The international short film and animation festival PÖFF Shorts announced the winners of its 2022 edition at the PÖFF Shorts Award Ceremony on Saturday, November 19.
The winners eligible for the short film Academy Award nomination are "Neighbour Abdi" by Douwe Dijkstra, "Bird in the Peninsula" by Atsushi Wada and "3rd Octave F" by Eeva Mägi,
The PÖFF Shorts European Film Academy candidate for the Best Short Film and the Rebels With A Cause winner will be announced on Saturday, November 26 at the Black Nights Film Festival closing ceremony.
Jury: Diana Cam Van Nguyen, Ben Vandendaele, Kirke Karja
BEST SHORT FILM
"3rd Octave F" (Estonia, 2022)
Director: Eeva Mägi
Jury Commentary: "The film touched very different genres in a special way and combined them as a whole. It managed to surprise us with its high production value and sense of humor. As John Wayne used to say: "Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway.""
JURY MENTION
"Sierra" (Estonia, 2022)
Director: Sander Joon
Jury Commentary: "For its unique and confident visual sense of humor and witty use of animation techniques that warmed our hearts."
Jury: Joanna Quinn, Mariam Kandelaki, Jonas Taul
BEST SHORT ANIMATION
Award 1000€ presented by Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF)
"Bird in the Peninsula" (France/Japan, 2022)
Director: Atsushi Wada
Jury Commentary: "An intriguing insight into the complications of puberty. A beautifully paced, surreal and humorous film."
JURY MENTION
"Slow Light" (Poland/Portugal, 2022)
Director: Katarzyna Kijek, Przemysław Adamski
Jury Commentary: "A thought provoking exploration of the philosophical ideas of memory and time. Skillfully constructed storytelling."
BEST CHILDREN'S ANIMATION
"The Queen of the Foxes" (Switzerland, 2022)
Director: Marina Rosset
Jury Commentary: "A charming film, a complete joy to watch - a combination of stunning artwork, lovely characterisation with endearing humour."
CHILDREN'S ANIMATION JURY MENTION
"I'm Not Afraid" (Germany/Norway, 2021)
Director: Marita Mayer
Jury Commentary: "A well constructed film successfully told from a child’s perspective, with scenarios so reminiscent of familiar childhood experiences. A relatable film with a clear narrative."
BEST STUDENT SHORT ANIMATION - NEW TALENTS: ANIMATION
Presented by: Estonian Academy of Arts
"Persona" (South Korea, 2022)
Director: Sunjin Moon
Jury Commentary: "A beautifully executed exploration of how young people negotiate their body image and the personality altering perceptions of today’s culture of toxic social media."
NEW TALENTS: ANIMATION JURY MENTION
"Epicenter" (South Korea, 2022)
Directors: Heeyoon Hahm
Jury Commentary: "There is such a beautiful aesthetic to this film - a peaceful ambient which draws you in into this drawn world. A perfect example of the beauty of simplicity."
Jury: Tiina Tauraite, Gardar Thor Thorkelsson, Niels Putman
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Award 1000€ presented by PÖFF
"Neighbour Abdi" (Netherlands, 2022)
Director: Douwe Dijkstra
Jury Commentary: “For its multi-layered and emphatic storytelling that, through its intelligent use of different techniques, deepens the experience of another person’s trauma and makes it all the more accessible. A deeply sympathetic and playful portrait of a man we felt privileged to get to know so intensely in such a brief amount of time. For a filmmaker and a protagonist that very generously open up their personal worlds in a clever, emotional and thought-provoking way."
JURY MENTION
"Nest" (Denmark/Iceland, 2022)
Director: Hlynur Pálmason
Jury Commentary: "For a film that took us on a warm, wonderfully nostalgic journey despite, or maybe because of, the camera’s fixed position that is still able to create an entire world, the repetitiveness of actions that leave space for one’s own fantasy to fill in the gaps, and the characters whose faces we never see up close but feel rich and familiar nonetheless."
BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM - NEW TALENTS: LIVE ACTION
Presented by TLÜ Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute
"Tropicalia” (Dominican Republic, 2022)
Director: Rodney Llaverías
Jury Commentary: "This film feels like a modern day Pasolini film. Helmed by a fascinating, almost animalistic but very naturalistic, lead actress, this story on isolation and a desperate yearning for connection, is told in a weird, fantastic and visually captivating folksy fairytale."
The Black Night Film Festival's PÖFF Shorts runs until November 24th.