Launched in 2022, this year's Critics' Picks presents 12 exclusive world premieres and 3 outstanding features.
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) announces Critics' Picks competition line-up. The 12 exclusive world premieres include films from Brazil, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Ukraine, and additional three out-of-competition features by filmmakers who have been acclaimed by audiences and critics.
The Critics’ Picks programming team is headed by Nikolaj Nikitin, head of SOFA School of Film Advancement, bringing in several decades of experience as a curator, film magazine editor-in-chief, journalist and author.
Nikitin shares his enthusiasm: "One could find highly entertaining and original comedies next to psychological and historical thrillers, challenging drama, hard-boiled action, and touching love stories of all colors, as well as diversity and gender balance in the selection. This year’s thin red artistic line is the fight for personal and political independence. Often set in the past, it is nowadays as present as never before. The audience will surely relate to the marvelous films selected, and they will make you think, discuss, and reflect. That is the great power of cinema."
Festival director and head of programme Tiina Lokk adds: "The new competition strand introduced in 2022 has paid off well. The thoughtfully chosen, sort of chamber-like selection gathers exceptional art-house works that otherwise might be missed in the vast and expanding festival programme."
Critics' Picks premiere info and synopses can be found HERE
LINE-UP AND FILM DETAILS
Fez Summer '55 - 2023, Morocco. director: Abdelhai Laraki | World Premiere
Great Sertão - 2023, Brazil. director: Guel Arraes | World Premiere
Her Body - 2023, Czech Republic, Slovakia. director: Její telo | World Premiere
Kalman's Day - 2023, Hungary, Slovakia, USA. director: Szabolcs Hajdu | World Premiere
Lessons of Tolerance - 2023, Ukraine. director: Arkasha Nepytaliuk | World Premiere
Light Falls - 2023, Georgia, Albania, Greece, Germany. director: Phedon Papamichael | World Premiere
Mrs. - 2023, India. director: Arati Kadav | World Premiere
Nobody Leaves Alive - 2023, Brazil. director: André Ristum | World Premiere
Pelican Blue - 2023, Hungary. director: Laszló Csaki | World Premiere
The Land Where Winds Stood Still - 2023, Kazakhstan. director: Ardak Amirkulov | World Premiere
The Milky Way - 2023, Israel, France. director: Maya Kenig | World Premiere
The Old Man and The Land - 2023, United Kingdom. director: Nicholas Parish | World Premiere
Critics Picks' - Out of competition
Daaaaaali! - 2023, France. director: Quentin Dupieux
Your Mother's Son - 2023, Philipphines. director: Jun Robles Lana
Observing - 2023. Slovenia/Croatia/North-Macedonia. director: Janez Burger | International Premiere; In Focus: Serbia and SEE (South-Eastern European) countries
Need film materials and press kits? Click Here.