Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has selected eight emerging actors from the Baltic Sea region for its Black Nights Stars showcase, including rising stars from Poland, Estonia and Germany.
The group includes US-born German actor Zethphan Smith-Gneist, who appeared in a pivotal single-shot scene in Todd Fields’ TÁR opposite Cate Blanchett, and played his first leading role in an episode of German TV series Zeit Verbrechen, which debuted at this year’s Berlinale.
Selected from Poland is Maria Kowalska, whose breakthrough role came in Michal Gazda’s adaptation of cult Polish novel Forgotten Love for Netflix, and who stars in Dominika Montean’s Skrzyzowanie (English translation: Intersection), which has its world premiere at Warsaw Film Festival next week.
Also selected is Lithuanian actor Robertas Petraitis, who has filmed lead roles in two features coming out in 2025: Ignas Miskinis’ comedy Southern Chronicles, and Romas Zabarauskas’ thriller The Activist.
The eight actors are:
Andreas Bruun Pedersen (Denmark), credits: Always Be Closing (TV), Lily’s Ghost, There’s No Place Like Home
Salah Isse Mohamed (Finland), credits: Zone B (TV), Hyvaeli, Conflict (TV)
Maria Kowalska (Poland), credits: Under The Surface (TV), Nothing Is Lost, Forgotten Love
Marten Metsaviir (Estonia), credits: Melchior the Apothecary, Revenge Office (TV),
Robertas Petraitis (Lithuania), credits: Southern Chronicles, The Activist
Zethphan Smith-Gneist (Germany), credits: TÁR, Druck (TV), Zeit Verbrechen (TV)
Alec Toselli (Sweden), credits: Suicide Tuesday, Cora
Maria Valk (Estonia), credits: Winter, Kalamaja Blues (TV)
The eight actors were chosen by a jury of casting directors Ulrike Moller, Sien Josephine Teijssen, Yngvill Haga and Sam Jones; talent agent Silke Rodenbach; acting coach Tom Sawyer; and actor and former Black Nights Star Henessi Schmidt.
“The eight actors will have the opportunity to meet with international casting directors, talent agents, producers and directors and participate in various workshops and panels, all designed to enrich them with new skills, contacts and information that can give them access to new opportunities in their careers,” said Claudia Landsberger, who has run the Black Nights Stars programme for the past eight years.
The actors will also receive the Black Nights Stars Discovery Campus ICDA Award. The festival is reporting an increase in submissions to the Black Nights Stars programme, to over 200 applicants for 2024.
The programme is part of the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event industry platform, running from November 19-22. The main festival runs from November 8-24.
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