Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Concludes 29th Edition, 'The Good Daughter' Takes Grand Prix

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival Wraps Up 29th Edition

The 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), one of Northern Europe's largest and most significant film festivals, concluded its comprehensive program on November 23, 2025, in Tallinn, Estonia. Running since November 7, the festival presented a wide array of world cinema, attracting filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences to the Estonian capital and sidebar screenings in Tartu.

As an A-list festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) since 2014, PÖFF stands among only 15 such festivals globally, including Cannes and Berlin. Its mission is to offer a rich selection of international and regional films, emphasizing high artistic value and promoting Estonian and Baltic cinema.

Award Winners Crowned at Closing Ceremony

The festival's main competition saw the Spanish drama 'The Good Daughter', directed by Julia de Paz Solvas, awarded the coveted Grand Prix. This top honor comes with a €20,000 grant from the City of Tallinn. The film also received the Audience Award, and its lead performer, Kiara Arancibia, was recognized with the Best Actress prize.

Other significant awards included:

• Best Director: Ali Vatansever for 'LifeLike' (Turkey)
• Best Actor: Shared by Aladdin Detlefsen and Kanji Tsuda for 'Frog in the Water'
• Best First Feature: Christian Bonke's 'Hercules Falling'
• Best Baltic Project: The Lithuanian-Estonian-Latvian co-production 'Dice-Cing-o-Mat'

The international jury for the Official Selection Competition was chaired by acclaimed Macedonian filmmaker Teona Strugar Mitevska.

Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event Fosters Global Collaboration

Running concurrently from November 14 to 21, 2025, the Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event served as a crucial platform for film professionals, fostering co-production, script development, and networking opportunities. This year marked its 24th edition.

The event recognized numerous projects and emerging talents, with awards across various categories. Notable winners included the drama series 'Wool' for the TV Beats Co-Financing Market's top honor, and 'Nuclear Sunset Cruise', directed by Academy Award winner Florian Gallenberger, which won the TV Beats Public Favorite Award. The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award of €20,000 went to the Finnish project 'The Well', while another Eurimages prize supported the Ukrainian project 'Alice wants to live'.

A Hub for Diverse Cinematic Expression

PÖFF's extensive program included several sub-festivals: Just Film for children and youth, and PÖFF Shorts for short films and animation. These sub-festivals, alongside the main program, showcased a diverse range of cinematic forms and genres. The festival aims to present a comprehensive selection of world cinema from the last two years, offering fresh productions with high artistic value. The 2025 edition featured a strong global presence, with films submitted from over 100 countries and approximately 80 nations represented in the final program.