Awards of the 21st Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

 
The awards of the 21st Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival are presented at the Award Ceremony of the festival held in the Russian Theatre in the evening of the 2nd of December.
 
 

OFFICIAL SELECTION

 
Jury members:
Dennis Davidson, Zeynep Atakan, Graziano Diana, Ivo Felt, Zygmunt Krauze, Naoko Ogigami, Laila Pakalnina
 
 

Grand Prix
for the Best Film (Grant of 10,000 Euros, shared by the Director and Producer)

Night Accident / Tunku Kyrsyk
 
Director: Temirbek Birnazarov
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
Captured our hearts with its simple, yet immersive story of a man who has been tortured by life’s travails.   The accident gives him a rich opportunity to lighten his being and distracts him from an even darker journey and he takes it with both hands.
 

***

Best Director
Best Director (Grant of 5000 Euros)
 
Ju-hyoung Lee
 
Excavator / Pokeulein
Country: South Korea
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
For asking a simple but heartfelt question of the military and politicians, which no-one wants to answer.  Using his excavator, the protagonist seeks to uncover the truth in a strong and important film, with simple means of expression.

***
 

Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography (Grant of 1000 Euros)
 
Erik Põllumaa, Ivar Taim

The Manslayer / The Virgin / The Shadow /  Mehetapja / Süütu / Vari 
Director: Sulev Keedus
Countries: Estonia, Lithuania
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
"For the mastery in creating the haunting and skillful visual imagery of the three distinct chapters in which the film consists."
 

***
 

Best Script
 
Baris Bicakci, Pelin Esmer
 
Something Useful / Ise Yarar Bir Sey
Director: Pelin Esmer
Countries: Turkey, France, Netherlands, Germany
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
For the human sensibility and the capacity to turn a train trip to Anatolia into a compelling tale of poetry and grief, mutual comprehension and healing.
 

***
 

Best Actress
 
Barbara Auer
 
Vacuum / Vakuum
Director: Christine Repond
Countries: Switzerland, Germany
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
 Barbara Auer uses her beauty to emphasise the horror of a wife and mother whose very existence is challenged by the actions of her husband. Her portrayal is heartrending as we ask the question how secure are we in our own lives?
 

***
 

Best Actor
 
Rhys Ifans
 
Dominion
Director: Steven Bernstein
Country: United States
Year: 2017

 
Jury comments:
Rhys Ifans delivers an unswerving master class in acting as he brings the challenging character of Dylan Thomas.   He dominates the screen throughout and brings Dylan’s charisma and power sharply into focus.

***
 

Best Music
 
Martynas Bialobžeskis
 
The Manslayer / The Virgin / The Shadow / Mehetapja / Süütu / Vari
Director: Sulev Keedus
Countries: Estonia, Lithuania
Year: 2017

FIRST FEATURE COMPETITION

 
Jury members:
Eitan Anner, Aiste Diržiute, Takeo Hisamatsu, Fernando Loureiro, Tiina Mälberg, Guillaume de Seille
 
 

The Award for the Best First Feature
(Grant of 5000 Euros, shared by the Director and Producer)

Different Kinds of Rain /1000 Arten, den Regen zu beschreiben
 
Director: Isabel Prahl
Country: Germany
Year: 2017
 

Jury comment:
For injecting new energy and a fresh approach into the portrayal of a family falling apart.
 

***
 
Special Jury Prize for Directing
 
Sunbeat / Soleil Battant
 
Directors: Clara Laperrousaz, Laura Laperrousaz
Countries: France, Portugal
Year: 2017
 

Jury comment:
For a seductive and touching depiction of what it means to start over.
 

***

Special Jury Prize for the Ensemble of Cast

The Marriage / Martesa

Director: Blerta Zeqiri
Countries: Kosovo, Albania
Year: 2017
 

Jury comment:
For a complex and gripping ensemble performance.

ESTONIAN FILM COMPETITION
 

The Estonian Film Competition is judged by the same jury as the First Feature Competition:
Eitan Anner, Aiste Diržiute, Takeo Hisamatsu, Fernando Loureiro, Tiina Mälberg, Guillaume de Seille
 

Award for the Best Estonian Film
Grant of 3200 Euros, shared by the Director and Producer

November

Director: Rainer Sarnet
Countries: Estonia, Netherlands, Poland
Year: 2017

Jury comment:
For  the film’s poetic expression of the human condition and the universal primal needs of people via the creation of a unique cinematic world.

NETWORK FOR THE PROMOTION OF ASIAN CINEMA (NETPAC) AWARD
 
Selecting the best Asian film of the festival among the two international competition programmes and the world and international premieres of the non-competitive programmes.
 
Jury members: Lekha Shankar, Keoprasith Souvannavong, Martti Helde

 
Winner:
 
Goodbye, Grandpa! / Ojichan, shinjattatte!
 
Director: Yukihiro Morigaki
Country: Japan
Year: 2017
 

Jury comment:
For its simple and moving portrayal of a loss, that heightens the complexities of a modern Japanese family. The debut-film has universal overtones, that touch one and all.

FIPRESCI AWARD
 

International Federation of Film Critics Jury selects the best film in the First Feature Competition

 
Jury members:
Kata Orsoloya Molnar, Kristin Aalen, Emilie Toomela
 

Winner:
 
The Marriage / Martesa
 
Director: Blerta Zeqiri
Countries: Kosovo, Albania
Year: 2017

 
Jury comment:
From short films to her first feature film, we find that the director has now composed a fully-fledged relationship drama about our longing for love whatever the sexual orientation may be. With her own personal signature and with incisive vision, the director demonstrates how we can unmindfully buy into the illusion of happiness, which is based on dishonesty to oneself and those closest to you. Vigourously and authentically set in a Kosovar and Albanian cinema tradition, the film seems like a manifestation for love between human beings, without the parade.

AUDIENCE AWARD

The audience's favourite film of the whole programme of the festival.

Tulipani, Love, Honour and a Bicycle
 
Director: Mike van Diem
Countries: Netherlands, Italy, Canada
Year: 2017

REBELS WITH A CAUSE AUDIENCE AWARD

Audience's favourite film in the programme Rebels With A Cause.
 
The Wild Boys / Les garçons sauvages
 
Director: Bertrand Mandico
Country: France
Year: 2017