Ray Panthaki Debut, Jose Maria Cabral, Frederic Baillif Pics Make the Cut at Tallinn Black Nights Official and First Films Competitions — SkimNews
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- Tallinn's Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) unveiled its official selection and first feature competitions, comprising 21 world premieres and three international premieres from more than 15 countries.
- The official selection features 12 world premieres from 15 countries including Ireland, Estonia, Germany, Spain, Iran, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Kazakhstan, with films exploring coming-of-age themes and recurring strong mother figures.
- José María Cabral's dark comedy "Sh*t Happens" (starring Fele Martínez) and Ray Panthaki's directorial debut "In Starland" — starring "Sing Sing" breakout Clarence Maclin — headline the lineup.
- Sir Christopher Hampton, two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Dangerous Liaisons" and "The Father," heads the official selection jury alongside David Stump, Myriam Sassine, Julie Billy and Tiina Rauraite.
- The €20,000 ($22,500) Grand Prix will be awarded to one of the 12 official selection films, while the First Feature competition — curated by Malaika Bova from 400 submissions across 86 countries — fields 12 films.
- Triin Tramberg takes over as PÖFF's overall artistic director from Tiina Lokk; the festival opens Nov. 6 with Viesturs Kairišs's "Ulya" and spotlights the Baltics for its 30th anniversary.
- The First Feature competition includes "When She Hears the Bells" starring Golshifteh Farahani in a high-tension thriller set during the Taliban's fall of Kabul, and the Ecuadorian queer drama "Princess."
Why it matters: As the only A-list festival in Northern Europe, PÖFF's 12 official selection films from 15 countries — competing for a €20,000 ($22,500) Grand Prix — give emerging and mid-career directors a high-visibility world-premiere platform, with this year's edition notably blending geographic diversity and family-driven storytelling while marking a leadership transition from Tiina Lokk to Triin Tramberg.
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