Kati Murutar
Kati Murutar (until 1988 Vasar, 1988-2010 Murutar; 2010–2011 Murdmaa, 2011-2020 Kati Saara Vatmann, from 2020 Kati Saara Borodina, born 21. III 1967) is a prose writer, screenwriter and journalist.
She was born in Tallinn, her childhood and school years were spent in Pärnu. She studied journalism at Tartu State University from 1985-1990. She has worked for various magazines, at Radio 2 and Radio Elmar, collaborated for the screen and worked at the publishing house Elmatar. She joined the Estonian Writers’ Union in 1995 and the Estonian Association of Journalists in 1998. At the 2005 play competition of the Estonian Play Agency, her play Pidu! (‘Party!’) received recognition and her novel Abitu (‘Helpless’, 1995) was recognized at the 1994 Faatum novel competition as well.
Murutar’s sensational first novel Naisena sündinud (‘Born a Woman’, 1992) marks the new trends in newly independent Estonian literature, in which themes that were not formerly spoken of are now handled in novel ways. The novel openly depicts the sex life of a young woman and uses straightforward language rich in vulgarisms. The marketing accompanying the novel was also noteworthy as this was not common practice in Estonian literature. The media has played an important role in Murutar’s later works and other ventures as well. Common themes in her works are the female body, sexuality and being a woman, e.g. in Abitu (‘Helpless’, 1995) and Ettevaatust, Emma! (‘Look Out, Emma!’, 2002). A novel approach is taken in the novel Mina ise ju! (‘All Me!’, 1993), in which events are first depicted from the point of view of the fetus and then the newborn.
She has written about Estonian gypsies in the novel Mustlasena sündinud (‘Born Gypsy’, 1999) and of Isadora Duncan and Marlene Dietrich in the novel Igavestel alleedel (‘On Eternal Avenues’, 2003). The play Marlene based on Dietrich’s life was staged in Vanemuine in 1996.
She has written screenplays and based on them, short stories as well, e.g. Õnne tänava lood I-III (‘Õnne Street Stories’ I-III, 1997).
A. K. (Translated by A. S.)
Books in Estonian
Novels
Naisena sündinud. Pärnu: Perona, 1992, 214 lk.
Mina ise ju! Otsapotsa lugu. Tartu: Elmatar, 1993, 253 lk.
Abitu. Tallinn: Faatum, 1995, 236 lk.
Mustlasena sündinud. Tartu: Elmatar, 1999, 255 lk.
Ettevaatust, Emma!. Tallinn: Vastus, 2002, 179 lk.
Igavestel alleedel. Tallinn: Ilo, 2003, 421 lk.
Naisena sündinud kakskümmend aastat hiljem. 1. osa. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2008, 295 lk.
Naisena sündinud kakskümmend aastat hiljem. 2. osa. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2008, 399 lk.
… ja mere ääres väike maja. Tallinn: Ajakirjade Kirjastus, 2009, 206 lk.
Kati Saara Vatmann, Täisring II. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2016, 142 lk.
Short stories
Kati jututar 1983-1993: katkendeid romaanist ja jutud. Tartu: Elmatar, 1993, 79 lk.
Õnne tänava lood 1. Tartu: Elmatar, 1997, 190 lk.
Õnne tänava lood 2. Tartu: Elmatar, 1997, 254 lk.
Õnne tänava lood 3. Tartu: Elmatar, 1997, 174 lk.
Puugid kuubis: jutustused. Tallinn: Vastus, 2004, 175 lk.
Džungliseaduste vangid: jutustus. Tartu: Elmatar, 2005, 462 lk.
Kati Saara Vatmann, Anita ja UFO. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2014, 225 lk.
Kati Saara Vatmann, Tuusik teisele kaldale. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2014, 340 lk.
Plays
Lagerii: näidendid 1995-2005. Tartu: Petrone Print, 2007, 288 lk.
Kati Saara Vatmann, Mustrimuutjad. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2016, 234 lk. [2. trükk: 2017.]
Kati Saara Vatmann, Täisring I. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2016, 128 lk.
Travelogues
Kümme neegrit Katjušaga. Tartu: Elmatar, 2004, 231 lk.
Children’s stories
Tuudur, Prints ja gripp: muinasjutud. Tallinn: Tänapäev, 2005, 146 lk.
Kati Saara Murutar, Jänku-Jussi lood. Tallinn: TEA, 2010, 55 lk. [2. trükk: 2014.]
Miscellaneous
Eedeni aed. Tallinn: Eesti Ekspressi Kirjastus, 2007, 256 lk.
Viimnekuu: viienda lapse ootamise viimase kuu päevik. Tallinn: Ühinenud Ajakirjad, 2007, 222 lk.
Talv Eedenis. 1. osa. Tallinn: Stella Borealis, 2010, 256 lk.
Projektilaps Pärnust. Tartu: Petrone print, 2011, 200 lk.
Kati Saara Vatmann, Täisring III. Pärnu: Hea Tegu, 2016, 303 lk.
Kati S. V. Murutar, Südamesalu salavägi. Jädivere: Heli Kirjastus, 2017, 94 lk.
