Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

On November 25, Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event, celebrating its 20th edition this year, rewarded the best projects after a seven-day summit full of presentations, networking, panel discussions and meetings with more than 550 guests onsite and 150 online, from all around the globe.

Eight awards were given out in categories to film projects in different stages of scriptwriting, development or post-production, including two awards handed out to promising producers.

SCRIPT POOL

Script Pool Award is given out to the promising project receiving a 2500 euro monetary prize.

Winner: Dreaming of Lions by director and screenwriter Paolo Marinou-Blanco  (Portugal/Belgium)
Producer: Justin Amorim    

Jury comment: "It's always hard to judge a script because so much of it comes from your own imagination. The winning script tonight won us over because of the director's ability to share his vision. We also believe that it is the closest to the final draft which is something we wanted to reward. For its clever mix of death and laughter, we are awarding Dreaming of Lions."

Script Pool Jury consisted of Marie Zeniter, Director of International Sales, Magnolia Pictures, USA, Patrick Fischer, Producer and Co-Managing Director, Creativity Capital, United Kingdom and Katrin Kissa, Producer, Homeless Bob Production, Estonia

WORKS IN PROGRESS AWARDS

The Works in Progress 2021 presented 19 projects in 3 categories - International, Baltic Event and Just Film Works in Progress. 

Asymmetric Studios Best Visual Effects Award consisting of a 5000 euro cash prize, as well as up to 10,000 euros of in-kind services from this leading international visual effects and 3D animation studio.

Winner: Parade, directed by Titas Laucius (Lithuania)
Producer: Klementina Remeikaite
Production company: afterschool production

Jury statement: "With wit dialogues and fun excerpts, the jury has been convinced by a crowd-pleasing and solid presentation. We want to see more of this charming Lithuanian dramedy & hope the award will support a fine postproduction for PARADE".

Baltic Event Award involves 2500 euros with an intention to cover the promotional costs of the film's theatrical distribution in Estonia, Latvia, and/or Lithuania.

Winner: Bethlehem Light by Jan Sverak (Czech Republic, United Kingdom)
Producer: Jan Sverak
Co-producer: Eric Abraham
Production companies: Biograf Jan Sverak, Portobello Productions, Czech Television

Jury statement: "The jury chose a film by a Czech master director whose warm-hearted humor has convinced us with his presentation of Bethlehem Lights. We hope this prize will convince Baltics distributors to support this project."

Special Jury Mention

Winner: We Might As Well Be Dead by Natalia Sinelnikova (Germany) 
Producer: Julia Wagner
Co-producer: Magdalena Wolff
Production companies: HEARTWAKE Films, Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf

Jury comment: "A personal approach transformed into a wit & critical attempt on criticizing the contemporary western society that looks singular & exciting. The jury wanted to give a special mention to We Might As Well Be Dead."

The jury of Baltic Event and international Works in Progress consisted of Charles Bin, partner and sales manager at Brussels based international sales company Best Friends Forever, Torsten Frehse CEO and buyer for Neue Visionen an independent films distributor from Germany and founder of Pluto Film, a world sales and festival distribution company and Alena Shumakova, programmer for Cannes Directors' Fortnight.

Just Film Award includes a 1000 euro monetary prize to help the film gain visibility by covering promotion and publicity costs.

Winner: Paula by Florencia Wehbe (Argentina-Italy)
Screenwriter: Florencia Wehbe, Daniela De Francesco
Producer: Fernanda Rocca, Claudio Esposito
Production companies: Bombilla Cine (Argentina), The Piranesi Experience (Italy)

Jury comment: "We've chosen to award Paula by Florencia Wehbe with the prize as we feel it relates to its audience very well. Young people will engage with this film due to its topic, performances and cinematic choices. It uses cinematic means to immediately grab its audience. We hope this award helps the film fulfil its potential to reach its target audience."

The jury of Just Film Works in Progress included Gloria Morano, Head of the Young Audiences Programme at the Luxembourg City Film Festival (Luxembourg), Joe Ursell, Curation Manager at Into Film (intofilm.org), the UK's national film education charity (UK) and Alasdair Satchel, a film and theatre maker, film educationalist (Scotland).

BALTIC EVENT CO-PRODUCTION AWARDS

In 2021, 16 projects were presented at the 20th Baltic Event Co-Production Market, including two from the Focus Country UK. 

Best Project Award is given to the project, which successfully combines creative and commercial potential. The award includes 15 000 euros consisting of 5 000 euros cash award and up to 10 000 euros worth of post-production services by Post Control, but not more than 2/3 of the expenses incurred at Post Control.

Winner: Lioness by Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo (Estonia)
Producer: Ivo Felt
Production company: Allfilm
Jury comment: "For a fresh perspective on family relationships"

Screen International Best Pitch Award includes coverage of the winning film.

Winner: You Can Dance by Katarina Launing (Sweden)
Producer: Peter KrupeninProduction company: HOBAB

Producers Network Prize for Promising Young Producers (free passes to Producers' Network 2022 awarded by Cannes Marché du Film)

Winners: Clara Larrin (Clara Films, Chile, Project "Our Memory") and Larisa Oleinik (Doka, Russia, Project "Yurki")

Jury special mention (free industry accreditation at Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event for 2022, 2023, 2024)

Winner: Hysterias written and directed by: Ieva Norvele, Adriana Roze, Liene Linde, Alise Zariņa and Marta Elīna Martinsone (Latvia)
Producer: Aija Bērziņa
Production company: Tasse Film
Jury comment: "For an original approach to a burning topicality"

Baltic Event Co-Production Market jury consisted of Daniela Cölle, Festivals and Acquisitions, Pluto Film, Germany, Markus Duffner, Head of Locarno Pro, Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland, Riina Sildos, Producer and CEO, Amrion Production, Estonia

In handing out the Baltic Event Co-Production Market Awards, Riina Sildos, member of this year's Jury and founder of the event, said: "When I started the event together with a handful of industry professionals and good friends in 2002, we had 30 guests. Today, there are more than 550 in Tallinn. Thank you so much for having trust in us for all these years!" 

Congratulations to all the winners of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event awards!  

Check out the photo gallery of the Awards Ceremony