(From left) Estonian minister of culture Rein Lang, PÖFF director Tiina Lokk and Icelandic director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson at the 2011 closing ceremony
On top of the world
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Nov 16-28) and its associated high-profile industry events are raising international awareness of Estonia and the Baltic region as a cultural centre and as a production and co-production hub
T
he Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) takes place every November in Estonia. It has grown to be one of the largest, most
distinctive film events in northern Europe. Recognised by the International Federation
of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), PÖFF embraces a cluster of events, accommodating three full-blown sub-festivals (Animated Dreams, Just Film and Sleepwalkers) as well as the international business gatherings Black Market Industry Screenings and Baltic Event film and co-production market. In 2012 the festival will celebrate 100 years of Estonian Cinema. PÖFF arrived at its current structure and level
of programming in 2004. During its 15th edition in 2011, the festival showed more than 500 films (including 260 full length) across some 697 screenings. The growth of audiences and film numbers has been remarkably rapid throughout the 15 years of the festival’s existence. PÖFF started with 27 films and 4,500 admissions in 1997. By 1999 the audiences had grown five times to 23,600 and the festival now sees 70,000 film-goers (Tallinn’s population numbers 500,000 people) and more than 400 international industry guests attending the events.
The packed programme PÖFF includes three international competitive programmes: EurAsia, Tridens Baltic Nordic feature film competition for debuts, and North American Indies. In 2012 a special country focus will look at recent developments in Greek cinema with a retrospective of the work of the late Theodoros Angelopoulos. A smaller side programme will be
n 38 Screen International at Cannes May 20, 2012
The growth of audiences and film numbers has been remarkably rapid in the 15 years of the festival’s existence
dedicated to the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, introducing Mexican films made from 1936-69. The festival annually hosts a special programme in co-operation with Screen International — Critics’ Choice — several further retrospectives, a programme for prize-winning films from other festivals and other special programmes. In 2012 PÖFF is also co-operating with Tel Aviv University’s department of film and television to present the work of new and old students. Animated Dreams has established itself as the
biggest animation film festival in north-eastern Europe, screening an international competition of short animations alongside non-competitive programmes, film-maker retrospectives and country focuses. Just Film is the biggest children’s and youth film
festival in the Baltic region. The festival includes a programme called streetCULTure, which consists of both fiction and documentary films that tackle the topics of modern subcultures among young people. The festival is truly designed for its young audiences — the best films are selected by juries of local youngsters while the festival blog is created by young film critics who post daily reviews of the films. Student and Short Film Festival Sleepwalkers
introduces young talents from the region and takes place in co-operation with Tallinn University’s Baltic Film and Media School.
Regional hub for the industry The industry events within the framework of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival are among the most important in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
In 2011, more than 400 accredited film-industry representatives (distributors, producers, film institution and festival representatives, policy specialists and film educators), as well as other people involved with the film industry participated in the events. PÖFF 2012 industry events will take place from November 26-28 with a focus on the role and future of regional film commissions and the Estonian Film Commission. The PÖFF industry events comprise: Black Market Industry Screenings The
regional film showcase was initiated in 2009, focusing mainly on new films from previously under-represented countries in the former CIS and north-eastern European territories with smaller or developing, creatively interesting industries. The territories include the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Russia and up-and- coming territories of Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan along with already known Nordic and Central and East-European countries. PÖFF Industry Days A two-day networking,
match-making and brainstorming event on the future of the European film industry, from policy-making and film commissions to international co-production opportunities, with input from leading experts from Europe and Asia. Events and discussions at 2011’s industry
events included a panel on the characteristics of a successful film support system for countries with small or medium-sized industries (in co-operation with Screen International). Case histories from the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Poland,
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