Black Nights

About

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is a unique event combining a feature film festival with the sub-festivals of animated films, student films and children/youth films. The festival aims to present Estonian audiences a comprehensive selection of world cinema in all its diversity with the emphasis on European films, providing a friendly atmosphere for interaction between the audience, Estonian filmmakers and their colleagues from abroad. Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival consists of the main programme, three sub-festivals, as well as film and co-production markets. 

From 2014 Black Nights Film Festival is accredited by FIAPF to organise an international non-specialized competition of feature length films along with 15 festivals around the world.

Black Nights Film Festival main programme:

• International competition programme
• The Tridens First Feature Competition
• Non-competitive programs. Films submitted, but not selected for competitive programs can be invited to non- competitive programs with the minimum of Estonian premiere. 

SUB FESTIVALS

• Children‘s and Youth Film Festival Just Film
• Animation Film Festival Animated Dreams
• Short Film Festival Sleepwalkers

For competitive programs the Festival will invite a delegation of up to three representatives per film. The festival will cover round trip airfare for one delegate with a preference ofa Director and / or Main Cast, as well as accommodation for 3 persons in the Delegation in the Official Partner Hotel.

Awards

Official Selection - Competition:

• Grand Prix for the Best Film (Grant of 10.000 Euros, shared by the Director and Producer)
• Best Director (Grant of 5000 euros)
• Best Cinematography (Grant of 1000 Euros)
• Special Jury Prize
• Best Actor
• Best Actress
• Best Script
• Best Music

The Tridens First Feature Competition:

• The Tridens Award for the Best First Feature 
• Two Special Jury Prizes

Additional awards for full-length films:

• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Audience Award (Grant of 2 000 Euros, shared by the Director and Producer)
• International Federation of Film Societies (FICC) Award
• Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award
• International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award
• Cross Religion award presented by Spiritual leaders of largest congregations in Estonia

​​The awardees are presented with the Black Nights bronze Wolf Statuette by Estonian sculptor Simson Seakülast.

Rules

• Feature length (60 minutes and over) films from around the world completed after 1st of November 2023.
• European regional premiere as a minimum (European films that have been presented in their country of origin remain eligible). Priority will be given to films with world and international premiere. .
• The Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserves the right to  to waive submission fees for selected applicants and not to comment its decisions regarding waivers.

Selection Media Type: online

Screening Media Type: DCP

Audio language: original

Subtitles language: English

Premiere Requirements

Regional premiere required.

Jury and Organizers

PÖFF is organised by the non-profit association Black Nights Film Festival (original name: MTÜ Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival).

• Festival Director and Programmer — Tiina Lokk