The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has unveiled its competition and first feature selections for its 30th edition.
The fest revealed the titles, including 21 world premieres and three international premieres, on Wednesday. Among them is British actor Ray Panthaki’s feature debut In Starland.
PÖFF’s official selection will feature 12 world premieres from 15 countries. The movies revealed on Wednesday explore such themes as “coming of age, family relationships and pressing social issues through distinctive perspectives,” fest organizers said. “Strong mother figures recur throughout the selection, revealing tensions between love, responsibility, loyalty and independence.”
Festival curator Triin Tramberg highlighted that discovery is “at the heart of PÖFF’s official competition,” adding: “This year, we bring together established directors and filmmakers making their second features, creating a space where very different cinematic perspectives can meet,” she added, emphasizing the films’ “diversity in geography, style, subject,” shared strong sense of storytelling and exploration of “familiar things from an unexpected angle.”
Concluded Tramberg: “For me, that is what makes festival cinema exciting: you come looking for one thing and leave having discovered something you didn’t know you were looking for.”
PÖFF 2026 takes place in the Estonian capital Nov. 6-22.
Check out the list of titles unveiled below.
Official Competition
“A Job Well Done” (“Un travail exemplaire,” Switzerland), WP,
Directed by Frédéric Baillif for Alva Film, Freshprod, RTS
“Caballé” (Spain, Belgium, WP),
Directed by Patricia Ortega for Lantica Studios
“Drumskin” (“Cuero,”Argentina, WP)
Directed by Joaquín Cambre for Camerun Films
“I Just Want to Talk to My Mom” (Iran, Türkiye, WP)
Directed by Mohsen Rabiei for griffin Pictuees, KosKos Film
“No Me Without You” (mind ei ole sinuta,” Estonia, WP)
Directed by Janno Jürgens for Filmivabrik
“On Top of the Cliff” (“Sobre el acantilado,” Mexico, Peru, Switzerland, WP)
Directed by Enrica Perez for Sexto Sentido, in co-production with Martfilms, Aaron Film
“One Sweet Hour” (Ireland, WP)
Directed by Declan Recks for Samson Films
“Sh*t Happens” (“Comemierda,” Dominican Republic, WP)
Directed by José María Cabral for Lantica Studios
“Sinless” (A pokol élōvilága,” Hungary, WP)
Directed by Attila Hartung for Lupa Pictures
“The Assignment” (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, WP)
Directed by Patrice Toye for Menuetto, 2Pilots Filmproduction, Willy Waltz Int’l, Stenola Prods
“The Matriarch” (Die Matriarchin,” Germany, WP)
Directed by Alison Kuhn for Schiwago Film, Tidewater Pictures
“Where Is My Son?” (Kazakhstan WP)
Directed by Dias Bertis for Taurus Asia Production
First Feature Competition
“Black Slaughter” (France, Israel, WP)
Directed by Gigi Betito for Alcatraz Films, Betito Films
“Exotic” (Poland, Int’l P)
Directed by Sonja Orlewicz-Zakrzewska for Mozaika Films
“In Starland” (UK, USA, WP)
Directed by Ray Panthaki for Le Bateau Lavoir, Archface Films, Killer Films
“Happy Ending” (Iran, WP)
Directed by Atena Mahmoudi, produced by Abdolreza Heydari
“Lionheart” (“Løvehjerte,” Denmark, Iceland, Int’l P)
Directed by Nagieb Khaja for Tookbox, ZikZak Filmworks
“Oblivion” (Užmarštis,” Lithuania, WP)
Directed by Danielius Minkevičius for Tremora
“Princess” (Ñusta,” Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, WP)
Directed by Christian Rojas for Epopeya, oso Rojo Films, Woo Films, Casa Agua Florida, Hain Cine, Chao Pescao
“Running Wild” (Taiwan, WP)
Directed by Wang Yi-Ling for Film10 Production
“Status: Rejected” (Philippines, Int’ P)
Directed by Vahn Leinard Pascual for Black Cap Pictures, Clever Minds Productions
“The Sweetness of Bitter Things” (North Macedonia, WP)
Directed by Andrey Volkashin for Veda Film Productions
“When She Hears the Bells” (Les clochettes de Kaboul,” France, Germany, Belgium, WP)
Directed by Chabname Zariab for Alta Rocca Films, Starhaus Filmproduktion, Versus (Opus)
“White as Salt” (“Tograğin Tuzu,” Türkiye, WP)
Directed by Murat Eroğlu for Eroğlu Film
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