As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the magical world of cinema, I find myself captivated by the diverse and intriguing lineup for this year’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The stories that these films tell, from the heart-wrenching tale of bullying in “The Boy With Pink Pants” to the inspiring journey of a teacher defying the odds in “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” resonate deeply with my passion for understanding the human experience.
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (also known as PÖFF) has revealed the complete roster of its primary Official Selection, consisting of 18 films from 23 different countries, all vying for the esteemed €20,000 ($21,600) Grand Prix award.
Eleven new works will make their debut, with renowned German filmmaker Christoph Hochhäusler serving as the head of the judging panel.
Tiina Lokk, head of the festival, announced that the Official Selection Competition is a diverse mix, featuring a chilling psycho-thriller with horror undertones, a deep family drama that delves into psychology, and a sci-fi entry. The selection spans across numerous countries, without focusing on any specific theme or region. As she pointed out, the choices are free and open.
She stated that last year saw a surge of politically-themed movies, but this year, we won’t see such reflections in our selection. The festival’s program includes films focusing on children, as is common for the Just Film section intended for children and youth. These stories tackle themes like school bullying and children’s rights, among others.
Notable global debuts feature “Out of Control” directed by Anne Le Ny, who was once an actor (“Those Who Remain”). In this suspenseful tale, Le Ny collaborates with her on-screen partner from “Intouchables,” Omar Sy, alongside Vanessa Paradis, José Garcia, and Elodie Bouchez. The plot unfolds in Brittany, revolving around a couple whose marriage is put to the test when the husband’s former love reappears in town.
Nir Bergman, Israel’s prominent filmmaker following his work in “Here We Are” at Cannes, has unveiled a new feature titled “Pink Lady.” This movie, a blend of comedy and drama, is set within Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. The lead role, played by Nur Fibak, chronicles the transformative journey of a young, contemporary woman as she navigates self-discovery and emancipation.
In Latvia, I found myself immersed in “The Exalted” by Juris Kursietis, a story that revolves around the character Modris. This narrative centers on Anna, a famed German organist, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she uncovers her husband’s involvement in a corruption scandal. This revelation shakes the very core of their shared existence. The international cast is led by Johanna Wokalek, known for “The Baader Meinhof Complex”, Katariina Unt from “Lioness”, and Pekka Strang who played “Tom of Finland”.
For the first time in four years, Estonian films made the cut in Official Selection.
acclaimed filmmaker Jaak Kilmi is set to release his upcoming period crime drama “Shadow,” produced by renowned studio Taska Film. The narrative revolves around Juhan Liiv, a struggling poet who unexpectedly becomes an investigator, delving into chilling murder mysteries in Estonia during the 1890s, a time when it was known as the “wild west” of the Russian Empire. The film debuted domestically on October 18.
The Estonian-Serbian film “Deaf Lovers,” directed by Boris Guts, is an erotic drama about a Ukrainian woman and a Russian man living in Istanbul. They grapple with their intense attraction, complicated lives, and past traumas as they navigate their relationship. Notably, Guts, who was born in Russia but left when the conflict in Ukraine began, entered PÖFF 2022’s Baltic competition with his thriller titled “Minsk.
Two Italian films, fresh from the Rome Film Festival, will be making their international debut in Tallinn.
The movie “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” directed by renowned Israeli filmmaker Eran Riklis (“The Syrian Bride,” “Lemon Tree”), features star actresses Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider”) and Golshifteh Farahani (“Paterson,” “About Elly”). This film is adapted from Azar Nafisi’s autobiographical novel, and it revolves around a teacher in Iran who covertly assembles a group of female students to explore forbidden Western literary works.
Based on real-life occurrences, Margherita Ferri’s book “The Boy With Pink Pants” revolves around Andrea Spezzacatena, a 15-year-old who tragically ended his life. This was the initial instance in Italy where bullying and online harassment resulted in a minor’s suicide. The incident that set off this chain of events was Andrea’s decision to wear pants that had turned pink due to a washing error, which became the subject of ridicule and harassment.
Additionally, following screenings in Rome, the Finnish director Teemu Nikki’s (“Euthanizer”, “The Blind Man That Didn’t Want To See Titanic”) film titled “100 Litres Of Gold” will be shown in Tallinn. This comedy centers around two middle-aged sisters who are renowned sahti-makers from Sysmä, Finland, and find themselves in a frantic search to acquire more of this famous brew for the upcoming wedding of one of them.
Last year, Nikki’s previous movie titled “Death is a Problem for the Living” was showcased in the out-of-competition selection at the PÖFF film festival.
At the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, there are six main competitive categories: the Main Selection, the debutant documentary program called Doc@PÖFF, the category for first-time filmmakers titled First Features, the Baltic Countries Competition, a section dedicated to bold and innovative films named Rebels with a Cause, and a segment chosen by film critics known as Critics’ Picks.
The festival takes place from November 8th to the 24th, with its industry platform, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, happening from November 14th to the 22nd.
Full List of Official Selection Titles:
“100 Litres of Gold,” (Teemu Nikki, Finland, IP)
“Buzzheart,” (Dennis Iliadis, Greece, IP)
“Can I Get a Witness,” (Ann Marie Fleming, Canada, IP)
“Deaf Lovers,” (Boris Guts, Estonia, Serbia, WP)
“Girl America,” (Viktor Tauc, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, IP)
“Empire of the Rabbits,” (Seyfettin Tokmak, Turkey, Croatia, Mexico, Lebanon, WP)
“Out of Control,” (Anne Le Ny, France, WP)
“Pink Lady,” (Nir Bergman, Israel, Italy, WP)
“Pyre,” (Vinod Kapri, India, WP)
“Reading Lolita in Tehran,” (Eran Riklis. Italy, IP)
“Seed of the Desert,” (Sebastian Parra, Colombia, WP)
“Shadow,” (Jaak Kilmi, Estonia, IP)
“Silent City Driver,” (Sengedorj Janchivdorj, Mongolia, WP)
“Some Nights I Feel Like Walking,” (Petersen Vargas, Philippines, Singapore, Italy, WP)
“The Boy with Pink Pants,” (Margherita Ferri, Italy, IP)
“The Exalted,” (Juris Kursietis, Latvia, Estonia, Greece, WP)
“The Loop,” (Sang Beom Koo, Korea, WP)
“The Mousetrap,” (Serhii Kastornykh, Ukraine, WP)
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2024-10-19 13:47