PÖFF has announced 12 titles for its Baltic Film Competition, featuring three world premieres and one international premiere. The festival has also unveiled ten world premieres in its Critics’ Picks Competition and nine in Rebels with a Cause.

What makes a film review engaging, insightful and your own? PÖFF invites film enthusiasts, aspiring critics and film professionals to explore this question at a free one-day workshop led by Victor Fraga on 8 November 2026 in Tallinn.

Twenty-four films, 21 world premieres and new voices from around the world: this year’s Official and First Feature Competitions bring together established filmmakers and promising debut directors. Filmmakers representing every selected title will join audiences in Tallinn, with competition screenings taking place from 13–19 November during the festival’s 30th edition.

Tickets for competition premieres with special guests and screenings at PÖFF’s sub-festivals are now available at early-bird prices!

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has announced the five-member jury for its 30th edition’s Official Competition. Led by two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Sir Christopher Hampton, the jury brings together filmmakers and artists from the UK, Lebanon, the United States, France and Estonia.

PÖFF will open its 30th edition on 6 November at Alexela Concert Hall with a screening of Ulya, a co-production between Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania that premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes earlier this year.

The 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) will place Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania at the heart of its 2026 edition with a special Focus on Baltics. Taking place from 6–22 November 2026, the anniversary edition will bring the latest and the best of Baltic films to international audiences while creating new opportunities for the region’s filmmakers and industry professionals.

Without volunteers, there would be no Black Nights Film festival (PÖFF). It's that simple. Therefore, PÖFF is looking for helping hands to organise one of the largest film events in Northern Europe.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has invited acclaimed filmmaker and artist Priit Pärn to create this year’s visual identity—the first in the festival’s history to be designed by a filmmaker.

The 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) is approaching – and festival passes are now on sale for film lovers eager to make the most of this special anniversary edition.

Apply for the 2026 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival internship programme! Opportunities range from design department and social media to TV content production. The application is open until September 7.

As PÖFF prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is entering into a new partnership with technology company Introduct Group to further enhance the festival experience before, during, and after the event. Introduct will become PÖFF's Official Development Partner and Grand Partner.

The Doc@PÖFF International and Baltic Competitions of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) are inviting submissions for the festival’s 30th edition. Documentary filmmakers can submit their films until 24 August 2026.

The Critics’ Picks Competition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), dedicated to distinctive auteur cinema, is accepting submissions for its 2026 edition. Filmmakers can submit their films until 24 August.

From 8–15 August, the 21st Tartuff festival will once again turn Tartu Town Hall Square into Estonia's largest open-air cinema.

The First Feature Competition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is dedicated to filmmakers taking one of the most important steps in their careers – presenting their debut feature film to the world.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) invites everyone to share their memories.

The Official Selection Competition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is built on a simple principle: great cinema cannot be defined by genre, geography or reputation.

The European Film Academy has admitted Olari Oja and Marianna Kaat as new members.

On 18 May at the Marche du Film in Cannes, the winners of this year's Goes to Cannes showcase were announced. Tallinn Black Nights Film festival (PÖFF) presented two of the three awarded projects!

The 30th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will welcome Basque. Audiovisual. highlighting Basque talent and audiovisual work through a dedicated Spotlight section.

For the sixth time, PÖFF and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event will present a curated selection of five standout film projects at the prestigious Goes to Cannes showcase. The programme will take place at the Marché du Film, the industry platform of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, on May 15.

Starting this autumn, graduates of basic school will be able to study at the school operating under the COSMOS unit of the Ida-Virumaa Vocational Education Centre in Ida-Virumaa, where they will learn the technical skills needed on film sets—from production to lighting and sound.

The Black Nights Film Festival has joined the fellow organisations from across the European film and audiovisual sector in issuing a joint statement calling for the protection of the Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme as the EU prepares the new AgoraEU Programme.

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) will host the World Congress of Science and Factual Producers (WCSFP) from 9–12 November 2026 in Tallinn, Estonia.

Teams from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), the Youth and Children’s Film Festival (Just Film), PÖFF Shorts, and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event will be attending the 79th Cannes Film Festival.

We’re looking forward to meeting colleagues and partners, exchanging ideas, and continuing to build toward the next festival year 🤝

Who is attending Cannes?

Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) internship program for 2026 edition is now open for applicants. Opportunities range from marketing and translation to television content production. The application deadline is May 14.

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is proud to have received A-list classification from the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF). The announcement follows the most significant reform of FIAPF’s accreditation process since 2007.

In cooperation with Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), Estonian Centre for Architecture has created a special walking tour to introduce Estonian architecture as seen through the 'camera eye'. We will set out to explore different exciting areas and sites in Tallinn that have inspired film directors from Estonia and abroad over the course of time, hopefully also offering ideas and inspiration for future filmmakers.

The Estonian film world has lost one of its most significant creators – on 12 March, filmmaker Peeter Simm (1953–2026) passed away, leaving a deep and lasting mark on Estonian cinema.

We have opened the film submissions for the 30th edition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and both of its sub-festivals - youth and children's festival Just Film and animation and short film festival PÖFF Shorts!

Good news keeps coming — the latest is that Tiina Lokk has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.

For the sixth year, Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) partners with the Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes to showcase standout international feature films in post-production. PÖFF Goes to Cannes connects filmmakers with top sales agents, distributors, and festival programmers.
Submission deadline: February 20, 2026.

President Alar Karis awarded the Order of the White Star, Class V, to PÖFF’s Executive Director and long-time head of Just Film, Mikk Granström, in recognition of his contribution to the development of film culture in Estonia.

As it celebrates its 30th edition, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) enters a new chapter, marked by significant leadership changes and a strengthened commitment to artistic excellence, talent development, and international collaboration.

The European Film Awards ceremony will reach Estonian audiences this year through the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

A new research article developed within the CresCine framework, “Professional learning and skills development in the European Film industry: interest, capacity, learning modes, and future priorities”, has been published in Frontiers in Communication.

94,789 visits, 2,000 guests from 84 countries, and 10,300 mentions in media outlets across 97 countries.

For the first time in the history of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, the winner of both the Grand Prix and the Audience Award is the same film – The Good Daughter, directed by Spanish filmmaker Júlia de Paz Solvas.

The second recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award at the Black Nights Film Festival is Janno Põldma.

Saturday at PÖFF brings films to the cinema that waver between fearless sensuality, satire and chaos. These stories today are full of passion, rebellion and dreams that are difficult to tame. The wildest souls step in front of the audience as heroes today.

With the awards ceremony approaching, there is a palpable sense of excitement in the air as PÖFF 29 reaches its powerful climax, with each screening feeling like a last chance to soak up the latest in cinematic art. Today's selection includes stories that boldly go above and beyond, as well as those that quietly sink under your skin and stay there longer than you might initially think.

The jury for PÖFF's official competition program is made up of leading figures in the film industry, who use their professional experience to select the best of the best. This year's main competition jury brings together European auteur cinema, the American film industry, and the new wave from Asia.

PÖFF wolves are thrown into adventures this Thursday, however it seems the manuals to these adventures have lost their opening pages, with the rest seemingly cobbled together. What lies ahead is a cinematic expedition where stories begin precisely at the moment life has lost its direction. Today we wander through mountains and memory, plunge into love, guilt and political madness and even stumble upon a few truths about life along the way.

The recipient of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival’s Honorary Award is Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner.

PÖFF and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event's international training program Discovery Campus invites young film professionals and students to take part in masterclasses and lectures by internationally recognized mentors!

Seven films included in the PÖFF program will be nominated for the European Film Academy Awards.

Wednesday at PÖFF is dedicated to men. Men who must be heroes in all their fragility, endure feelings that would be much easier to swallow, and find solutions that are nowhere in sight. Today's films reveal what it means to be a real man in a world that expects so much and understands so little. This is a day for men to feel in movie theaters that they are not alone in their confusion.

The joint awards ceremony of the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event will take place on Friday, November 21, starting at 6 p.m. at the Alexela Concert Hall. You are welcome to attend the closing gala to celebrate PÖFF, the art of film, and its creators!

Books have always had a special meaning for the PÖFF team. Stories spark ideas, worlds, and ways of thinking that shape both the festival and the wider world of film. Below are some of the books that have inspired the PÖFF team and simply given them the joy of reading.

Today’s films explore the ways people break, rebel, test boundaries, and confront systems that offer them no mercy. It’s a day when history, creative chaos, trauma, and crises of identity collide powerfully on the big screen, creating cinematic experiences that linger long after the credits roll.

PÖFF will host two significant events dedicated to Ukraine, bringing attention to the impact of war on children and highlighting opportunities for international film production in the country despite ongoing conflict. Both events gather distinguished Ukrainian artists and film industry leaders, offering powerful perspectives, artistic expression, and practical insight.

These films today delve deep into the inner nature of a person, where memories, desires, fears and truths are hidden. Understanding them may be as difficult as suppressing them. Monday at PÖFF is like a fresh breath of new air after an intoxicating weekend. It’s the day when cinemas lead you on a quiet journey of understanding who we are and who we think we are.

The press conference will take place on Sunday, 16 November at 13:00 in the Sirius conference hall at Nordic Hotel Forum.
Trine Dyrholm will present the TV series The Danish Woman at PÖFF, and Dar Salim will present the film The Fall of Hercules.

Saturday's program at PÖFF explores family models. Illusory role models, examples placed in silence, as well as those that are irrevocably broken. Today's films offer a direct and honest opportunity to view a family as it is. At once tender and empowering, often unifying yet inevitably divisive.

Until Friday (November 21), Tallinn will host Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, the largest conference program for audiovisual professionals in Northern Europe and the Baltic States, as part of the Black Nights Film Festival.

The Iranian actress based in France, whose international career began with Ridley Scott’s blockbuster Body of Lies, will present her latest film Oh, What Happy Days at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

Today, PÖFF invites audiences on a cinematic journey around the world. Viewers can, for instance, descend with the Chinese mafia into the Argentine underworld, explore the landscape of contemporary Turkish art alongside two hipsters, or even spend an evening as a hen in a Greek seaside restaurant, which has been made possible by the veteran filmmaker György Pálfi.

Twice honoured as Best Actress by the Spanish Film Academy and once by the Mexican Film Academy, Maribel Verdú has appeared in more than a hundred films and TV series. Among her most celebrated works are Snow White, Y Tu Mamá También, and Belle Époque, and she has also starred in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Flash.

The national delegation from Botswana visited the Black Nights Film Festival to explore how a small country like Estonia manages to host an A-category festival.

PÖFF is steadily moving toward a more environmentally conscious future, aiming to keep the festival’s ecological footprint as small as possible — including in its choice of merchandise.

Today’s film selection radiates world-class quality, reflecting the growing vibrancy of the festival with each passing day. PÖFF welcomes Simon Pegg, who has survived a zombie apocalypse, saved the world alongside Tom Cruise and proved that you can share a laugh (even with aliens). Meanwhile, the three-time Oscar winner delivers a powerful reminder why blood is indeed thicker than water.

PÖFF’s Tuesday lineup offers both emotional uplift and quiet revelations. In one cinema, there’s a dance with death; in another, a confrontation with regret. Between them pulses an unrelenting thirst for life, a spark that drives us to dream, rebel, and fight.

Yes, he’ll also be joining us!

PÖFF proudly welcomes an outstanding lineup of international filmmakers and actors — from acclaimed auteurs to rising stars — coming together in Tallinn to share their stories, premiere new works, and celebrate global cinema.
Across the festival, distinguished guests will be seen mentoring at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, walking the Black Carpet, and joining world and international premieres on the big screen.

Monday at PÖFF takes you on a journey where love, identity and human fragility intertwine. The day begins with silent goodbyes and unexpected encounters, and ends with a question: How far does one’s responsibility extend toward oneself and toward others?

PÖFF 29 Makes History! For the first time, the festival’s world premieres will reach audiences both online and in person. Viewers can starting today follow the action through Delfi as international stars, filmmakers and guests step onto the red carpet to celebrate the most anticipated moments of this year’s festival.

Estonian Sports and Olympic Museum has brought to Tartu the trophies won by Finnish ski jumping legend Matti Nykänen, along with memorabilia dedicated to him.

Sunday's PÖFF is set to be a real spectacle! Estonian films will be competing with winners of the Cannes Film Festival. And that's not all. A handsome and respectable married couple, parents of two children, decide to try polyamory. To top it all off, the meaning of authenticity is explored from the Finnish archives.

“I look outside — it’s bleak, dark, wet, grey, cold. And I realise — it’s that favourite month of all film lovers once again: November. And I’m glad to count myself among them,” began President Alar Karis in his opening speech.

Ursel Tilk was awarded the Bruno O'Ya Young Film Actor Scholarship this year.

Today's film experiences range from the airport runway to the Kabuki stage, from Hollywood hip-hop to the ski jump hill with Matti Nykänen, and from a rehabilitation centre to a stranger's marital bed.

Dedicated to the Lithuanian film rebel — a talent Michelangelo Antonioni would have wanted in his films, if not for the Iron Curtain.

What a kickoff to PÖFF29! The first day of the film festival is a powerful introduction to the exciting journey of captivating films ahead. Today’s screenings showcase a masterclass in acting from prominent and acclaimed actors such as Willem Dafoe, Angelina Jolie, Margaret Qualley, Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor.

The most anticipated time of the year for film lovers has arrived! Tonight, November 7, the curtain rises on the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with a grand Opening Ceremony at the Alexela Concert Hall.

Norwegian writer and director Patrik Syversen returns to feature filmmaking with Dawning (Demring), a haunting yet tender psychological horror. The film is screening as part of PÖFF’s Midnight Shivers programme.

Love is a dangerous place. Sometimes it’s soft and bright, other times it’s painful and wild, and sometimes it is both at once. This year’s PÖFF’s love films prove that there is no logic or rules when it comes to matters of the heart. The films aren’t only about relationships but also depict the fragility of people, which makes us reach out to each other time after time again, even when the mind asks for the contrary.

These films screening at PÖFF show how silly life can be if it’s taken too seriously. And on the other hand, tragic, if you don’t do so. Here, you will find portrait films that won’t merely remain biographies but instead showcase the inner workings of a person, with all their contradictions.

This year, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival presents 252 feature films and 275 shorts from an impressive 79 countries.

The 46-year-old Scottish actor, who rose to global fame with films such as The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, will present his directorial debut, California Schemin’ at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has announced the lineup for the Baltic Competition, featuring eleven titles that reveal a fresh and distinctive voice from the region’s filmmakers.

The international continues education programme Discovery Campus, organized by the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, invites young film professionals and students to participate in masterclasses and lectures led by internationally acclaimed mentors. Among the distinguished mentors are Debra McGuire, costume designer of Friends, director Jessica Hausner, Emmy-nominated composer Miriam Cutler, and many others.

The 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has announced the selection for its Critics’ Picks and Rebels With a Cause competitions — two of its boldest and most forward-looking programs celebrating daring cinema and fearless storytelling.

PÖFF29 opens with They Will Be Dust — a bold, moving tragicomic musical by acclaimed Catalan director Carlos Marqués-Marcet, starring Ángela Molina and Alfredo Castro in a deeply human story of love, loss, and reconciliation.

The 2025 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) will showcase a compelling selection of documentaries in its doc@PÖFF International and Baltic Competitions. For the first time, Baltic documentaries and feature films will compete in separate programmes.

The 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has unveiled the line-up and international jury for its 2025 Official Selection Competition, presenting 17 feature films, including 16 world premieres and one international premiere.

Festive premieres with the filmmakers await!

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) is set to showcase a provocative selection of debut feature films this year. A total of 13 films will compete for the Best Debut Film Award, including 9 world premieres and 4 international premieres. All of the authors will be present in Tallinn.

After making its world premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) 2024, Dechen Roder’s I, The Song has been selected as Bhutan’s official submission for the International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.

PÖFF Festival Wolf is brave and prefers to use PÖFF pass. Find out more about passes.

Without volunteers, there would be no Black Nights Film festival (PÖFF). It's that simple. PÖFF is looking for everyone who is ready to help to organise one of the largest film events in Northern Europe.

Apply for the 2025 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival internship programme! Opportunities range from guest department and ticket sales to TV content production. The application is open until August 28.

The prestigious Venice Film Festival has selected Slovak director Tereza Nvotová’s feature Father (Isa) for its competitive “Horizons” section. The project was first introduced to the international industry at PÖFF’s co-production market, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, in 2021.

We’re pleased to announce updates regarding submissions for several key programmes of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event 2025.

A 10 minute standing ovation — this is how US director Richard Linklater's newest film was received at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Wolf Pack is coming together with a mission-driven spirit to unite film lovers, companies, organizations, festival guests, and the volunteers and interns – PÖFF’s greatest friends. They are the ones who help us sustain and grow the festival – thanks to them, we exist! It is an opportunity to be part of something bigger and help develop one of the world’s leading film festivals.

Discovery Campus, an international continuing education program by Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, together with prestigious international partners, is searching for emerging screenwriters, directors and cinematographers as well as talents in film music and art department to participate and actors and actresses in its 2025 edition.

Have you ever wondered how to find new reliable cooperation partners for your film or series project? To make establishing connections easier, the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event are launching a platform – Creative Gate.

Several films that premiered at the Black Nights Film Festival have been making their way to international festivals, reaching new audiences worldwide. PÖFF Films on the Move is an initiative to share from time to time their success stories.

PÖFF and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event welcome participants to “Mastering Virtual Production for Independent Producers”, a groundbreaking two-day masterclass taking place on 5–6 June 2025 in Tallinn. This in-depth workshop is designed to equip independent filmmakers and audiovisual professionals with practical, hands-on knowledge of virtual and real-time production (also known as ICVFX), a technology that is rapidly transforming the film and TV industry.

The teams from Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), Youth and Children's Film Festival (Just Film), PÖFF Shorts, Shorts Industry Shorct and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event are heading to the 78th Cannes Film Festival.

The wolfpack is on the move—let’s meet, dream big, think bold, and create another unforgettable festival year!

On May 26, Discovery Campus and Tier Music will host a masterclass for featuring two renowned figures from the music and film industry: music supervisor Thomas Golubić and composer Blake Neely. The event welcomes musicians, composers, producers, music entrepreneurs, filmmakers, and anyone involved in audiovisual content creation.

Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) internship program for 2025 edition is now open for applicants. Opportunities range from marketing and translation to television content production. The application deadline is May 14.

Five carefully selected Baltic film projects will be showcased at the Goes to Cannes showcase. The programme will take place at Marché du Film, the industry section of the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 16th.

The Impact Builder Award, presented by Ernst & Young, a business consultancy and accounting firm, recognises events and their organisers with a wide social and economic impact.

The PÖFF Wolf Pack is mighty, but every contribution starts with a single paw print.

The European Film Award, the American Golden Globe, two Academy Award nominations– no Baltic filmmaker has ever reached such heights. And to top it all off, an Oscar win! They are the first: the little grey cat from Latvia, director Gints Zilbalodis, and the animated film Flow. Read the story from the Baltic Film Magazine, which just came out in January.

Submit your film and join the only FIAPF-accredited competitive film festival in Northern Europe!

Step into the world of high-end film and television and gain the skills to excel on international productions!
This 1-day workshop for the hair & make-up department working in film and TV is packed with in-depth knowledge on international production dynamics and captivating live demonstrations to excel technical skills on your next production.

For the fifth year, Black Nights Film Festival proudly partners with the renowned Marché du Film event "Goes to Cannes" to spotlight exceptional international film projects in post-production. Submit yours for a chance to take the stage and present your work to industry leaders! APPLICATION DEADLINE March 14th.

Imagine your festival as a vibrant, buzzing hub where attendees feel genuinely connected, not just to the films or events but to the experience itself. This is exactly what PÖFF has achieved by pioneering Susi AI, a next-generation artificial intelligence tool.

The Black Nights Film Festival received the "Volunteer Engager of the Year" award, which recognizes those who have stood out for their consistent and professional work with volunteers.

The teams from Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Youth and Children's Film Festival Just Film, and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event are heading to the 75th Berlin Film Festival and EFM.

The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) proudly presents the inaugural Aruna Vasudev Award, honouring the best film from the Asia-Pacific region.

After her hit sessions at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, Amanda Graham returns to Tallinn for a whole weekend filled with screenwriting wisdom!

The Estonian-Ukrainian Nordic-noir psychological thriller My Dear Mother has been selected for the Berlinale Series Market Selects program at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, marking a significant milestone as the first Estonian TV series to receive such high-level international recognition.

The festival landscape is evolving, and the key to staying ahead lies in innovation. Imagine a festival experience that is uniquely tailored to every attendee—a world where audiences effortlessly discover films that align with their tastes, and industry professionals navigate their schedules with precision. Welcome to the future of film festivals, powered by AI.

Silent City Driver wins the Grand Prix for the Best Film of Official Selection Competition, also scooped the Best Production Design Award.

PÖFF will continue its film-related training program in Ida-Virumaa in 2025, aimed at people from various professions, who wish to work in the film industry, including on film sets.

Without volunteers, there would be no Black Nights Film festival (PÖFF). It's that simple. PÖFF is looking for everyone who is ready to help to organise one of the largest film events in Northern Europe.