Estonian Comedy New Money Explores the Chaos of Suddenly Inheriting More Than 50 Million Euros
New Money, the latest feature from Estonian writer-director-producer Rain Rannu, takes a friendly jab at the fantasy many people secretly entertain: what would you actually do if you woke up with more than 50 million euros in your bank account? This film — Rannu’s fifth feature and a follow-up to his 2023 dramedy Free Money — had its international premiere at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), where it screened in the Baltic Competition to a full house and plenty of laughter.
The movie once again brings back Märt Pius and Steffi Pähn, who reprise their Free Money roles as Taavi and Liisa, a modest couple suddenly thrust into a world of wealth after becoming owners of 50 million euros in Bitcoin, roughly 58 million USD at today’s exchange rate. It also features Ivo Uukkivi, Elina Masing, Edgar Vunš, and Keith Siilats, with production handled by Rannu and Tõnu Hiielaid under their company Tallifornia. International sales are being managed by Baltic Crime.
The story starts innocently enough: Liisa, a humble schoolteacher, and Taavi, an IT specialist, decide to give a tabloid interview meant to inspire young people about financial literacy. But their good intentions backfire dramatically. Their honesty attracts a flood of anonymous online insults, unwanted business pitches, indecent proposals, and even a con artist looking to take advantage of their naïveté. What was supposed to be a simple public-spirited gesture spirals into a stressful parade of intrusive attention — ultimately leading Taavi to regret the day he ever became a crypto millionaire.
Rannu describes New Money as not quite a sequel, even though it features returning characters. He explains that after making Free Money, he simply felt like spending more time with Taavi and Liisa. He wrote a new story, sent it to the actors, and once they were excited, the project flowed naturally from there. The shooting process even brought the cast and crew to Miami, which plays a visible role in the film and produced plenty of behind-the-scenes stories shared at the festival premiere.
In addition to directing, Rannu also co-edited the film, noting that he loves the editing process because this is where the movie can be “made or broken.” He highlighted the creative freedom that editing allows, especially when it comes to shaping micro-nuances — deciding what to emphasize, what to pull back on, and how to control the rhythm of the story.
The central theme Rannu wanted to underline is simple but relatable: “more money, more problems.” While sudden wealth sounds like a dream, New Money leans into the uncomfortable truth that life can become much more complicated when everyone suddenly has an opinion — or an agenda — about your fortune.
As for the future of the Free Money / New Money universe, Rannu hinted that he already has a couple of ideas floating around for a potential third film, including stories that would focus on side characters introduced in New Money.
You can check out updates on the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on the official site at POFF.ee and learn more about Rain Rannu’s previous work through resources such as Tallifornia.
