{{Short description|2023 film}} {{Infobox film | name = | image = | alt = | caption = | native_name = {{Infobox name module|Estonian|Nähtamatu võitlus}} | director = Rainer Sarnet | screenplay = Rainer Sarnet | producer = Katrin Kissa | starring = {{Plainlist| * Ursel Tilk * Ester Kuntu * Indrek Sammul * Kaarel Pogga }} | cinematography = Mart Taniel | editing = Jussi Rautaniemi | music = Koshiro Hino | studio = Homeless Bob Production | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2023|08|11|Locarno|ref1=<ref name="lff">{{cite web |title=Nähtamatu võitlus |url=https://www.locarnofestival.ch/festival/program/film.html?fid=909850de-86bf-426b-b9d8-1151b5c7e21d |website=Locarno Film Festival |access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>}} | runtime = 115 minutes | country = {{Plainlist| * Estonia * Latvia * Greece * Finland }} | language = {{Plainlist| * Estonian * Russian }} | budget = | gross = }} '''''The Invisible Fight''''' ({{langx|et|Nähtamatu võitlus}}) is a 2023 internationally co-produced action comedy film directed by Rainer Sarnet.<ref name="lff" /> Set in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic during the 1970s, the film stars Ursel Tilk as a would-be kung fu fighter.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last1=Nicholson |first1=Amy |title='The Invisible Fight' Review: Iron Fist vs. Iron Curtain |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/22/movies/the-invisible-fight-review.html |access-date=20 August 2024 |agency=The New York Times}}</ref>
At the 2024 Estonian Film and Television Awards, ''The Invisible Fight'' won the most prizes of the night, with a total of nine awards including Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Scriptwriter.<ref name="efta">{{cite web |title=The Invisible Fight and Smoke Sauna Sisterhood Share Estonian Film Awards for 2023 |url=https://www.filmneweurope.com/news/estonia-news/item/125704-the-invisible-fight-and-smoke-sauna-sisterhood-share-estonian-film-awards-for-2023 |website=Film New Europe |access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
== Premise == Feeling alienated by conformist Soviet society, heavy metal fan Raphael encounters an underground society of Eastern Orthodox monks who practice kung fu.<ref name="nyt" />
== Cast == * Ursel Tilk as Raphael * Ester Kuntu as Rita * Indrek Sammul as Nafanail * Kaarel Pogga as Irinei * Sepa Tom as Melhisedek * Rain Simmul as Big Hat * Tiina Tauraite as Marfa * Mari Abel as Zinaida * Maria Avdjuško as Mother * Marika Barabanštšikova as Lady * Rein Oja as KGB agent * Ekke Märten Hekles as Rudolf
== Production == Katrin Kissa of Homeless Bob Production produced ''The Invisible Fight'', which was co-produced with White Picture, Neda Film, and Helsinki-Filmi.<ref name="dl">{{cite news |last1=Wiseman |first1=Andreas |title=Estonian Heavy Metal Kung-Fu Comedy 'The Invisible Fight' Gets North American Deal, Watch Teaser |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/kino-lorber-heavy-metal-kung-fu-invisible-fight-deal-teaser-1235557233/ |access-date=20 August 2024 |agency=Deadline}}</ref>
== Release == ''The Invisible Fight'' premiered on 11 August 2023 in the ''Concorso Internazionale'' section of the 76th Locarno Film Festival.<ref name="lff" /> Later that year, the film screened at Fantastic Fest and the Sitges Film Festival.<ref name="dl" /> The film was acquired for North American distribution by Kino Lorber.<ref name="dl" /><ref name="kl">{{cite web |title=The Invisible Fight |url=https://kinolorber.com/film/the-invisible-fight?srsltid=AfmBOopXCSnQgkG1oAkHROXb6a_X9VdMaNONtsn5Qe3QNcfZPVY0z9qi |website=Kino Lorber |access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
== Reception == === Critical reception === {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|57||14|consensus=}}<ref name="rt">{{cite web |title=The Invisible Fight |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_invisible_fight |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=20 August 2024}}</ref>
=== Accolades === {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Ceremony date ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Recipient(s) ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" | Ref. |- ! scope="row" | Locarno Film Festival | 12 August 2023 | Golden Leopard | ''The Invisible Fight'' | {{Nominated}} | align="center" | <ref name="lff" /> |- ! scope="row" rowspan="10" | Estonian Film and Television Awards | rowspan="10" | 12 April 2024 | Best Film | ''The Invisible Fight'' | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Director | rowspan="2" | Rainer Sarnet | {{Nominated}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Scriptwriter | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Actress | Ester Kuntu | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Actor | Ursel Tilk | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Original Music | Koshiro Hino | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Production Design | Jaagup Roomet | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Editing | Jussi Rautaniemi | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Costumes | Jaanus Vahtra | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |- | Best Make-up | Anu Konze | {{Won}} | align="center" | <ref name="efta" /> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|tt20420790}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Invisible Fight, The}} Category:Kung fu films Category:2023 action comedy films Category:Estonian action comedy films Category:2020s Estonian-language films Category:Latvian comedy films Category:2023 Greek films Category:Finnish action films Category:Films set in the 1970s Category:Films set in the Soviet Union Category:Finnish comedy films Category:2020s Estonian films Category:2020s Latvian films Category:2023 Finnish films