[1] In early 1969, when Aedma was sixteen, Tallinnfilm began casting roles for the Arvo Kruusement directed film adaptation of Oskar Luts' 1912–1913 two-part short novel Kevade, which followed the lives of residents of the rural, fictitious village of Paunvere in the late 19th-century.
[4] Aedma was later pulled from a chemistry class by the school's headmaster and Malle Jaakson, the assistant director of Kevade, and offered the role of Jaan Imelik on the condition that he bleached his dark hair blond and took lessons to learn to play the kannel, which he accepted and his hiring was approved by the Tallinnfilm Art Council.
In 1970, he was cast in a starring role in the Semjon Školnikov directed musical comedy film Varastati Vana Toomas for Tallinnfilm, which paired him opposite Kevade costar Kaljo Kiisk.
[6][7] After failing to gain admission to the Tallinn Conservatory's performing arts department, Aedma apprenticed as a stonemason before enrolling at Tartu State University, majoring in Estonian language and literature.
[1] Aedma would revisit the role of Jaan Imelik in three more films: 1976's Suvi (Summer) and 1990's Sügis (Fall), both again directed by Arvo Kruusement and based on the trilogy of novels penned by Oscar Luts of the same names.