PÖFF tickets are on sale in all their glory! This year, 181 films from five different continents will be in the program, but there is no need to panic. Instead of counting your days off and stocking up caffeine tablets, an experienced wolf knows that a well-organised film marathon begins with clever planning.
It all starts with joining the wolf pack. To do this, you need to create an account on the PÖFF website, where you can select your favourites and create a plan. Then it will be easier to make decisions and get a good overview of everything available. It is a great pleasure to announce that the 25th edition of PÖFF has received a special permit from the Estonian government, providing some extra confidence that we can all have a great Black Nights film experience this year. Now all you have to do is celebrate the start of the festival and take your first steps towards the programs.
PÖFF is one of the best A-category film festivals thanks to its competition programs, where the hard work of our scouts and programmers can really be seen. When compiling the competition programs, the team takes on the responsibility of finding the very strongest submissions in the sea of candidates, where PÖFF can really put the wind behind them and watch them take flight on the international festival circuit. At these first appearances in front of cinema audiences, it's vitally important that premieres are also attended by the filmmakers themselves, who can personally open up the background of their work.
Official Selection
The biggest treasures of PÖFF are concentrated in this programme's lineup. This year, a total of 19 films will compete for the main prize, including from our dear, close neighbours in Finland and Lithuania, to blood-curdling Japan and heartbreaking China. Of course, only world, international or European premieres can enter this league.
Official Selection - Out of Competition
Outside the competition, we find films by renowned directors that carry the spirit of the competition program, but have already been screened at other major festivals. We have three films screening out of competition this year.
First Feature Competition
The debut
film competition program is characterised by ambition, courage and nuanced perspectives. It is not difficult to imagine how making a first full-length film a director's life's work, in which everything is done without the slightest concession. Again, only world, international or European premieres are eligible for this program.
Baltic Film Competition
One of the festival's most beloved competition programs, always offers viewers brand new, strong Estonian films. The names of directors such as Rainer Sarnet, Manfred Vainokivi and Marta Pulk speak for themselves. It is definitely worth noting the arrival of a new director in the full-length arena here - Hello, Ivar Murd! Both Lithuania and Latvia also contribute very strong competition with some real gems this year.
Rebels with a Cause
A competition program for film gourmets who love the medium for its cutting honesty, challenging thought experiments, and bold aesthetics. All the rebels in the program have their own style and ideas, and its richness covers everything from satirical absurdist humour to soulfulness anguish. These unique films also reach the program only as world, international or European premieres.
FRESH ADDITIONS TO THE FULL PROGRAMME
It might seem that the world cinema is a bit of a big thing to cram into Estonian cinema houses, when you can basically count count them on your fingers. But every year the PÖFF team does their magic and brings their wolves the most important, weighty and exciting movies: screenings of films to be written into film history. If you are lucky, some of them will end up in Estonian cinemas later, but when you find your favourite, the wise wolf seizes their moment and pounces.
Current Waves
Films that have already won recognition and awards at other prestigious international film festivals.
Screen International Critics' Choice
Films selected by our friendly Screen International film critics.
The Goethe-Institut presents: New German Film
The most interesting and representative works of recent German film art, recognised both in the local and international film arena.
Discovery Showcase
A new program in collaboration with PÖFF, the European Film Academy and FIPRESCI - all six films are nominated for the European Discovery 2021 - Prix FIPRESCI award.
Midnight Shivers
HÕFF godfather Helmut Jänes has hand-selected the very best of the horror, fantasy and B-films this year.
DOCUMENTING LIFE
Inspiration warning! This section features a rich selection of portraits of people who change the world with their creations and thoughts, breaking out of comfort zones. These documentaries will certainly give PÖFF wolves something to chew on: sometimes insightful, sometimes heart-wrenching.
Doc@PÖFF
Tiit Tuumalu has won numerous awards as a film journalist and goes from strength to strength as a programmer, bringing truly fascinating multi-sided documentaries to our wolf pack.
#PÖFFtrending
This program of cultural documentaries brings together some of the most influential creative thinkers, fierce trend setters and the craziest upstream swimmers.
Estonian Olympic Committee's Sports Film Programme
The
Estonian Olympic Committee brings viewers sports-themed documentaries that capture powerful achievements, extraordinary journeys and unbreakable personalities. Something to get your pulses racing!
The Environmental Agency's Environmental Film Programme
The environment is, directly and indirectly, an increasingly hot topic every year, in which it is essential to increase one's awareness and critical thinking. The Environment Agency has created a very solid selection of feature and documentary films.
Just Film
Just Film brings the best children's' and youth films to our viewers: stories that children often cannot tell themselves or their parents do not notice are the order of the day. The programme includes these unique and affecting films in competitive sections, accompanied by discussions and numerous children's and youth events. Of course, there are some great cartoons too!
PÖFF Shorts
PÖFF Shorts is our stubborn and rebellious younger sibling, always a bit fiercer and more exciting than the leader of the pack and perhaps with the very sharpest of creative claws. Here are live action and animated films presented in cassette format, carefully curated by the programme team. It's a once-a-year opportunity to see the best of the best short format films on a big movie screen: what could be more invigorating for a wolf's imagination?