Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF, November 8-24) has selected 16 films including seven world premieres for its Baltic Film Competition.
The section will open with the world premiere of Second World War drama Never Alone, from Finnish stalwart Klaus Haro.
Scroll down for the full list of Baltic Film Competition titles
Partly filmed in Estonia, the film tells the true story of Finnish Jewish businessman Abraham Stiller who struggled to protect Jewish refugees seeking shelter from the Nazis in Finland. The Playmaker Munich handles world sales, with Nordisk Film Distribution releasing in Scandinavia.
Haro has represented Finland four times in the Oscar best international feature category – more than any other filmmaker, with his The Fencer making the shortlist for the 2016 awards.
Also debuting at POFF is Ivars Tontegode’s Anna LOL, a Latvian feature about a young skater and shoplifter heartbroken by her parents’ separation, as she searches for a soulmate while exploring the double standards of Latvian society.
Newcomer Enija Selecka leads the cast, with the script by Marta Sofija Trence and produced by Tontegode and Guna Stahovska.
Estonian films in the Baltic competition include Eeva Kubar’s My Partners, in which three couples from Estonia and Germany navigate the world of polyamorous relationships. It is a debut feature for Estonia’s Kubar, who produced 2011 mid-length documentary Puppet Stories and appeared in Anna Hints’ acclaimed documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood.
“The Baltic Film Competition at POFF remains the only category allowing regional premieres, though we are increasingly securing world and international premieres,” said Edvinas Puksta, lead curator of the competition. “Additionally, the rising demand for Baltic films at top festivals encourages us to showcase acclaimed regional hits. We couldn’t pass on films like Flow, Drowning Dry, or Lioness. Likewise, we felt it was fair to allow Southern Chronicles and Tasty their premieres in Cottbus just a week before Tallinn.”
The winner of the best Baltic film prize will receive a €5,000 grant.
POFF 2024 will open with the world premiere of David Dietl’s Long Story Short, while the festival has programmed its Official Selection Competition, Critics’ Picks, Rebels With a Cause, Documentary Competition and First Feature Competition in recent weeks.
The Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event industry platform runs from November 15-22, and includes the Baltic Event Co-Production Market, Black Nights Stars showcase and Works in Progress strands.
POFF Baltic Film Competition 2024
Anna LOL (Lat) dir. Ivars Tontegode*
Black Velvet (Lat) dir. Liene Linde
Drowning Dry (Lat-Lith) dir. Laurynas Bareisa
Flow (Lat-Fr-Bel) dir. Gints Zilbalodis
I Was Born In A Garage (Est) dir. Arko Okk*
In The Land That Sings (Lat) dir. Maris Martinsons
Life & Love (Est) dir. Helen Takkin
Lioness (Est-Ger-Lat) dir. Liina-Triskina Vanhatalo
My Partners (Est) dir. Eeva Kubar*
Never Alone (Fin-Est-Austria-Ger-Swe) dir. Klaus Haro*
Paradise Not Lost (Lith) dir. Linas Mikuta*
Rebel with a Bow Tie (Est) dir. Jaan Tootsen*
Tasty (Lith-Est) dir. Egle Vertelyte*
The End (Lat) dir. Maris Maskalans
Southern Chronicles (Lith-Est) dir. Ignas Miskinis
Touched By Eternity (Lat) dir. Marcis Lacis
* = world premiere
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