The international short film and animation festival within Tallinn Black Nights announced the winners of its 2024 edition this Saturday, November 16 at the PÖFF Shorts Award Ceremony.
The winners of the Shorts Live-Action, Animation and National Competitions will all be eligible for qualifying for an Academy Award should they fulfil the academy’s requirements.
The international jury included Florian Fernandez (France), Tonia Mishiali (Cyprus), Eeva Mägi (Estonia), Annegret Richter (Germany), Martina Meštrovi? (Croatia), Roland Seer (Estonia), Laima Graždanovi?a (Latvia), Micha? Bobrowski (Poland) and Kitty Florentine (Estonia).
The PÖFF Shorts’ European Film Academy candidate for Nomination for European Film Award Best Short Film – Prix Vimeo and the Rebels With A Cause winner will be announced on Saturday, November 23 at the Black Nights Film Festival closing ceremony.
The Black Night Film Festival’s PÖFF Shorts will run the last of its side programmes until November 20.
PÖFF Shorts Animation Competition
Jury: Annegret Richter, Martina Meštrovi?, Roland Seer
Best Short Film
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
“Reborn With You” (Republic of Korea, 2023)
Director: Inju Park
Jury Statement: “The film follows the fragile relationship of one sister to another in a very poetic flow of silky and soothing images. It offers us a window into a complex metaphysical world of grief, denial, acceptance and rebirth from a feminine point of view. The vibrant colours and the lush animation, overflowing with beautiful images, take you on an abstract emotional journey. You feel the sisterhood throughout several generations.”
Jury Mention
“Flatastic” (France, Netherlands, 2023)
Director: Alice Saey
Jury Statement: “The film takes you into a graphic allegory of our modern world and then gradually changes into a story about the fragility of our human made society bubble. It sucks you in, washes you out and leaves you hanging and contemplating about us as humans and our distorted relationship with nature.”
Best Children’s Film
“Yuck!” (France, 2023)
Director: Loïc Espuche
Jury Statement: “Wouldn’t it be great if you could actually see love and affection in a person? Maybe it would make things easier, maybe our world would be more loving. But you need to be brave for love. The film takes us to an atmosphere of a childhood summer that becomes the summer of the first innocent kiss. This story is heartwarming and funny at the same time – and it is entertaining, for kids and for adults. It is universal in all the best ways. Love is in the air – you just have to see it.”
Jury Mention
“Hoofs on Skates” (Lithuania, 2024)
Director: Ignas Meil?nas
Jury Statement: “The jury gives a special mention to a film that caught our interest already in the first scenes. It is entertaining and hilariously funny, still focussing on a story of overcoming your fears and finding friends in the most unlikely places. The talent in puppet stop motion is fantastic, skilful subtle changes deliver big emotions. We also want to acknowledge the great talent in storytelling, in camera setting and in the perfect timing of jokes that made us and everyone in the audience laugh, even without using any language.”
Best Film (New Talents Animation)
Presented by: Estonian Academy of Arts
“Carrotica” (Germany, 2024)
Director: Daniel Sterlin-Altman
Jury Statement: “The film won our heart with a warm coming of age story with erotic elements. It skilfully combines the perspective of a son and his mother in moments of secret desire and insecurity while it celebrates emotions in a very humorous way. Scenes from every day life go together with surrealistic aspects in which carrots become objects of desire. We loved the clever usage of technique and design while staying fresh and surprising.”
Jury Mention (New Talents)
“Chimera” (Chile, 2024)
Directors: Gael Jara, Martín André
Jury Statement: “Our special mention goes to a film with a strong story about fluidity and transformation in a rigid and mean world. We acknowledge the Kafkaesque body horror with a great sense of artistic style that brilliantly enhances the story. The film that mixes documentary elements with animation touches on a subject that is not openly talked about, especially not in the country it was made in. We appreciate the braveness and the creativity in making this movie.”
PÖFF Shorts Live-Action Competition
Jury: Florian Fernandez, Tonia Mishiali, Eeva Mägi
Best Short Film
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
“Panadrilo” (Panama, 2023)
Director: Marcela Heilbron
Jury Statement: “Through a mystical daydreaming atmosphere, supported by a unique cinematographic approach from the image to the sound, the film explores the inner feelings of a family. At first challenging for the viewer, stakes slowly unveil and poetry intertwines with heavier social considerations. The final result leads to an uncanny journey through the complexities of immigration and sacrifice, told with a strong filmmaker eye.”
Jury Mention
“Made of Sugar” (Spain, 2024)
Director: Clàudia Cedó
Jury Statement: “This film has touched our hearts deeply as the filmmaker depicted, with honesty and soul, the struggles and yearnings of a young woman living on the sidelines of society because of her disability. It made us empathize with the main character and understand that every person, different or not, should be allowed to follow their dreams.”
Best Film (New Talents Live-Action)
Presented by: Tallinn University Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute
“We Beg to Differ” (Ireland, United Kingdom, 2024)
Director: Ruairi Bradley
Jury Statement: “Through smooth cinematography, the film achieves a deep dive into the underground world of a community. It explores not only a hobby, but a medium of expression. Cars, spinning and drifting (or more precisely « diffing ») become a language, a way to feel freedom, physically and mentally, an opportunity to bond lost souls together again.”
Jury Mention (New Talents)
“The Bride” (Iceland, 2023)
Director: Hjördís Jóhannsdóttir
Jury Statement: “The film captivates with its masterful direction, maintaining a compelling tempo and showcasing a unique yet simple style. A true cinematic gem that stands out for its artistry and precision.”
PÖFF Shorts National Competition
Jury: Kitty Florentine, Micha? Bobrowski, Laima Graždanovi?a
Best Short Film
1000€ presented by PÖFF
“The Weight of Light” (Estonia, 2024)
Director: Anna Hints
Jury Statement: “For the empowering and honest depiction of a complicated topic that was handled with care and dignity, while expressing the power of art and the autonomy at the moments when injustice dominates. Locked into the gaze of powerful performances, we ask the question – who is watching?”
Jury Mention
“Little Other” (Estonia, 2024)
Director: Andres Tenusaar
Jury Statement: “With abstract forms, twisted symbols and syncopated dynamics we are taken through a well choreographed dive into the horrors of giving birth.”
About Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Pimedate Ööde filmifestival, PÖFF) first took place in 1997. Since 2014, PÖFF is one of the 15 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. The accreditation is renewed every year.
The aim of the festival is to present a comprehensive selection of world cinema from the last two years to a local and international audience, offering fresh film production with high artistic value.
Today, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with Industry @ Tallinn & Baltic Event and with the two sub-festivals, Just Film and PÖFF Shorts, has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and the busiest regional industry platforms. The festival is an important meeting point for a rapidly growing number of industry professionals from around the globe.