Awards of the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

OFFICIAL SELECTION COMPETITION
 
Jury: Ildikó Enyedi, Hayedeh Safiyari, Ádám Balázs, Andreas Kleinert, Bijaya Jena

Grand Prix for the Best Film
Grant of 20 000 Euros from the City of Tallinn Tallinn, the largest city and capital of Estonia (population 440 000). , shared by the Director and Producer

Driving Mum
Director: Hilmar Oddsson, Producer: Hlín Jóhannesdóttir
Iceland, 2022
 
Jury comment: “During thIs last week we have seen a wide, wildly different range of films. Among them we found one, which charmed us all with its transparent, simple but bold film language, with its graceful sense of humour, with its unpretentious way of speaking about burning questions of personal life. A film which tells us that it is never too late.”

Best Director
Grant of 5000 Euros
 
Ahmad Bahrami for the film The Wastetown

Jury comment: “Using a sad and destroyed place, the director shows an archaic, universal drama akin to a Shakespearean tragedy. Additionally, the performances of the actors are intriguing. One can never forget the metaphoric atmosphere with poetic imagery as if in a dream. This film is a celebration of cinema and art.”
 
Best Cinematography
Grant of 1000 Euros
 
Adrian Teijido for the film River of Desire
Brazil, 2022

Jury comment: “Visually stunning with a dream-like ambience, the film transports us to a surreal environment. Based on one of the contemporary folk tales, the cinematography doesn’t just show us the beauty but immerses the viewer in a world of the characters.”
 
Best Script
Shahar Rozen and Dudu Busi for DUCKS – An Urban Legend
Israel, 2022
 
Jury comment: “The scriptwriters – one of them even being the director – build a complex universe with multiple storylines, playfully meandering with harsh colours and risky twists and turns. And they achieve something rare: by telling us an absurd tale, they bring us deep into the tortured and chaotic world that is present Israel.”
 
Best Actor
Gurban Ismailov for Cold as Marble
Azerbaijan, France, 2022

Jury comment: “For a powerful and nuanced performance as a man who imposes his presence and is a mean and manipulative father who step by step invades the life of his son.”

Best Actress
Antonia Zegers for The Punishment
Chile, Argentina, 2022
 
Jury comment: “Serious and angry, through her tense expressions she takes us to the revelation that lies ahead. In the beginning the audience hates her for being a cold mother, but as her expectations and disappointment of her marriage unravel, we empathise with her as a woman. She carries the whole film on her able shoulders.”
 
Best Original Score
Tõnu Kõrvits for Driving Mum
Iceland, Estonia, 2022
 
Jury comment: “A distinctive, sensitive, in-depth musical journey, the original score offers us a thematic approach; it creates an evolving and unique musical world that reflects the character development and storyline. The intelligent and well-proportioned use of the score is paired with fine artistry, nuanced yet precise instrumentation and the power of the human voice.”
 
Best Production Design
Michael Schindlmeier for Servus Papa, See You in Hell
Germany, 2022

Jury comment: “We are taken to the 80s, to an extremely strange commune isolated on an island. The exterior as well as the interior locations of this alternative group are reduced to give an authentic feel. But instead of giving us the trendy retro styles of that era, the production designer creates a fresh, modern, metaphoric and poetic world for a mysterious and exciting story about desire for freedom from a place where love is forbidden.”

***

FIRST FEATURE COMPETITION

Jury: Sebastian Meise, Pippa Cross, Therese Malvar, Jean des Forêts, Michael Idov

The Award for the Best First Feature Film
Grant of 5000 Euros from the National Geographic, shared by the Director and Producer
 
The Land Within
Director: Fisnik Maxville
Producers: Britta Rindelaub, Thomas Reichlin
Switzerland, Kosovo, 2022

Jury comment: “With truthful characters, powerful scenes that linger and a rich, touching story, this film dares to explore the complexities of deadly conflict and manages to become universal in translating the political into the personal. 
Without judgement, the director guides us safely through a multi-layered, interwoven narrative, giving his actors the space for genuine, heartfelt performances. The Best Film Award in the First Feature Competition goes to The Land Within.” 

Special Jury Prize #1
Pelican
Croatia, 2022

Jury comment: “Shot through with dry, droll, often surrealist visual humor, this film gradually reveals a tremendous heart, finding transcendence in the mundane. All of it is anchored by a central performance notable for what it holds back, and an ensemble cast of characters sketched with an assured and compassionate hand. We are delighted to give our Special Jury Prize for Best Directing to Pelican.”


Special Jury Prize #2
Amar Colony
India, 2022

Jury comment: “This film delighted us with a bold and innovative presentation of a small town community whose frank sensuality and unabashed pursuit of urges, both human and divine, are set against the resonant backdrop of a culturally rich and deeply personal setting. The director daringly takes us by the hand and leads us on a journey to his world, introducing us to his characters and their lives with affection and  often with humor. We present the Special Jury Prize for originality of vision to Amar Colony.”
 
***

BALTIC COMPETITION

Jury: Katriel Schory, Augusto Sandino, Maria Pirkkalainen

Best Baltic Feature Film
Grant of 5000 Euros by FORUS Taxi

Poet
Directors: Giedrius Tamoševičius, Vytautas V. Landsbergis 
Lithuania, 2022

Jury comment: 
"This film portrays a very turbulent and charged period during which people had to make critical, dramatic decisions about who to trust and what they believe in. Through its impressive cinematic language, the film captures the tense atmosphere in which the story takes place."

Best Baltic Producer for Co-production 

Inna Sahakyan for the film Aurora's Sunrise.

Jury comment: This film reveals a very sad chapter of world history which continues to be an open wound. Both an artistic and technical achievement, the film portrays its story in a touching and engaging way.


***

REBELS WITH A CAUSE COMPETITION

Jury: Lily Idov, Mónika Mécs, Georg Georgi

Rebels with a Cause Award

Rebelión
Director: José Luis Rugeles
Colombia, Argentina, 2022

Jury comment: “We would like to award our top prize to the film that, in our opinion, transcends limitations of its genre, and through a perfect blend of acting, storytelling, cinematography and music, creates a biopic like no other. Whether you are a life-long fan of its subject, or hear their songs for the first time, this film will pull you into its orbit and will make you feel the power of music. Our Rebels With a Cause prize goes, appropriately enough, to Rebelión.”


Jury Special Mention

Three Thousand Numbered Pieces
Director: Ádám Császi
Hungary, 2022

Jury comment: “Our special mention goes to a film that shines a light on a previously almost-invisible community and shows its beauty and dignity. But it also examines the borderline between artistic representation and exploitation of the so-called “underprivileged,” and makes us question our own involvement in the voyeuristic culture. The special jury mention goes to Three Thousand Numbered Pieces.”

The Award for Best Short Film

Everything at Once
Director: Henrik Dyb Zwart
Norway, 2022

Jury comment: “We’ve seen 13 very different short films. So different, that we had to have a long discussion on what constitutes a film and what we should be looking for. But in the end, we all agreed on a film that, in its very short running time, managed to tell an exciting and emotional story and share the authors’ own worldview. Our shorts winner is Everything at Once.” 

***

CRITIC’S PICKS COMPETITION

Jury: François-Pierre Clavel, Pinchas Schatz, Riina Sildos

About Us But Not About Us
Director: Jun Robles Lana
Philippines, 2022

Jury comment: "A thrilling psychological chamber drama with surprising plot twists. An unexpected realtime masterpiece, with minimal but perfect film making, About us is not about us but about how to make cinema with what we have."
 
Jury special mention went to The Bone Breakers by Vincenzo Pirrotta.
 
Jury comment:
"Made in the best tradition of Italian filmmaking, we discovered a perfect social issues film with new angle of nowadays human exploitation. Solid script, perfect direction of actors and a masterful editing show us a very promising new talent of Italian cinema."
 
FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Prize

Jury: Flavia Dima, Maximilian Schäffer, Margit Adorf

Upon Entry
Directors: Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastián Vásquez
Spain, 2022

Jury comment: “With clever hints and feints, the film throws the viewer into the setting of US border controls, where every minor action can lead to a dramatic outcome, and where bureaucracy turns complex realities into judgements and sentences. With limited means, directors Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vásquez have made an accomplished and very mature debut film that is able to thrill audiences both large and small, both niche and mainstream.”