Oscar winner Sir Christopher Hampton will head the official competition jury of the auteur-driven festival turning 30 this year Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival (known as PÖFF), the only A-list festival in Northern Europe, has unveiled its official selection and first feature competitions, taking in 21 world premieres and three international premieres such as “Sh*t Happens” by Sundance selected José María Cabral (“Woodpeckers”), and British actor Ray Panthaki’s feature debut “In Starland.”In the prestigious official selection, the 12 world premieres from 15 countries (including co-producing territories), hail from Ireland, Estonia, Germany, Spain, to Iran, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Kazakhstan. Theme-wise, the films explore “coming of age, family relationships and pressing social issues through distinctive perspectives. Strong mother figures recur throughout the selection, revealing tensions between love, responsibility, loyalty and independence,” said the festival in a statement.
Among hotly anticipated films are Dominican filmmaker Cabral’s first leap into dark comedy with “Sh*t Happens,” starring Fele Martínez (“Bad Education”); the Irish dramedy “One Sweet Hour” by Tribeca-selected Declan Recks, in which Gary Lydon (“Banshee of Inesherin”) plays an Elvis impersonator reconciling with his estranged brother, played by Brían F. O’Byrne (“Conlave”); and the social drama “A Job Well Done” by Swizerland’s Frédéric Baillif (“The Fam”). Other strong contenders for the €20,000 ($22,500) Grand Prix include the psychological drama “No Me Without You” by Estonia’s Janno Jügens (“Rain”), and Iranian/Turkish social drama “I Just Want to Talk to My Mum,” starring Reyhaneh Parsa as an actress living in Turkey and desperately trying to track her mother in war-torn Iran.
Heading this year’s official selection jury is two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter Sir Christopher Hampton (“Dangerous Liaisons,” “The Father”), joined by U.S. cinematographer and VFX pro David Stump (“Breaking Bad,” “The Morning Show”), Lebanese producer Myriam Sassine (“Costa Brava”), French producer Julie Billy (“The Lobster,” “The Little Sister”) and Estonian actress Tiina Rauraite (“The Temptation of St Tony,” “Autumn Ball”). An equally appetizing First Feature competition was assembled by Malaika Bova in her first gig as curator of the section. Looking back at the list of 12 films, we have managed to bring together wildly original stories, exciting debut directors and standout acting talent,” Bova told Variety.Potential standouts take in the UK/US drama “In Starland,” directorial debut of veteran actor Ray Panthaki (“Colette,” “Boiling Point”, “Gangs of London”).
In “When She Hears the Bells” (“Les clochettes de Kaboul”), rising helmer Chabname Zariab delivers what Bova calls a “high-tension thriller about a woman (Goldshifteh Farahani from “Paterson,” “Alpha”) risking absolutely everything to protect vulnerable children from abuse”, as Kabul falls to the Taliban. Meanwhile in the Ecuadorian queer drama “Princess” (“Ñusta“) by Christian Rojas tagged a “raw and electric film” by Bova, a young indigenous child in search of identity finds solace and a new home among a group of urban trans women. The festival which will spotlight the Baltics as part of its 30th anniversary will open Nov. 6 withthe screening of Viesturs Kairišs’s “Ulya,” a co-production between Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania which premiered at the last Cannes’ Un Certain Regard.
Full list of film in the 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, 2P
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