News

In its 23rd year, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event has expanded in its scope and reach without moving away from its core: training, promoting Baltic film and TV filmmakers and connecting them with the rest of the world.

According to industry honcho Marge Liiske, this year’s event will focus on the role of cinema in larger society. “As the world undergoes profound changes, the role of cinema is more important than ever. At a time when humanity faces environmental challenges, social injustice and unrelenting conflict, our films need to be more than entertainment; they need to be calls to empathy, understanding and action.”

More than 800 delegates from 47 countries have signed up for the event, which spans eight days (Nov. 15-22) instead of the usual five, due to an extra three days dedicated to short films.

The new Shorts Industry Shortcut for emerging local, regional and international filmmakers is meant to...

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has selected 11 debut films for its First Feature Competition, including Steve Bache’s “paedosexuality” drama No Dogs Allowed.

The German film follows a 15-year-old boy trying to control his paedophilic impulses. He meets an older man in an online chat forum, only for the older man to take advantage of his insecurities. Paedosexuality is a term for the sexual fixation on children.

Scroll down for the full list of First Feature Competition films

Carlo Krammling stars with Robin Sondermann, Katharina Marie Schubert and Bineta Hansen. The film is written by Stephan Kampf, and produced by Marcos Kantis,...

The Italy-Slovak feature took the Screen International best pitch prize.

Sahraa Karimi’s Taliban drama Flight From Kabul has won the Screen International best pitch award from Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the industry platform of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).

The project is inspired by Karimi’s own experience of the 2021 Taliban offensive that retook control of Afghanistan, and forced the filmmaker to flee her homeland. The Italy-Slovakia co-production tells the story of Zibaa, a successful Afghan filmmaker and anti-Taliban activist who has got engaged; only for her wedding plans to be destroyed when the Taliban seizes Kabul.

The...

The Italy-Slovak feature took the Screen International best pitch prize.

Sahraa Karimi’s Taliban drama Flight From Kabul has won the Screen International best pitch award from Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the industry platform of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).

The project is inspired by Karimi’s own experience of the 2021 Taliban offensive that retook control Afghanistan, and forced the filmmaker to flee her homeland. The Italian-Slovak co-production tells the story of Zibaa, a successful Afghan filmmaker and anti-Taliban activist who has got engaged; only for her wedding plans to be destroyed when the Taliban seizes Kabul. The film...

The Italy-Slovak feature took the Screen International best pitch prize.

Sahraa Karimi’s Taliban drama Flight From Kabul has won the Screen International best pitch award from Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the industry platform of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff).

The project is inspired by Karimi’s own experience of the 2021 Taliban offensive that retook control Afghanistan, and forced the filmmaker to flee her homeland. The Italian-Slovak co-production tells the story of Zibaa, a successful Afghan filmmaker and anti-Taliban activist who has got engaged; only for her wedding plans to be destroyed when the Taliban seizes Kabul. The film...

At the Award Ceremony of the 24th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) awards were handed to the winners of the four competition programmes of the festival and PÖFF’s sub-festivals Youth and Children’s Film Festival Just Film and International Short Film and Animation Film Festival PÖFF Shorts.

The jury of Official Selection – Competition headed by Mark Adams selected director Ivaylo Hristov’s drama “Fear“ as their favourite, handing the film the Grand Prix of the festival. Blending drama with deadpan comedy, the film’s story is set on the Bulgarian border, on a new route for African migrants arriving from Turkey with hopes to reach Germany. The protagonist, the former school teacher, comes across an African man who will bring a dramatic turn to her life.

The Best Director award goes to Turkish director Nisan Dağ for “When I’m Done Dying“, a vibrant portrayal of an upcoming hiphop artist struggling with drug addiction.