The festival announced the winners of its 2025 edition this Saturday, November 15 at the infamous Award Ceremony.
The winners of the Shorts Live-Action, Animation and National Competitions will all be eligible for qualifying for an Academy Award should they fulfil the academy's requirements.
A selection of the award-winning films will be screened on Sunday, November 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Artis cinema and simultaneously on Saturday, November 22, at 6:45 p.m. at the Tartu Elektriteater and Artis cinema.
The award ceremony, directed by Sebastian Talmar, paid a humorous tribute to street fights and the film industry at the Krulli Kvartal parking garage.
The cast included Alexander Semenov, Armin Pajula, Erko Sild, Getriin Kotsar, Jonathan Peterson, Luisa Lõhmus, Robin Täpp, Sebastian Talmar, and Heli Kastik. The musical performance was by Roos & The Kangaroos, technical production by Uku Talmar and Riho Vahtras.
The ceremony was supported by the Estonian Museum of Architecture, Europark, Eventech, Film Costume Estonia, Kooker, Krulli kvartal, Moe Viin, Punch Club, and Mirai Baltics.
The PÖFF Shorts' European Film Academy candidate for Nomination for European Film Award Best Short Film - Prix Vimeo and the Rebels With A Cause winner will be announced on Friday, November 21 at the Black Nights Film Festival closing ceremony.
The Black Night Film Festival's PÖFF Shorts will run the last of its side programmes until November 19.
PÖFF SHORTS ANIMATION COMPETITION
Jury: Izabela Plucinska, Carolina López, Martinus Klemet
BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
"Because Today Is Saturday" (Portugal, France, Spain, 2025)
Director: Alice Eça Guimarães
Jury Statement: "A poetic and metaphorical portrait of motherhood, capturing the difficulty of nurturing and trying to keep a creative personal space. The film’s powerful imagery reveals how one role interfiers the other, with the use of original metaphors, no dialogue and a beautiful rhythm."
JURY MENTION
"Dog Ear" (Hungary, 2025)
Director: Péter Váczy
Jury Statement: "A tender and deeply felt story that sensitively portrays a troubled boy and his bond with a dog. The characters are crafted with remarkable empathy, allowing the audience to truly inhabit their emotional world."
BEST CHILDREN'S FILM
"The Drifting Guitar" (France, Switzerland, 2024)
Director: Sophie Roze
Jury Statement: "A beautifully crafted tale about finding home, companionship, and harmony. With expressive design, strong musical work, subtle humour and exceptional voice acting, it resonates warmly with audiences of all ages."
JURY MENTION
"Birds of Paradise" (Poland, France, 2025)
Director: Tomek Ducki
Jury Statement: "For beautiful artwork and wonderful animation, in which the world of birds has funny and unusual ideas."
BEST FILM (NEW TALENTS ANIMATION)
Presented by: PÖFF
"Pear Garden" (Germany, 2024)
Director: Shadab Shayegan
Jury Statement: "A moving work that intertwines a child’s imagination with the reality of cancer. Through a young perspective, the film transforms a difficult subject into a poetic and heartfelt journey."
JURY MENTION (NEW TALENTS)
"Floating" (Serbia, Croatia, Germany, 2025)
Directors: Jelena Milunović
Jury Statement: "For a beautiful and innovative presentation of a very personal theme, where the mental health issues of parents are expressed through metaphor and poetry."
PÖFF SHORTS LIVE-ACTION COMPETITION
Jury: Naomi Smith, Gert Põrk, Adrian Barber
BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
"Something Wild” (Hungary, USA, 2025)
Director: Zsuzsanna Konrad
Jury Statement: "High level traditional storytelling uses humour to make the film accessible to all audiences and pushes boundaries in its risk taking. It presents historical and religious ideas in a way that tricks you into the falling for reality of the story and the characters' situation."
JURY MENTION
"Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts" (Canada, Spain. 2025)
Director: Shervin Kermani
Jury Statement: "Echoes of catastrophic moments brought to life in a humorous, brave and creative way. Being both sensitive and light, with great use of location and sound, a real tragedy is brought to life through a fictional interpretation."
BEST FILM (NEW TALENTS LIVE-ACTION)
Presented by: Tallinn University Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute
"Family Sunday" (Mexico, 2025)
Director: Gerardo Del Razo
Jury Statement: "An impressive film about the fight for protection when your community comes under threat. Engaging throughout, the film presents an insightful perspective into street life, and a hugely detailed glimpse into a confined world."
JURY MENTION (NEW TALENTS)
"Glitter Kiss" (Lithuania, 2025)
Director: Augustė Gerikaitė
Jury Statement: "Very accomplished, skilled filmmaking that exceeds that of an undergraduate production. A fresh take on a queer story filled with gentle details shows that family can be found even in unexpected strangers."
PÖFF SHORTS NATIONAL COMPETITION
Jury: Ann Vaida, Jana Riemann, Holger Lang
BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by PÖFF
"Stiina" (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Elisabeth Kužovnik
Jury Statement: "The film shows a touching and convincing story about a mother–daughter relationship. It is excellently executed in a timeless setting."
JURY MENTION
"Arrhythmia" (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Maria Reinup
Jury Statement: "The film shows an often overlooked dimension of family ties and the challenges of caring for your loved ones when life gets hard. The nuanced depiction of a fragile situation allows us to witness an everyday struggle."
RADIATOR IP DISTRIBUTION AWARD
Jury: Ben Vandendaele (Radiator IP Sales)
"Border" (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Sasha Shprotser
Jury Statement: "Embarking on an 80-kilometer solo journey across a sensitive border, this work reveals remarkable bravery and an intensely personal dedication that goes beyond physical endurance. The filmmaker’s fearless commitment to family and memory transforms a deeply intimate experience into a powerful and unique cinematic statement. Such originality and resolve in both concept and execution make it a truly inspiring achievement."