film a close family perspective while preserving a moment connected to Estonia’s ice-sailing culture.

The available synopsis keeps the emphasis on the building process and the relationship between subject and filmmaker. It does not reveal how the project develops or what its conclusion brings, allowing the film’s central situation to remain spoiler-free.

What to expect

As a documentary, Ice, Men and a Starling is centered on a real person, a practical creative process and the winter landscape of Hiiumaa. Viewers can expect the iceboat’s construction to provide the narrative focus, with the family connection between Vello Jürjo and Mihkel Oksmann shaping the film’s perspective.

The premise also suggests an intimate scale: rather than a broad survey of ice sailing, the film concentrates on one experienced practitioner and one final boat. Its Estonian setting and language further place the story within a specific local and cultural context.

Cast and creative team

Vello Jürjo appears as himself, alongside Urve Jürjo and Mihkel Oksmann, who also appear as themselves. Oksmann directed and wrote the documentary, giving the film a personal connection to its central subject.

• Vello Jürjo as Self
• Urve Jürjo as Self
• Mihkel Oksmann as Self

Release and production context

Ice, Men and a Starling is a 2026 documentary from Estonia, spoken in Estonian. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 10 minutes and is listed with a release date of November 11, 2026. The production companies are Sui and Acousmatic Film Sound.

Production companies: Sui, Acousmatic Film Sound

Movies Dock view

With its focus on an experienced ice sailor, a final iceboat and a grandson documenting the work, Ice, Men and a Starling presents a clearly defined personal documentary subject. Its setting on Hiiumaa and attention to ice sailing give the film a distinctive Estonian context.

Film data:
TMDB