Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival unveils official selection competition with 16 world premieres

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) has selected 17 features, including 16 world premieres, for its 2025 official selection competition. 

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Among the selection is Abu Bakr Shawky’s The Stories, starring Amir El Masry and Valérie Pachner and set between Egypt and Austria in the late 20th century. Shawky’s debut Yomeddine was in competition at Cannes in 2018, with follow-up Hajjan premiering at Toronto in 2023.

Prolific Mongolian filmmaker Sengedorj Janchivdorj returns to the festival after winning its top prize last year for Silent City Driver with new film The Muralist, about an artist in the city of Ulaanbaatar whose work unexpectedly draws international recognition.

Also selected is the latest from Georgian filmmaker George Ovashvili, who won Karlovy Vary’s top prize with Corn Island in 2014. The Moon Is A Father Of Mine is the story of boy and his father, recently released from prison, who embark on a dangerous hunting expedition to make up for lost time.

UK filmmaker Richard Hawkins brings Think Of England, about six people who are sent on a secret government mission to make propaganda porn films for soldiers, with Ronni Ancona among the cast. It is Hawkins’ first film since 2004’s Everything starring Ray Winstone that saw him nominated for a Bafta newcomer award.

The competition jury will be chaired by Macedonian filmmaker Teona Strugar Mitevska, and also includes fashion and costume designer Debra McGuire, Mongolian producer and screenwriter Nomuunzul Turmunkh, Golden Frog-winning cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, and German producer Ingo Fliess.

The Grand Prix for best film in the official selection Competition will receive a €20,000 grant from the City of Tallinn.

The 29th edition of POFF will run November 7–23, while the industry platform Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event takes place from November 14–21.

POFF Official Selection Competition 2025

• 18 Holes To Paradise (Port-It-Arg), dir. João Nuno Pinto
• Duality (Iran), dir. Abbas Nezamdoost
• Hungarian Wedding (Hun), dir. Csaba Káel
• LifeLike (Turkey-Greece-Rom), dir. Ali Vatansever
• Mira (Mor), dir. Nour Eddine Lakhmari
• No Comment (Nor), dir. Petter Næss
• Sisa (Philippines), dir. Jun Robles Lana
• The Dashed Lines (Sp), dir. Anxos Fazáns
• The Frog And The Water (Ger), dir. Thomas Stuber
• The Good Daughter (Sp), dir. Júlia de Paz Solvas
• The Imaginary Dog And The Lying Cat (Japan), dir. Yukihiro Morigaki
• The Moon Is A Father Of Mine (Lux-Turkey-Geo-Ger-Czech-Bul), dir. George Ovashvili
• The Muralist (Mongolia), dir. Sengedorj Janchivdorj
• The Stories (Austria-Fr-Bel-Egy-Swe), dir. Abu Bakr Shawky
• Think Of England (UK), dir. Richard Hawkins
• Veins (Can), dir. Raymond St-Jean
• Versalles (Mex), dir. Andrés Clariond