Launched in 2022, this year's Critics' Picks presents 12 exclusive world premieres (including films from Brazil, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Ukraine) and 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 those 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

The festival will take place from the 3th until the 19th of November, while the festival’s industry platform Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event will run from 13th until the 17th of November.
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event and with the two sub-festivals, Just Film and PÖFF Shorts, has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and the busiest regional industry platforms. The festival is an important meeting point for a rapidly growing number of industry professionals from around the globe.