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The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival or PÖFF (Pimedate Ööde filmifestival) is the leading film festival in Estonia. Held from 3 to 19 November 2023, it is one of 15 A-list film festivals accredited by FIAPF International Federation of Film Producers Associations) along with Cannes, the Berlin International Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival and many others.
Organisers aim to present an extensive collection of films from the previous two years. Alongside its two sub-festivals PÖFF Shorts and Just Film, it has become one of the biggest festivals of film in northern Europe.
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2023
This year will see the 27th PÖFF come to the Estonian capital alongside the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event (from 13 to 17 November).
More than 80,000 people will attend the film festival which will feature more than 500 films from 75 countries, with 117 world and international premieres.
Festival director and head of programme, Tiina Lokk, says, “This year’s diverse programme has remarkably high artistic value with a sharp social perspective. Each film tackles contemporary and relevant issues with a stimulating, fresh angle.
“At the same time, our Official Selection aims to connect high-quality narrative films with auteur cinema. Hence, new artistic approaches and cinema languages have always caught our attention.”
Official Selection
Films compete for Golden Wolf / Wolf Awards in : Grand Prix for the Best Film; Best Director; Best Cinematography; Best Script; Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Original Score; and Best Production Design, in addition to other awards.
Films competing this year are:
Amal (Belgium, d. Jawad Rhalib);
Andrea’s Love ( Spain, 2023, d. Manuel Martín Cuenca);
Bad Actor ( Mexico, d. Jorge Cuchi);
Ben-Joe ( Japan, d. Akira Iwamatsu;
Consent (France, 2023, d. Vanessa Filho);
Familiar (Romania; France, Taiwan, d. Călin Peter Netzer);
Forever Hold Your Peace (Montenegro, Serbia, Czech Republic, Croatia, North-Macedonia, Slovenia, d. Ivan Marinović);
Invisible Windows (India, d. Bijukumar Demodaran);
Misericordia (Italy, d. Emma Dante);
Natasha’s Dance (Netherlands, d. Jos Stelling);
October Metafiction (South Korea, d. Kyu-jun Cho);
Once Again (for the very first time) (USA, d. Boaz Yakin);
Oxygen Station (Ukraine, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, d. Ivan Tymchenko);
Patient #1 (Georgia d. Rezo Gigineishvili);
Ten Months (Israel, d. Idan Hubel);
Teresa (Spain d. Paula Ortiz);
The G (Canada d. Karl R. Hearne);
The Man from Rome (Netherlands, Germany, d. Jaap van Heusden;
The Magnet Man (Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands d.: Gust Van den Berghe);
and White Flag (Mongolia, Switzerland, Japan, d. Batbayar Chogsom).
2023 Winners
in 2023, the Grand Prix for Best Film in the Official Selection went to Misericordia, with the Best Feature Film Award going to The Moon Is Upside Down. The Best Baltic Film prize went to Smoke Sauna Sisterhood while Mike Newell won the Lifetime Achievement Award.
History of PÖFF
It all started in 1997, when 4,500 attended the first PÖFF which showcased Nordic films. Now it is the largest gathering of filmmakers in northern Europe with recognised by FIAPF International Federation of Film Producers Associations) in 2011 and added to an A-list festival in 2014.
Tickets for Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2023
To Get Your Tickets, click here. A full list of the film programme is here.
Further Information
Can be found at the official festival website: poff.ee/en/.
