The 30th anniversary of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) begins on November 6 in the Estonian capital, presenting a slate of art house world premieres and highlights from the global festival circuit. The programming team has curated a selection of films from the Baltic region, Europe, Asia, and beyond, aiming to showcase cinematic experiences that venture beyond mainstream conventions. Among the standout titles are several with provocative premises, including a Hungarian thriller involving generational crimes, a Lithuanian mashup of philosophy and retro sci-fi, and documentaries tackling family legacies and holiday mysteries.
In the Official Competition, Hungarian director Attila Hartung returns to Tallinn with his second feature, Sinless. Following his 2019 debut FOMO, which premiered at the same festival, Hartung presents a psychological thriller co-written with horror novelist Attila Veres. The film follows Henrik, who arrives at the Szentiványi family castle for a celebratory dinner. While the powerful construction dynasty welcomes him into their ordered world, his girlfriend and the family's youngest daughter, Anita, suspects his true motives. As the evening progresses, the narrative explores generations of unspoken debts and crimes, questioning whether Henrik is the hunter or the hunted in a setting where innocence appears to be a rehearsed role.
Also featured is The Two Hornets, the feature debut of Slovakian director Dominik György, competing in the Rebels With a Cause section. Described as a daring queer love and revenge thriller shot in a 1:1 square format reminiscent of Xavier Dolan's Mommy, the film spans over three hours. The story centers on Samo, a gay man facing an unplanned pregnancy who reunites with his narcissistic mother at a remote cabin to confront their toxic past. Amidst a drug-fueled affair with a former childhood bully, Samo must decide whether to embrace fatherhood or break the cycle of inherited sin, all while navigating a warped reality where omnipresent hornets gain evil power.
The festival's documentary selections offer equally unique narratives. Love Exposed, directed by Filip Remunda and premiering in the Doc@PÖFF International Competition, explores the relationship between Blanka, a successful film editor, and her father, Vlastimil Kula, an erotic photographer. Filmed over four years, the observational documentary captures their encounters as Blanka confronts her father about his provocative career and decades of buried family history. The film reveals the layers of a man more comfortable with nudity than emotional openness, blending humor, discomfort, and tenderness.
Another documentary, Fruitcakes: Dawn of Drag by Finnish filmmaker Vesa Kuosmanen, examines cultural memory within the drag community. It follows Jolanda, a retired archivist who participated in Finland's first drag show, Happy Gays, in the late 1970s alongside his friend Mummo, one of the country's first openly gay men. After Mummo was killed during the AIDS crisis in 1988, Jolanda now invites a new generation of artists to re-enact the historic show. The film mixes 1980s archive footage with contemporary rehearsals, highlighting how today's freedom is built on the shoulders of pioneers who faced fear and violence.
In the realm of fiction, Lithuanian director Kristijonas Vildziunas presents Dice-Ching-O-Mat in the Baltic Film Competition. The film blends the styles of Yasujirō Ozu and Christopher Nolan with the ancient Chinese Book of Changes and retro sci-fi elements. It stars Dainius Gavenonis as Vilis, a 55-year-old professor of Asian studies who wakes up inside an elevator-like cube filled with riddles and an old TV set. To escape, he must roll dice to revisit moments from his life that he neglected due to work, searching for a green door before it is too late.
The lineup also includes Sh*t Happens, a dark comedy from Dominican director José María Cabral making its world premiere in the Official Competition. The film follows a wealthy household where a frustrated biotechnologist, Raúl, develops a microbiotic treatment with a secret ingredient to cure his sickly daughter, Isabella. As the remedy spreads and clears up other illnesses in the home, the situation takes an unexpected turn, creating a chaotic dynamic within the family.
Rounding out the selection are two films for younger audiences. Crocodile, directed by Pietra Brettkelly, documents The Critics, a collective of young filmmakers in Kaduna, Nigeria. Their amateur sci-fi creations have garnered praise from J.J. Abrams, who sent them professional gear to support their work. The film follows their journey as they face new opportunities and responsibilities while continuing to create with limited resources. Finally, The Mystery Package by Norwegian filmmaker Silje Evensno Jacobsen offers a holiday-themed mystery where two children investigate strange Christmas presents their family has received anonymously for 20 years, acting as fearless detectives alongside their filmmaker mother.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter.