Shorts National Competition 4

Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

As sure as the Estonian forests are green and the winters harsh yet beautiful – the best Estonian shorts have a certain indefinable magic. It’s always ironic that a nation that can often be (unfairly) maligned for a certain aloofness, can count on fiction, doc, and animation filmmakers with their achingly compassionate, persistently quirky, and defiantly humane shorts.
The 2023 National Competition takes us from birth to death with the usual intricacies of love and conflict, with abstractness in between. The past, present, and future of both Estonia and humanity are all explored as realism, magic, elegant monochrome and a rainbow of colours unfurl before us.
As always, many films emanate from the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School and the Estonian Academy of Arts, allowing the programme to shine a spotlight on young and future talents. But established masters are also here, making for a dizzying array of Estonian on-screen wonder in fiction, animation, and documentary.

Screenings

Hall 1 Kino Artis
Screening082101 / Shorts Rahvuslik võistlusprogramm 4
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Trailer

Films

Estonian premiere

Miisufy

Local title
Miisufy
Original title
Miisufy
Director
Liisi Grünberg
Country
Estonia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

Digital pet cat Miisu gets tired of her owner and starts to revolt. Inspired by Tamagotchi, Miisufy observes the world through the eyes of digital pets.

Director
Liisi Grünberg
Runtime

World premiere

Keyhole

Local title
Lukuauk
Original title
Keyhole
Director
Juri Krutii
Country
Estonia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

As young Anastassia matures and begins making decisions for herself, the wishes of her passionate mother are left behind. Amongst such disagreements, a more serious issue rises to change everything. Ana must rely on her memories to guide her forward through grief.

Director
Juri Krutii
Runtime
Language
Estonian
Subtitles
English

Baltic premiere

Play/Repeat

Local title
Edasi/uuesti
Original title
Play/Repeat
Director
Carlos E. Lesmes
Country
Estonia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

There is a couple. Two bodies. Two beings. 1+1. Sometimes it feels like only one. This film piece wants to explore aspects of a relationship through movement, through the bodies of the performers. The unfathomable distance between two people. Broke but never broken.

Director
Carlos E. Lesmes
Runtime
Trailer

Nightbird

Local title
Öölind
Original title
Öölind
Director
Dora Lall
Country
Estonia
Year
2022
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

A short film about Simona’s relationship journey with her emotionally unavailable partner, Tomas, who experiments with multiple side-relationships. Despite their love for each-other, Simona’s trust in Tomas starts to crumble when he stays overnight with another woman for the first time. To understand Tomas’s point of view, Simona takes a step she didn’t think she was capable of.

Director
Dora Lall
Runtime
Language
Estonian
Subtitles
English

World premiere

Sour Milk

Local title
Emapiim
Original title
Emapiim
Director
Vera Pirogova
Country
Estonia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

A mother reunites with her son after a decade, but can this newfound relation survive the true reason for his return?

Director
Vera Pirogova
Runtime
Language
Estonian
Subtitles
English

World premiere

Crispy Fries

Local title
Krõbedad friikad
Original title
Crispy Fries
Director
Lucia Victoria Deuerling
Country
Estonia
Year
2023
Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2023
Programme
Shorts National Competition

Gerda is working dutifully and focused in the hot dog stand when David comes by just before closing time and orders a hot dog with fries. Extra crispy.

Director
Lucia Victoria Deuerling
Runtime
Language
Estonian, English
Subtitles
English