Mika Tuupola

Brilliant continuation from television to web by Saatchi & Saatchi Tallinn (currently operating under the name Taevas). Before reading any further see the three Disel spots from 2004 and the current one from 2005.

Direct translation of mehed ei nuta would be men don’t cry. It is also a phrase Estonian people use when something bad happens or someone complains about something. The phrase originates from a cult film not-so-surprisingly called Mehed ei nuta.

In the television spots men get their tongue slashed by a blender and their face burned by a torch. They got run over by car and they stitch their wounds themselves using a needle and yarn. Men don’t cry.

Men don’t cry when they get scars. Men compete who has the biggest scars. This is the idea which continues to Disel website. It has a competition called Mina ja mu arm or Me and my scar. In the competition people – mostly men – can send a picture of their scars and write a short story about it. Other people – again mostly men – can vote who has the best scar.

The winning scar MINU LUGU is an amazing survival story.

On a warm day somewhere in May 1986 two black Volgas drove to the mans work place. Everyone were ordered to stand in line. The officials stood out from Volgas and picked out “volunteers” by pointing their finger at the men standing in line.

In 1986 Estonia was still under Russian occupation.

The “volunteers” – 42 of them – were locked into movietheather. No questions were answered.

Next morning the journey begun. First in trucks. Then in train. Last in aeroplane. At some point they heard that somewhere had happened a big accident and they were going to do some reconstruction work.

On the night of the third day they found out that a nuclear plant had exploded.

Our mans job was to cover the broken reactor with sandbacks thrown from MI-32 helicopter. They were not issued with any protective gear. They were not told about dangers of radiation.

He got sick. Lost 48% percent of his skin. Fell into coma for several months. After waking up he weighed only 34 kilograms. For almost 6 years he was not able to stand up. He has gone through 74 different operations.

Today he is 51 years old. Has to eat pills everyday. Lives on disability pension. But quoting his own words Atleast I’m alive…