The world premieres of two Ukrainian films created with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency hosted the international PÖFF | Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on November 9th.
The feature-length poetic drama «Oxygen Station» directed by Ivan Tymchenko was presented in the main competition program.
The film is based on real events from the life of Soviet dissident Mustafa Dzhemilev. The film is based on the incredible story of the meeting between Mustafa and his future wife Safinar. For the sake of the meeting, the characters overcome thousands of kilometers, their own fears and obstacles of the totalitarian system.
The world premiere of the comedy «Lessons of Tolerance» directed by Arkady Nepytaliuk took place in the Critics’ Choice section.
According to the film’s plot – an ordinary Ukrainian family agreed to participate in the European integration program Lessons of Tolerance to cope with financial difficulties. But among other challenges, they are also worried about what their neighbors will say.
Also, this year at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival were presented films, created with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency:
- The film «Forever – Forever» by Anna Buryachkova, Estonian premiere in the program «Best of Festivals»
«Forever – Forever» is a story about survival and love at the same time, about shame but also carefree, about freedom and dependence on your body. It’s about desperation, tenderness, pain, pleasure, and the search for yourself and the right decisions. It’s also a film about the youth of those who are now over 30, those who have become the most passionate and dedicated fighters for freedom in modern times.
- The film «Stepne» by Maryna Vroda, Estonian premiere in the program «Best of Festivals»
«Stepne» is the story of Anatoliy, a man who comes back home to take care of his dying mother. Mother’s death, meeting with his brother and a woman he loves make him reflect on the life he has lived and the decisions he has made along the way. Just before her death, the mother tells Anatoliy about a treasure that she hid in the barn.
- The film «We will not fade away» by Alisa Kovalenko, Estonian premiere in the programs «Doc@Just» and «Children’s Rights Program»
The film tells the story of teenagers growing up in eastern Ukraine amidst the war and their extraordinary journey to the peaks of the Himalayan Mountains. Despite the grim reality around them, Andriy, Ruslan, Ilya, Lisa and Lera dream, seek adventure, protest and fight against the dullness and boredom. While the world around them is falling apart, mines are closing, and the threat of war escalation is growing, they do not give up and try to follow their dreams.
This year Ukrainian films were presented at the 27th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival:
- The film «Eastern Front» by Vitaliy Manskiy and Yevhen Titarenko – Estonian premiere in the program «Baltic Film Competition»
«Eastern Front» is a story filmed from February 24, 2022 to September 2022. The heroes are ordinary people who have gone to defend their country not for the first time. But besides the war, the film depicts the home front, where their families live.
- The film «20 Days in Mariupol» by Mstyslav Chernov – Estonian premiere in the program «Doc@PÖFF»
«20 Days in Mariupol» is a documentary film by Ukrainian military correspondent and writer, AP videographer Mstyslav Chernov about the siege of Mariupol in February – March 2022 during the full-scale Russian invasion.
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Pimedate Ööde filmifestival, PÖFF) was first held in 1997. Since 2014, PÖFF has been one of the 15 top-level film festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival together with IndustryTallinn & Baltic Event and its two sub-festivals Just Film and PÖFF Shorts has become one of the largest film festivals in Northern Europe and the most active regional industry platform. The festival is an important meeting place for a rapidly growing number of industry professionals from all over the world.
The 27th festival took place from November 3 to 19. The industry platform of the festival, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, took place from November 13 to 17.
