The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Pimedate Ööde filmifestival, PÖFF) first took place in 1997. Since 2014, PÖFF has been one of the 14 A-list film festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) alongside the Cannes, Karlovy Vary, San Sebastian, Locarno, Venice, Berlin, Cairo, Mar de Plata, Goa, Tokyo, and other film festivals.
PÖFF is an international film festival and its main programme’s flagships are above all four thematically and geographically non-specialised international competition programmes: the Official Selection Competition and the First Feature Competition, where only world and international premieres are screened, the Rebels with a Cause Competition programme, which is dedicated to experimental films and the Critics’ Picks Competition programme for artistically remarkable films. The Baltic Films Competition programme provides an overview of the film art of the region. From this year, we also have an international documentary competition (Doc@PÖFF Competition).
The competition programmes are complemented by an extensive side programme with its subsections. In addition to the main programme of the festival, there are three unique sub-festivals: the youth and children’s film festival Just Film (JF) and the short film festival PÖFF Shorts which has since 2020 been one of the 15 short film festivals in the world that have the right to nominate their best film for Oscars, the EFA and the BAFTA.
The ever-developing conference and business meeting platform Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event (I@T&BE) programme is aimed at the audiovisual industry. It comprises four different branches: the Co-production Market, TV Beats co financing Market, Conference programme and training-education programme Discovery Campus aimed at young film professionals.Genre Forum, ScriptPool, Work in Progress.
Additionally, PÖFF has constantly developed the film industry and the related creative industry development center Creative Gate. Creative Gate is primarily an online platform for networking between companies and people and for forwarding information related to the film industry, the service industry and tourism to both Estonian and international film professionals who are interested in co-production projects in Estonia.
28th Black Nights Film Festival
08.11 – 24.11.2024
poff.ee
Submission is open at Filmfreeway
Just Film
Youth and Children’s Film Festival
08.11 – 24.11.2024
justfilm.ee
Submission is open within this section at Filmfreeway
PÖFF Shorts
Short Film and Animation Festival
08.11 – 20.11 2024
shorts.poff.ee
Submission is open within this section at Filmfreeway
Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event
18.11 – 22.11.2024
industry.poff.ee
Official Selection Competition
First Feature Competition
Rebels with a Cause Competition
Critics' Picks Competition
Baltic Film Competition
Doc@PÖFF Competition
Additional awards presented
International Live-Action Competition
International Animation Competition
National Competition
Rebels With a Cause Competition
Juries will also decide upon one European* film in eligible competitions with a candidacy in the short film category of the European Film Awards.
European according to the rules of European Film Academy, meaning both EU and non-EU, and shall include Israeli and Palestinian.
Black Nights Film Festival (in Estonian as PÖFF – Pimedate Ööde filmifestival) aims to present a comprehensive selection of world cinema to Estonian, Baltic and North European audiences with rights to make competitions without geographical and thematic borders.
The 28th edition of the Black Nights Film Festival will take place from the 8th-24th November 2024, in Tallinn, its main place of establishment, with sidebar screenings in the city of Tartu.
The Festival is recognised by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) and since 2014 accredited to organize international feature film competitions along with 14 other film festivals around the world (including Berlin, Cannes, Karlovy Vary, Venice, San Sebastian, Warsaw, Tokyo, and others).
Black Nights Film Festival also holds specialized competitive sections, non-competitive sections, as well as sub-festivals for youth films and short films.
The Festival is organised by the non-profit organisation MTÜ Pimedate Ööde filmifestival (in English NGO Black Nights Film Festival).
MTÜ Pimedate Ööde filmifestival (in English NGO Black Nights Film Festival)
Telliskivi 60a/2, 10412
Tallinn, Estonia
Phone: +372 56 208 308
E-mail: info@poff.ee
poff.ee
The Black Nights Film Festival programme includes six competitive sections and various non-competitive sections for feature films.
We are accepting the submissions of Russian films that have been produced without the financial support of the government of the Russian Federation and businesses tax-resident in the latter country. Film Schools will be considered state funded organizations and not considered. It means that we can only consider the films that have been made by independent production companies in Russia or by Russian filmmakers in exile.
13th - 21st of November 2024
The Official Selection Competition is an international competition without geographical and thematic borders presenting feature-length (60 minutes and over) films from around the world completed after the 1st of November 2023.
World Premieres will be given priority in the selection process. Any International Premiere offers will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
The Festival will not accept films in the Official Selection Competition that have been in competition at another festival accredited by FIAPF as a Competitive Feature Film Festival. The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the competition on a case-by-case basis.
Awards presented
A film in this competition is eligible for a maximum of one award (including Grand Prix) within the competition.
13th - 21st of November 2024
The First Feature Competition is an international competition for debut films. The competition presents feature-length debut (60 minutes and over, first-time feature film directing status) films from around the world without geographical and thematic borders completed after the 1st of November 2023.
World Premieres will be given priority in the selection process. Any International Premiere offers will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
The Festival will not accept films in the First Feature Competition that have been in competition at another festival accredited by FIAPF as a Competitive Feature Film Festival. The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for competition on a case-by-case basis.
Awards presented
13th - 21st of November 2024
Rebels with a Cause Competition programme showcases the untraditional means of expression of filmmaking, as well as innovative narrative or dramaturgy, symbiosis with other forms of art, and new takes on technical solutions or in esthetics. The Competition incorporates both a full feature and a short film section. The films must be completed after the 1st of November 2023. World Premieres will be given priority in the selection process. Any International Premiere offers will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
Priority will be given to films with a World or International Premiere. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the competition on a case-by-case basis.
Awards presented
13th - 21st of November 2024
Critics' Picks Competition programme showcases films picked out by the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival´s programme team, which consists of internationally acclaimed professional film critics and film theoreticians. The Competition incorporates equally the first feature filmmakers as well as the experienced ones. The films must be completed after the 1st of November 2023.
World Premieres will be given priority in the selection process. Any International Premiere offers will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films, submitted to the festival for the competition on a case-by-case basis, after the rightful negotiations.
Awards presented
13th - 21st of November 2024
The Baltic Film Competition presents feature (documentaries and animation included) length (60 minutes and over) films from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, or with significant participation from one of these countries completed after the 1st of November 2023.
Priority will be given to films with a World or International premiere, but films which have previously premiered in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are also eligible. The participation of the film in any other competition of the Festival does not exclude the eligibility for Baltic Film Competition. The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the competition on a case-by-case basis.
Award presented
13th - 21st of November 2024
The Doc@PÖFF Competition is an international competition without geographical and thematic borders presenting feature-length (60 minutes and over) documentaries from around the world completed after the 1st of November 2023.
World Premieres will be given priority in the selection process. Any International Premiere offers will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Among films of equal artistic value, preference will be given to those with World Premieres.
The Festival will not accept films in the Doc@PÖFF Competition that have been in competition at another festival accredited by FIAPF as a Competitive Feature Film Festival. The Festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the competition on a case-by-case basis.
Awards presented
A film in this competition is eligible for a maximum of one award (including Grand Prix) within the competition.
Films submitted for the non-competitive programme, or not selected for competitions, can be invited to other sections with a minimum requirement being their Estonian Premiere. There is no geographic restriction for films in non-competitive sections. The films must be completed after the 1st of November 2023.
The non-competitive programs are the following:
A film from the focus programme to symbolically introduce the Festival.
Long-awaited films. The brightest stars. Nothing but glamor.
Films, the authors of which have a special meaning for the Festival.
Particular attention will be paid to the selection of films from the selected country/region in the selection of films for the competition and side-programmes, and their special programmes/films will also be screened in the sub-festivals' programmes so as to qualify for showcasing the film industry and for priority participation in the Industry Sectors related to programmes, projects, films and people.
The country will have the opportunity to showcase its film production facilities under Industry. The country representatives in cooperation with the festival, which format it wants to present its national film programme on a smaller scale, either at the main festival or at one of the sub-festivals.
Crème de la crème of the art of film of the world. Films that have already premiered or won awards at other prestigious festivals.
Films from near and far have been restored and brought back to life. Exciting guests and new perspectives.
An international documentary competition where the significance of premiere status is not a priority. Plus a selection of the latest documentary highlights, regardless of their geographic origin or topics.
The climate is warming. The environment is changing. PÖFF is highlighting it.
Sports and film – more than just a sports film. The Estonian Olympic Committee presents.
Science is fascinating. Science is wonderful. Current problems facing humanity from the perspective of science.
Oppositional filmmakers in action.
Over-the-top fantasy spree, the cream of the crop of recent horror and fantasy cinema.
True cinematography through the eyes of critics. Iconic works selected by the prestigious Screen International.
A programme dedicated to fresh drama series, aimed at highlighting the increasingly blurry line between the small and the big screen.
The Programming Committee, headed by the Festival Director, selects films for the competitions and non-competitive programmes. The committee also determines the programme schedule and sets the screening order for all films.
Each competition film may be screened a minimum of three (3) times and a maximum of five (5) during the Festival, including press screenings. Consent from the applicant will be asked for any extra screening. The Programming Committee reserves the right to not comment on its decisions as well as the final line-up of the Festival.
The Festival Director appoints all the members of the juries for the international competition programmes. No jury member can be involved in the production or promotion of any of the films in the competitive programmes.
For competitive programmes, the Festival will invite a delegation of up to three representatives per film. The festival will cover the round trip economy airfare either fully or partially depending on the cost of the airfare for one delegate, with a preference given to the Director and/or a Main Cast member, as well as accommodation up to three nights at the Official Partner Hotel and accreditation. Additionally, the Festival will cover the accommodation up to three nights at the Official Partner Hotel and accreditation for a second delegate and the accreditation for a third delegate.
For non-competitive films, the Festival reserves the right to invite guests upon the decision of the Programming Committee. Detailed terms and conditions for film delegates are provided on a non-disclosed one-to-one and guest agreement basis.
Applicants for Competitive and Non-Competitive Programmes are requested to submit through FilmFreeway.
Entry applications submitted by post, e-mail, or any other form except the online submission form are not considered eligible for selection, unless with prior agreement with the Festival Programming Committee.
For competitive and non-competitive feature film programmes submission applications are accepted from the 15th of February 2024.
The regular submission deadline: February 15th to June 30th, 2024
A submission fee of 69 Euros ($85 USD) per film during the regular deadline.
The extended submission deadline: July the 1st to August 18th, 2024
A submission fee of 85 Euros ($100 USD) per film during the extended deadline.
The final submission deadline: August 19th to 25th, 2024
A submission fee of 100 Euros ($120USD) per film during the final deadline.
The Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserve the right to waive submission fees for selected applicants, to not comment on their decisions regarding waivers.
The Festival reserves the right to select films received at any time and through any means, or process and to refuse late submissions.
If you have questions regarding the regulations or submissions process, please email programme coordinators, see the contact information below.
By submitting a film to the Festival the applicant agrees by the submissions deadline to:
Person submitting the film is also responsible for the information provided: in particular, the length of the film, its premiere status, the country of production, the names of the authors, the year of production.
Upon selection of a film, the Festival will contact the applicant via email and will request to fill out a binding entry form.
If the applicant provides misleading information about debutant or premiere status the Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserve the right to withdraw the film from the competition and overall programme.
The applicant agrees that confirmed titles may not be withdrawn from the Festival programme after their participation has been officially confirmed and the producer or producer’s authorized representative has verified the confirmation of the film to the programme. The premiere status is non-negotiable, after the film has been confirmed for the competition programme.
If for exceptional reasons, the film has to be withdrawn three weeks or less before the opening of the Festival, the applicant agrees to reimburse all costs to the Festival related to the confirmation and programming of the film including the screening fee (when applicable), print delivery and handling costs as well as associated travel costs for the film delegation. The festival does not pay for the rights if a film is selected for one or other of the competition programmes and for the non-competitive side programmes if guests are invited.
The invoices for the film rights or print loans should be issued and delivered for payments no later than two months after the end of the Festival. The Festival does not accept or reimburse invoices issued after that date.
Upon confirmation of the film to the Festival’s competitive or non-competitive sections, the applicant agrees to:
Deliver additional promotional materials (biography, filmography and headshot of the Director, trailer, high-resolution stills of the film, synopsis, logline/tagline and genre of film, list of technical and artistic credits, list of all production countries in order of contribution and large format print quality poster art-work). Full electronic press kits are preferred.
The approved requirements of the promotional materials for the Festival are the following:
Promotional video material
Provide a set of at least four different FHD resolution excerpts of three-minute maximum length each to enable the promotion of films by television stations and in creative promotional video montages minimally a month before the Festival.
Film stills
High resolution stills of the film, which can be used for the Festivals catalog and media.
Minimum of 3 photos (max 10), please mark your preferred key visual.
Format: landscape format (16:9) .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: minimum 1920 x 1080 px
Director’s portrait image and press-kit
High resolution director's photo and CV (bio and filmography).
Photo format: headshot, .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: minimum 1080 x 1920 px
Press-kit or principal cast and credits list.
If the CV part is in the press-kit then it is not needed separately
Film poster
High resolution poster and/or poster still.
Format: portrait, .jpg (.png, tiff)
Aspect ratio: 1,45 (recommended)
Size: both 555 x 800 px AND 1080 x 1920 px (recommended)
For Black Carpet Films and digital screens in the cinemas we request 1080 x 1920 px poster images.
Subtitles in English as a .srt/.stl file, materials for local translation
Provide subtitle files with time-codes and/or dialogue lists in the original film language and in English, spotting list, and a screener of the finalized version of the film.
The Festival reserves the right to use all provided promotional materials for publicity purposes and printed materials, including the Festival catalog, press releases, website, social media channels, and promotion in media.
The Festival will provide a CineSend link for uploading the DCP, a questionnaire for film and credits information and a link for uploading the promotional materials.
The Festival does not accept deliveries in physical format (hard disk drives, memory sticks, etc) if not agreed otherwise prior to the Festival.
The materials required by the Festival for its press releases, catalog, website, and other information/promotion channels (synopsis, technical and artistic credits, bio-filmographies, pictures of the director/s and film stills) and materials for local translation need to be provided to the Festival by the 19th of September 2024, or within 7 days of confirmation of the film.
If the applicant doesn’t provide the materials required by the Festival by the date set in regulations or by the date agreed with the Festival beforehand, The Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserve the right to withdraw the film from the competition.
The accepted screening format for all films in competition and non-competition sections is DCP. Provided DCPs must be DCI compliant (http://www.dcimovies.com/) and adhere to all applicable conditions below.
Digital delivery of the DCPs is preferred, if not agreed otherwise. The Festival will provide a CineSend link for uploading the DCP and it should be delivered no later than the 15th of October 2024. DCPs must be provided with the correct naming according to the ISDCF DCP Naming Convention.
Subtitles
All films selected for the Festival must be provided with English subtitles unless they are already in English. All of the films from the Official Selection Competition and First Feature Competition, as well as a selection of films from other sections will be translated into Estonian.
The Festival adds local subtitles onto DCPs for ensuring the best possible screening experience. For this purpose DCPs must meet the following requirements: provided screening DCPs must be unencrypted, or with DKDM for the Festival Filmlab, as original language versions (OV) with separate accompanying subtitles as version-file packages (VF).
All screening copies for all sections, if provided with any subtitles, must have the subtitles on the active picture area and not in the letterbox area. Please note that the image may be cropped by up to 3% during projection, due to the position of the projector and the venue’s characteristics, therefore a good safe area for the subtitles would be at least 5%. Dubbed language copies are refused.
The Festival reserves the right to demand new DCP packages free of charge in case of non-compatible DCPs, broken hard drives, or other quality standards are not met. These include wrongly placed or missing subtitles, or wrong soundtracks.
KDMs
All competition programme films are obligated to provide an unecrypted DCP or Distribution KDMs (DKDM) for laboratory testing. In other cases, unencrypted DCPs are strongly preferred and only in previously agreed cases encrypted DCPs are accepted and one test KDM per film free of charge for quality assurance and technical testing for our test-screen is required. For quality assurance reasons KDM or DKDM is requested to be valid from the date the DCP arrives at the Festival but not later than one week before the Festival starts till one day after the Festival. All DKDMs should follow the KDM Naming Convention.
The producer or film representative is requested to provide appropriate screening KDMs valid from 7 days before the start of the Festival and 1 day after the Festival, but no later than 72 hours prior to screenings, and 48 hours after the screening. The cost of generating all KDMs will also be the responsibility of the producers or representatives of the film.
If the Festival is provided with broken or wrongly assigned KDMs, appropriate new KDMs must be provided free of charge by the film submitter or representative. Quality assurance purpose DKDM is not exempt from providing screening KDMs if not agreed upon otherwise.
Formats
The Festival supports 2K and 4K content. However, not all screens have a 4K screening capability. The Festival therefore cannot guarantee that all 4K films will be screened in a 4K resolution.
We can accept high-frame-rate (HFR) or 3D DCPs, however, we are only able to screen them in selected cinema halls. Please notify the Festival office if you are planning on presenting a high-frame-rate DCP.
Video formats and 35mm prints are accepted only with prior acknowledgment from the Festival. All video files will be converted into DCPs by the Festival lab to ensure the best possible image and sound quality during playback. Only ProRes, ProRes 444, ProRes HQ are accepted video formats in these cases. Tapes or Blu-rays are not accepted as screening formats unless there are no alternatives and with prior acknowledgment from the Festival.
Technical guideline is provided along with a confirmation entry form.
The Festival reserves the right to refuse and withdraw the screening of the film from the competition or any other section if all requirements are not followed.
Our Festival’s technical team, dcinema@poff.ee, will happily help with any queries for all confirmed films.
Festival uses a VOD platform with Studio Grade DRM for screening films online.
By confirming the film’s participation at the Festival, the film’s representative agrees to present the film for online cinema screenings. The film representatives should inform the festival if they do not wish to participate in the online screenings.
Screenings for the jury, accredited film professionals, and international press members are accessible globally via Festival accreditation.
Films featured in the competitive sections offer press members early online access.
All films with online screenings must present the film in H264, 1920x1080p video format with stereo sound. In this case, we recommend a clean film file without hardcoded subtitles. The subtitles, if needed, must be presented as SRT or XML timed subtitles.
All costs related to the shipping of publicity materials (posters, brochures, etc.) or any screeners are paid for by the submitter or film representative. Submitted preview copies may be returned to the submitter or forwarded only at the submitter’s expense. Accepted sizes for printed posters are: A4, A3, A2.
All packages must be clearly marked with the title of the film, the sender’s / submitters name, return address, and telephone number as well as the Festival address:
Black Nights Film Festival
Attn: Programming
Telliskivi 60a/2, 3rd floor
10412
Tallinn, Estonia
Phone: +372 56 208 308
Costs related to the shipping of the physical DCP to the Festival are paid by the Festival unless otherwise agreed upon. Return shipping costs are covered by the Festival unless a screening copy is being sent to the next Festival for screening.
The Festival will return or forward the screening copies within 30 days from the end of the Festival unless instructed otherwise by the submitter or film representative. Returns before the Festival closing date must be agreed upon at least three weeks before the Festival, and cannot be guaranteed after that.
The Festival covers all expenses connected to the storage and insurance of the screening copies during the duration of the Festival.
In the event of damage to a copy during the event, the Festival limits its responsibility to the cost of having a new standard copy made at current laboratory rates.
Films that have premiered at the Black Nights Film Festival are required to use the official logo of the Festival in their film’s publicity and promotional materials as well as add it to the DCP. We ask not to modify or alter the logo without prior written permission from the Festival.
PÖFF Festival director - Tiina Lokk (tiina.lokk@poff.ee)
PÖFF Programme coordinators – Jette Karmin (jette.karmin@poff.ee) and Mirel Mesila (mirel.mesila@poff.ee)
PÖFF – Black Nights Film Festival's sub-festival
08.11.–24.11.2024
Youth and Children’s Film Festival Just Film is a sub-festival of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festivals. It is held during the main programme 08.11.-24.11.2024.
Just Film was founded to give children and youth the possibility to see, through film, what happens around them and around the world. The aim is to show kids the critical points of society and to make them more understanding and empathic.
Just Film presents films in the following programmes
Awards & Prizes
Films eligible for the programmes are feature-length (50 minutes and over), either fiction or documentary and short or half-length films (up to 50 minutes). The films must be produced after The films must be completed after the 1st of November 2023. The minimum requirement for the films is their International premiere.
The Festival reserves the right to make changes in the eligibility criteria and evaluate films on a case by case basis.
The applicable screening copies are in DCP format in English or include English subtitles. Films in the competitions may be presented in the PÖFF main programme non-competitive section.
The Head of the Festival will appoint three (3) Domestic (Juniors’, Children’s, and Youth) Jury groups consisting of three (3) members. The three groups are divided for ages 7-9, 10-13, and 14-18. Furthermore, an International Jury consisting of three (3) film specialists and ECFA (European Children’s Film Association) Jury consisting of three (3) ECFA members will be invited. The Jury for the #youngfilmmaker International Competition programme will consist of at least 3 industry experts and programme representatives. No jury member can be involved in the production or promotion of any of the films in the competitive programmes.
Applicants for Competitive and Non-Competitive programmes are requested to submit their films in the subcategory of Just Film Youth and Children's Film Festival through FilmFreeway:
https://filmfreeway.com/just
Submission applications are accepted starting from 15th of February 2024.
Regular submission: 15. February until 30th June 2024
Extended submission: 1st July until 18th August 2024
Final submission: 19th August until 25th August 2024
Entry applications submitted by post, e-mail, or any other form except the online submission form are not considered eligible for selection, unless with prior agreement with the Festival Programming Committee. The Festival reserves the right to select films received at any time and through any means or process, and to refuse late submissions.
We are accepting the submissions of the Russian films that have been produced without the financial support of the government of Russian Federation and businesses tax-resident in the latter country. Film Schools will be considered state funded organizations and not considered. It means that we can only consider the films that have been made by independent production companies in Russia or by Russian filmmakers in exile.
By submitting a film to the Festival, the applicant agrees by the applicable submissions deadline to:
Starting from the 2023 edition, the Festival is introducing a new category for film submissions. This special category is for young filmmakers aged 7-19, who wish to submit their own work to the Festival’s #youngfilmmaker International Competition programme.
This is a unique opportunity for a young filmmaker to take part in an A-category film festival. In addition, the recipients have the chance to participate in the BNFF film industry section's, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, international workshops and seminars.
Films eligible for the programme are up to 20 minutes. The films must be produced after 1st January 2023. The Festival will inform the applicants of the selected films about their successful submission latest by 15th September 2024.
The Festival will inform the applicants of the selected films about their successful submission latest by 15th September 2024. Upon confirmation of the film to the Festival’s Competitive or Non-Competitive programmes, the applicant agrees to deliver additional info and promotional materials listed below to the Festival. Full electronic press kits are preferred.
Upon confirmation of the film to the Festival’s competitive or non-competitive sections, the applicant agrees to:
Deliver additional promotional materials (biography, filmography and headshot of the Director, trailer, high-resolution stills of the film, synopsis, logline/tagline and genre of film, list of technical and artistic credits, list of all production countries in order of contribution and large format print quality poster art-work). Full electronic press kits are preferred.
The approved requirements of the promotional materials for the Festival are the following:
Provide an FHD resolution trailer or an FHD teaser clip of the film with English subtitles either as a public link to a downloadable and embeddable video on YouTube or Vimeo or as a separate file. The Festival should receive the trailer or teaser latest by the 15th September 2024, with an allowance to upload on the Festival’s online channels. Recommended size 1920 x 1080.
Promotional video material
Provide a set of at least four different FHD resolution excerpts of three-minute maximum length each to enable the promotion of films by television stations and in creative promotional video montages minimally a month before the Festival.
High resolution stills of the film, which can be used for the Festivals catalog and media.
Minimum of 3 photos (max 10), please mark your preferred key visual.
Format: landscape format (16:9) .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: minimum 1920 x 1080 px
Director’s portrait image and press-kit
High resolution director's photo and CV (bio and filmography).
Photo format: headshot, .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: minimum 1080 x 1920 px
Press-kit or principal cast and credits list.
If the CV part is in the press-kit then it is not needed separately
Film poster
High resolution poster and/or poster still.
Premiere status
Confirm the premiere status of the film for the Black Nights Film Festival. The Festival should receive this confirmation by 15th of September. If the film's representative wishes to make changes to the premier status after the specified date, the Festival reserves the right to make changes in the film’s eligibility for the Festival.
Synopsis and genre of the film
Provide the Festival with the English synopsis (up to 500 characters) of the film along with the defined genre and 3 preferred tagwords about the film's content.
Materials for local translation
Provide subtitle files with time-codes and/or dialogue lists in the original film language and in English, spotting list and a screener of the finalised version of the film. Please provide the festival with English .SRT, .STL or .XML subtitle files.
The Festival reserves the right to use all provided promotional materials for publicity purposes and printed materials, including the Festival catalogue, press releases, website, social media channels, and promotion in media.
The materials required by the Festival for its press releases, catalogue, website and other information/promotion channels, and materials for local translation need to be provided to the Festival by 15th September 2024, or within 7 days of confirmation of the film. If the applicant chooses to make changes to the materials sent to us, this can be done until 1st October or until this year’s festival schedule is live on the Festival’s website.
If the applicant doesn’t provide the materials required by the Festival by the date set in regulations or by the date agreed with the Festival beforehand, The Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserve the right to withdraw the film from the programme.
The applicant agrees that confirmed titles may not be withdrawn from the Festival programme after its participation has been officially confirmed and the producer or producer’s authorised representative has verified the confirmation of the film to the programme.
If for exceptional reasons, the film has to be withdrawn three weeks or less before the opening of the Festival, the applicant agrees to reimburse all costs to the Festival related to the confirmation and programming of the film including the screening fee (when applicable), print delivery and handling costs as well as associated travel costs for the film delegation. The festival does not pay for the rights if a film is selected for one or other of the competition programmes and for the non-competitive side programmes if guests are invited. If the applicant decides to withdraw their film after confirmation of participation in less than 14 days before the start of the Festival, a penalty fee of 1000€ will apply.
The invoices for the film rights or print loans should be issued and delivered for payments no later than two months after the end of the Festival (24th January 2025). The Festival does not accept or reimburse invoices issued after that date.
The accepted screening format for all films in Competitive and Non-Competitive programmes is DCP. Provided DCPs must be DCI compliant (http://www.dcimovies.com/) and adhere to all applicable conditions below.
Digital delivery of the DCPs is preferred, if not agreed otherwise. The Festival will provide a CineSend link for uploading the DCP and it should be uploaded no later than 15th October 2024. DCPs must be provided with the correct naming according to the ISDCF DCP Naming Convention.
Subtitles
All films selected for the Festival must be provided with English subtitles, unless they are already in English. The Festival reserves the right to translate a selection of films into Estonian. Unless the Festival has agreed otherwise with the film representatives, the Estonian translations can be purchased for a fee of 100 Euros.
The Festival prefers to transfer local subtitles onto DCPs for ensuring the best possible screening experience. For that purpose, DCPs must meet the following requirements: provided screening DCPs must be unencrypted or available with DKDM for the Festival Lab as original language versions (OV) with separate accompanying subtitles as version-file packages (VF).
If the transfer of translated subtitles onto the DCP is not agreed on with the representatives of the film, the translations will be shown electronically.
All screening copies for all sections, if provided with any subtitles, must have the subtitles on the active picture area and not in the letterbox area. Please note that the image may be cropped by up to 3% during projection, due to the position of the projector and the venue’s characteristics, therefore a good safe area for the subtitles would be at least 5%. Dubbed language copies are also refused.
The Festival reserves the right to demand new DCP packages free of charge in case of non-compatible DCPs, broken hard drives, or other quality standards are not met. These include wrongly placed or missing subtitles, or wrong soundtracks.
KDMs
All competition programme films are obligated to provide an unencrypted DCP or Distribution KDMs (DKDM) for laboratory testing. In all cases, unencrypted DCPs are strongly preferred. In case of encrypted DCPs, the Festival requires Distribution KDMs (DKDM) for laboratory testing or in previously agreed cases, one test KDM per film free of charge for quality assurance and technical testing for our test-screen. For quality assurance reasons, KDM or DKDM is requested to be valid from the date the DCP arrives at the Festival but not later than one week before the Festival starts till 1 days after the Festival. All KDMs and DKDMs should follow the KDM Naming Convention.
The producer or film representative is requested to provide appropriate screening KDMs valid from 7 days before the start of the Festival and 1 days after the Festival, but not later than 72 hours prior to screenings, and 48 hours after the screening. The cost of generating all KDMs will also be the responsibility of the producers or representatives of the film.
If the Festival is provided with broken or wrongly assigned KDMs, appropriate new KDMs must be provided free of charge by the film submitter or representative. Quality assurance purpose DKDM is not exempt from providing screening KDMs if not agreed upon otherwise.
Formats
The Festival supports 2K and 4K content. However, not all screens have a 4K screening capability. The Festival therefore cannot guarantee that all 4K films will be screened in a 4K resolution.
We can accept high-frame-rate (HFR) or 3D DCPs, however, we are only able to screen them in selected cinema halls. Please notify the Festival office if you are planning on presenting a high-frame-rate DCP.
Video formats and 35mm prints are accepted only with prior acknowledgement from the Festival. All video files will be converted into DCPs by the Festival appointed lab to ensure the best possible image and sound quality during playback. Only ProRes, ProRes 444, ProRes HQ are accepted video formats in these cases. Tapes or Blu-rays are not accepted as screening formats, unless there are no alternatives and with prior acknowledgement from the Festival.
Technical guideline is provided along with a confirmation entry form.
The festival reserves the right to refuse and withdraw the screening of the film from the competition or any other section if all requirements are not followed.
Our festival’s technical team, dcinema@poff.ee, will happily help with any queries for all confirmed films.
Festival uses a VOD platform with Studio Grade DRM for screening films online. Screenings for accredited film professionals and international press members are accessible globally via Festival accreditation.
Films featured in the competitive sections offer press members early online access.
By confirming the film’s participation at the Festival, the film’s representative agrees to present the film for online cinema screenings in H264, 1920x1080p video format with stereo sound. We recommend a clean film file without hardcoded subtitles. The subtitles, if needed, must be presented as SRT or XML timed subtitles.
All costs related to the shipping of the screener copy (DVD) and publicity materials are paid by the submitter or film representative. Submitted preview copies may be returned to the submitter or forwarded only at the submitters expense.
All packages must be clearly marked with the title of the film, the sender’s/submitter’s name, return address, and telephone number as well as the festival address:
Black Nights Film Festival
Attn: Just Film
Telliskivi 60a/2, 3rd floor
10412
Tallinn, Estonia
Phone: +372 5620 8308
Costs related to the shipping of the screening copies to the Festival are paid by the Festival, unless otherwise agreed upon. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the submitter or film representative, or party appointed by them.
The Festival will return or forward the screening copies within 14 days from the end of the Festival, unless instructed otherwise by the submitter or film representative. Returns before the Festival closing date must be agreed at least three weeks before the festival and cannot be guaranteed after that.
The festival covers all expenses connected to the storage and insurance of the screening copies during the duration of the Festival.
In the event of damage to a copy during the Festival, the Festival limits its responsibility to the cost of having a new standard copy made at current laboratory rates.
For the main competition programme, the Festival will officially invite one representative per film. The festival will cover the round trip economy airfare either fully or partially depending on the cost of the airfare for one delegate, with a preference given to the Director or a Main Cast member, as well as accommodation up to three nights at the Official Partner Hotel and accreditation for one delegate.
For films outside of the main competition programme, #youngfilmmaker International Competition programme and non-competitive films, the Festival reserves the right to invite guests upon the decision of the Programming Committee. Detailed terms and conditions for film delegates are provided on a non-disclosed one-to-one and guest agreement basis.
Head of Just Film programme - Mikk Granström (mikk@poff.ee)
Programme Coordinator - Mariliis Pai (mariliis.pai@poff.ee)
Submit your film to the Youth and Children's film festival Just Film!
FilmFreeway Submissions - Just Film Youth and Children's Film Festival
justfilm.ee
08.11 – 20.11 2024
Part of the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) the international short film and animation festival PÖFF Shorts is one of the biggest short film and animation festivals in the region. The festival’s mission is to showcase the best animated and live action short films of all genres from cutting-edge talents and bold visionaries across the world.
PÖFF Shorts is an Academy Award qualifying festival.
PÖFF Shorts is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA), choosing one short film from its competition as a candidate for the European Film Awards short film category.
PÖFF Shorts is also a BAFTA-qualifying festival.
PÖFF Shorts presents films in the following programmes
Applicants for Competitive and Non-Competitive Programmes are requested to submit through FilmFreeway or any other submitting platform indicated by the festival team. Entry applications submitted by post, e-mail or any other form except the online submission form are not considered eligible for selection.
Applicants for both competition and non-competition programmes should be 18 years old or older.
The submission deadline for competitive and non-competitive programmes of PÖFF Shorts is the 9th of August 2024.
The festival reserves the right to evaluate eligible films for the competition and assign the programme section for the film on a case-by-case basis.
We are accepting the submissions of the Russian films that have been produced without the financial support of the government of Russian Federation and businesses tax-resident in the latter country. Film Schools will be considered state funded organisations and not considered. It means that we can only consider the films that have been made by independent production companies in Russia or by Russian filmmakers in exile.
Applicants for competitive and non-competitive programmes are requested to submit the film and required supplementary materials only via the indicated online submissions page. Entries submitted by post, e-mail or any other form except the online submission form are not considered eligible for selection.
The festival reserves the right to refuse late submissions.
Submission fees are to be paid by secure online payment with a credit or debit card.
Submission fees are non-refundable.
The Head of PÖFF Shorts festival and the Programming Committee reserve the right to waive submission fees for selected applicants, to not comment on their decisions regarding waivers. The Festival reserves the right to select films received at any time and through any means, or process and to refuse late submissions.
If you have questions regarding the regulations or submission process, please email shorts@poff.ee.
For a successful submission via the submission platform the applicant is required to:
Fill in all fields possible and submit the entry form.
Provide a non-expiring screening link – with English subtitles and a password if necessary.
Please provide the Nationality of the director (this information is required to determine European Film Award eligibility, in which the director must be European / hold a European passport)
The approved requirements for the promotional photos and trailers for the Festival are the following:
Film stills
Format: landscape (16:9), .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: 1920 x 1080 px minimum
Minimum of 3 stills.
Director’s portrait image
Format: square (1:1), .jpg (.png, .tiff)
Size: 500 x 500 px minimum
Film poster
Format: portrait, .jpg (.png, tiff)
Aspect ratio: 1,45 (recommended)
Size: 555 x 800 px (recommended)
Film trailer/teaser
Provide an HD resolution trailer or an HD teaser clip of the film either as a public link to a downloadable and embeddable video on YouTube or Vimeo or as a separate file. The Festival should receive the trailer or teaser latest by the 1st of October, with an allowance to upload it on the Festival’s online channels.
The Programming Committee, headed by the Head of Live-Action programming and the Head of Animation programming, selects films for the competitions and non-competitive programmes. For competition programmes preference will be given to films with at least an Estonian premiere.
Each competition film may be screened a minimum of one (1) time and a maximum of five (5) during the Festival, including press screenings. Consent from the applicant will be asked for any extra screening. The Programming Committee reserves the right to not comment on its decisions as well as the final line-up of the Festival.
PÖFF Shorts works towards achieving a gender-equal selection-evaluation process and film programme.
Upon confirmation of the film, the Festival will inform the applicant no later than the 8th of October 2024.
Upon confirmation of the film to the Festival’s Competitive or Non Competitive Sections, the applicant agrees to:
Confirmed titles may not be withdrawn from the festival programme after its participation has been officially confirmed and the producer or producer’s authorized representative has verified confirmation of the film to the programme.
If, for exceptional reasons, the film has to be withdrawn three weeks or less before the opening of the festival, the applicant agrees to reimburse all costs to the festival related to confirmation and programming of the film including the screening fee (when applicable), print delivery and handling costs as well as associated travel costs for the film delegation. If the applicant decides to withdraw their film after confirmation of participation in less than 14 days before the start of the Festival, a penalty fee of 1000€ will apply.
Please note that the Festival cannot guarantee the use of missing promotional materials in the Festival communications that are delivered after the deadline set by the Festival team upon confirmation of the film in the Festival.
The invoices for the film rights or print loans should be issued and delivered for payment no later than two months from the end of the festival (24th of January 2025). The festival does not accept or reimburse invoices issued after that date.
If the applicant does not provide the materials required by the Festival by the date set in regulations or by the date agreed with the festival beforehand, The Festival Director and the Programming Committee reserve the right to withdraw the film from the competition.
Screening formats for all films in all festival sections are DCP and video file. PÖFF Shorts requires both versions for its screenings.
Provided DCPs must be DCI compliant (http://www.dcimovies.com/) and adhere to all applicable conditions below.
DCPs must be delivered digitally through a link provided by the Festival and it should be uploaded no later than the 10th October 2024. DCPs must be provided with the correct naming according to the ISDCF DCP Naming Convention. Information for digital delivery will be provided before the festival.
If agreed upon by the Festival, video files will be converted into DCPs by the Festival appointed lab to ensure the best possible image and sound quality during playback. Only ProRes, ProRes 444, ProRes HQ are accepted video formats.
All films selected for the festival must be provided with English subtitles, unless they are already in English. Hardcoded subtitles are recommended. Otherwise, DCPs with subtitles should be provided as original language versions (OV) with separate accompanying subtitles as version-file packages (VF).
All screening copies for all sections, if provided with any subtitles, must have the subtitles on the active picture area and not in the letterbox area. Please note that the image may be cropped by up to 3% during projection, due to the position of the projector and the venue’s characteristics, therefore a good safe area for the subtitles would be at least 5%. Dubbed language copies are also refused.
The festival reserves the right to demand new DCP packages free of charge in case of non-compatible DCPs or if other quality standards are not met. These include wrongly placed or missing subtitles, or wrong soundtracks.
Only unencrypted DCPs are accepted and encrypted DCPs will be refused by the Festival.
The festival supports 2K and 4K content. However, not all screens have a 4K screening capability. The festival therefore cannot guarantee that all 4K films will be screened in a 4K resolution.
We can accept high-frame-rate (HFR) or 3D DCPs, however, we are only able to screen them in selected cinema halls. Please notify the festival office if you are planning on presenting a high-frame-rate DCP.
Tapes, Blu-rays, DVD and all other formats are not accepted as screening formats, unless there are no alternatives and with prior acknowledgement from the festival.
PÖFF Shorts technical guideline is provided along with a confirmation entry form.
The festival reserves the right to refuse and withdraw the screening of the film from the competition or any other section if all requirements are not followed.
Our festival’s technical team, dcinema@poff.ee, will happily help with any queries for all confirmed films.
The Festival uses a VOD platform with Studio Grade DRM for screening films online.
Screenings for accredited film professionals and international press members are accessible globally via Festival accreditation.
All films that agree with online screenings must present the film in H264, 1920x1080p video format with stereo sound. All video files must be provided with hardcoded English subtitles, unless they are already in English.
Public screenings for audiences in Estonia are geo-blocked outside of Estonia and can be limited to an agreed size of the audience.
All films that agree with online screenings must present the film in H264, 1920x1080p video format with stereo sound. All video files must be provided with hardcoded English subtitles, unless they are already in English.
The Festival reserves the right to refuse and withdraw the screening of the film from the competition or any other section if all requirements are not followed.
Our Festival’s digital cinema team, dcinema@poff.ee, will happily help with any queries for all confirmed films.
Screening copies should be delivered electronically via indicated means by the festival team upon confirmation. The Festival only accepts films uploaded to provided link, all external links will be refused. All technical questions and information regarding file formats, DCP’s and upload should be sent to dcinema@poff.ee.
The festival does not accept physical copies.
In case of the exceeding file size, details about the delivery of physical copies will be given by the festival team.
The Festival may invite members of the crew of any film in any section providing either travel, accommodation and/or festival accreditation.
Accreditations need to be confirmed as soon as possible (and no later than the set deadline) after confirming the participation of the film at the festival. A fee will apply for extra or late accreditation applications.
PÖFF Shorts Festival appoints separate juries for the Animation Competitions, Live-Action competitions, and for the National Competition; the juries will choose the winners of each category respectively.
No jury member can be involved in the production or promotion of any film in the competition.
International Live-Action Competition
International Animation Competition
National Competition
Rebels with a cause competition
Juries will also decide upon one European* film in eligible competitions with a candidacy in the short film category of the European Film Awards.
European according to the rules of the European Film Academy, meaning both EU and non-EU, and shall include Israeli and Palestinian.
Winners of the International Live-Action Competition Jury prize for Best Film, International Animation Competition Jury prize for Best Film and National Competition Jury prize for Best Film will be eligible to apply for consideration for the annual Academy Awards should they fit the eligibility criteria as determined by the Academy.
Winners of PÖFF Shorts Competition programmes are given priority status for consideration for the PÖFF main competitions in the future.
The awards and jury members will be announced by the Festival Director no later than during the opening press conference of the Festival.
Films that have premiered at the Black Nights Film Festival are welcome to use the official logo of the festival in their film’s publicity and promotional materials. We ask not to modify or alter the logo without prior written permission from the Festival.
Mariliis Pai - programme.shorts@poff.ee
shorts.poff.ee