Brand new films by well-established film makers, representing the geographical, thematic and style diversity of the cinematic art. Only world, international or European premieres. All the films are presented by directors in person.

The first films of promising young talents, representing youthful vivacity, questing ideas and unexpected viewpoints. Only world, international or European premieres. All the films are presented by directors in person.

The best of Estonian, Latvia and Lithuanian film, assessed by international experts.

Films produced in a more experimental format or carrying a more rebellious message from all over the world. Testing the boundaries of the cinematic art.

True cinematography through the eyes of critics. Iconic works selected by the prestigious Screen International.

Exciting personas, intriguing topics, dramatic conflicts. Real life, which can be more unbelievable than fiction.

Films, which represent the broadest spectrum of the cinematic art and are of interest to a wide audience. These films have already had their premiere or won awards at other renowned festivals.

Sports and film – more than just a sports film. The Estonian Olympic Committee presents.

Over-the-top fantasy spree. The best of recent horror, fantasy and B Category films.

Very special films which we separately highlight.

Everything to do with lifestyle and modern cultural phenomena. The haute couture of culture documentaries.

The climate is warming. The environment is changing. PÖFF is highlighting it.

Film critic Tristan Priimägi presents iconic Estonian films. Inspired by the book ‘101 Estonian Films’.

A deep bow to the Georgian film director who brought an Oscar nomination for Estonia with ‘Tangerines’. Zaza Uruzadze passed away last year.

A programme dedicated to TV series, aimed at highlighting the increasingly blurry line between the small screen and the big screen.

Just Film’s International Youth Competition brings along new and fascinating films from all over the world. This year’s programme consists of 12 films and is very broad in topics but also geographically. Just Film’s Grand Prix will be handed out by the members of the International Jury and the Youth Jury.

Just Film’s Children’s Programme is composed for the youngest film viewers, their parents and grandparents. From this programme everyone can find happy fairy tales, fun adventures and unexpected events. For the little ones, many films have been dubbed into Estonian.

Just Film’s Children’s Rights Programme consists of films that address children’s and young people’s lives. All the films talk about children and young people who are still discovering the world and themselves. Often they are faced with difficult decisions in life. Some are lucky enough to get help from their parents but others have to stand alone. The young are happy and proud about their achievements but also feel sadness when they fail. Children’s Rights Programme is put together by the Office of the Chancellor of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Social Affairs, Social Insurance Board and Estonian Union for Child Welfare. Children’s Rights Programme will run at Just Film Festival for 10th year.

During past 20 years Just Film has shown more than 1000 very good films and on our birthday we would love it if we could show them all. Unfortunately, this is not quite possible, so instead we have selected one children’s and one youth film to remember and celebrate our journey here!

Youth Programme is an overview of this year’s prime youth films that have received a lot of attention all over the world already.

This year, for the 5th time Just Film and Estonian Research Council have put together the Science360 programme that brings the best science film to the audience. The purpose of the programme Science360 is to discover the world and learn how chemistry, physics and mathematics translate into everyday life and understand how our world really works. This year’s programme is greatly dedicated to environment and nature conservation. Science helps us in knowing how to improve life and its quality. There is always more to discover!

With the ECFA Award, ECFA both gives special attention to quality films for a young audience and shines a spotlight on European children’s films. A number of European children & youth film festivals, all members of ECFA, are selected annually to host an ECFA jury and vote for the ECFA Award for their particular festival. Each festival adds their winning film to a shortlist of nominated films, competing for the overall award. The final vote is open to all ECFA members, choosing the ‘Best European Children’s Film of the Year’. The award is handed out during the International Filmfestival Berlin – Berlinale. The ECFA Award was launched in 2011. There is no money prize connected to the ECFA Award. However, it is the only European children’s film award given out by professionals so the value and prestige of this award can’t be underestimated.

The films in the animation competition invite an out-of-the-box cognitive attitude in almost unique settings, from faraway galaxies to ordinary flats and schools and hospitals; they won't offer an escapist route, but they will still lead us to a road aesthetically and narratively worth following. For the first time in the history of the festival, the competition programme also hosts its children's animation category.

There’s a burst of new, international animation talents out there with secured cinematic viewpoints and a readiness to question, explore, make fun of and present new aesthetic solutions to time-honored representational topics. Films are challenging; by turns contemporary and nostalgic, and giving intimate and overwhelming accounts of a world seemingly falling apart. European countries (and especially this year Central and Eastern European countries) converse creatively with Asian and US animation directors. They prove that contemporary artistic identity is complex, never to be pigeonholed; just watch its beats delicately weaving the programme.

It often happens that the best ideas come from people who haven’t been plagued with years of expertise that could easily tip them into cynicism. Instead, we might find the deepest insights ever caught on camera from filmmakers who are young or only starting out their journeys. “New Talents” is a display of raw talent, innovation and unparalleled skill where the films from new emerging filmmakers are already on the cutting edge of cinema as they showcase the people who will take the film industry into its future.

Who says popcorn can't be smart? With clever genre shorts, quality dance films and unexpected perspectives to the world around us, the Alternatives is a fun and fearless exploration of how far, low, deep and weird we can go.

In this day and age, images that invoke fishing might seem inappropriate, but we mean the best when we say the Panorama programme casts a wide net in order to get to the specific. The result is an intriguing mix of human stories, global issues and the universal. Influenced by what we believe is important to highlight, as well as the Black Nights Film Festival’s region of focus, Panorama illuminates the current state of affairs with an agenda to provoke and inspire. This year’s programme includes a retrospective of Arabian filmmaking, transgender histories, a tribute to living puppets and a rather dystopian view of international relations gone awry.

In a programme that fuels and recharges, you will find refreshing comedies, short horror stories and a lot of madness.

The very art of making a short film is in itself often an act of rebellion. The medium tends to lie outside the typical modes of industrial filmmaking with the relative lack of commercial viability more than made up for by the opportunities to experiment and push the boundaries of traditional cinema. Each of the films presented here not only embody rebellion in terms of form and content but also provide the audience with an opportunity to catch an early glimpse of those filmmakers whose bold and provocative stance will continue to break the rules over the coming years. These films will take part in Rebels With A Cause, a competition section of the Black Nights Film Festival dedicated to films that defy the traditional modes of filmmaking. Each short will be eligible for the Rebels With Their Shorts prize.

No matter how hard you try, you can never escape reality. However, the good news is that you can still completely change your perception of it. Short documentary films are, perhaps, the most effective medium to expand your understanding of the vast and unknown world. After all, they give you the chance to step into the shoes of your real-life neighbours without having to stay there for too long.