Just Film is the biggest sub-festival of the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), consisting of a competition programmes of children's and youth films alongside various special programmes. Just Film takes place every year in November, similarly to the main PÖFF programme.
Just Film screens wide variety of films that would otherwise remain undiscovered by mainstream cinema. Some of them will make you cry, some will make you laugh, some will change your life. Audiences of all ages will find something to their liking. Every year bout 50 films are screened at the festival and more than 20,000 film enthusiasts find their way to the festival, making Just Film one of the largest youth and children's events in Estonia
Just Film was founded to give children and youth the possibility to examine and contextualise the world around them through film. The aim is to show young people the critical points of society and to make them more understanding and empathetic.
Just Film wants to be part of creating a society where people appreciate high-quality films together with values such as diversity, respect and equality.
Just Film also contributes to education by offering teachers the opportunity to include valuable films in teaching.
To date, Just Film has brought a total of 536 full-length films from many acclaimed filmmakers to Estonia, such as Gus van Sant, Vanessa Jopp, Tony Key. In addition to renowned directors, the world's biggest and most popular children's and youth films have reached the opening and closing ceremony of the festival. This is how we have adventured with Harry Potter and experienced the wars between werewolves and vampires in the Twilight Saga. Big and small film lovers have also been able to see new versions of the movies "Finding Nemo" and "The Lion King".
Just Film's team works to show children and young people that everyone is important and capable of achieving great things, regardless of their background or social status.
Our main focus group is 13-25 year olds and we work very closely with schools and teachers in Estonia.
Competitions:
Side programmes:
Just Film Festival submission regulations can be FOUND HERE
Read more about regulations here.
The Biggest Annual Culture And Entertainment Event In Estonia And Northern Europe with the mission to introduce the world film culture to local and international film enthusiasts.
The first PÖFF took place in 1997.
PÖFF aims to present a comprehensive selection of world cinema from the last two years to local and international audience, offering fresh film production with high artistic value.
The only FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) accredited film festival in Northern Europe with international non-specialised competition programme. This makes PÖFF the only A-category film festival in North Europe.
PÖFF shares the category alongside other 14 top film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Berlin, and Venice to name a few.
The festival also serves as an important meeting point for a rapidly growing
number of industry professionals from around the globe.
SUBFESTIVALS
Just Film: Youth and Children Film Festival
PÖFF Shorts: Short and Animation Film Festival
Kinoff: PÖFF's most eastern sub-festival
SPECIAL FESTIVALS
HÕFF: Haapsalu Horror & Fantasy Film Festival in the end of the April
Tartuff: Tartu Love Film Festival held in Tartu town hall square in the beginning of August
NÖFF: women's nights film festival in Rapla
INDUSTRY
Industry Tallinn & Baltic Event
Industry summit for audiovisual professionals including panel discussions & roundtables, networking, co-production market for films and cooperation projects
2022 - Festival Grand Prix: “SIX WEEKS” (Hungary, 2022) Dir: Noémi Veronika Szakonyi
ECFA Award: “HOW I LEARNED TO FLY” (Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, 2022) Dir: Radivoje Andrić
Youth Jury Best Film Award: “VIRGINITY" (Israel, 2022) Dir: Maor Zaguri
Children's Jury Best Film Award: "LITTLE GANG” (France, 2022) Dir: Pierre Salvadori
#youngfilmmaker Best Film Award: "EVERLASTING SINGLE MAN" (Estonia, 2022) R: Aaron Thor Härm, Mattias Nurga
International Jury Special Mention: “SUMMER TO COME” (Hungary, 2022) Dir: György Mór Kárpáti
Youth Jury Special Mention: “12 DARES” (Sweden, Norway 2022) Dir: Izer Aliu
Children's Jury Special Mention: “CHILD MACHINE” (Estonia, 2022) Dir: Rain Rannu
Contact:
Programme Director – Mikk Granström
mikk.granstrom@poff.ee
Programme Coordinator – Johanna-Stina Idla
justfilmcoordinator@poff.ee