{"id":30583,"date":"2026-03-02T11:20:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T11:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/30583\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T11:20:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T11:20:13","slug":"tallinn-hails-the-good-daughter-hercules-falling-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/30583\/","title":{"rendered":"Tallinn Hails ‘The Good Daughter,’ ‘Hercules Falling,’ Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tTwo weeks after a triumphal opening to the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival<\/a> with \u201cThey Will be Dust,\u201d Catalan cinema, honored by a Focus at Tallinn this year, closed out the major film event with a bang, scooping three awards, including the heavyweight top Grand Prix, for Julia de Paz Solvas\u2019 family drama \u201cThe Good Daughter.\u201d\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tThe non-professional Kiara Arancibia won best actress for her \u201cmesmerizing performance,\u201d said the jury, while the audiences voted the \u201cThe Good Daughter\u201d its top festival choice \u2013 manna from heaven for sales agent Beta Cinema.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThis film is a strong and emotional drama about a teenage girl dealing with family conflict. It handles difficult themes with care, making the story feel real. The lead performance is honest and sensitive, helping the audience understand her feelings. The simple cinematography and editing support the story without taking attention away from it. Overall, the film shows family struggles in a realistic and meaningful way,\u201d said the jury, consisting of director Teona Strugar Mitevska, costume designer of \u201cFriends\u201d fame Debra Mcguire<\/a>, producers Nomuunzul Turmunkh, Ingo Fliess, and cinematographer Roberto Schaefer.<\/p>\n

\n\tThrowing herself into the arms of Arancibia and thanking the jury, De Paz Solvas, co-writer of the Series Mania winning show \u201cQuerer,\u201d said to the packed house: \u201cI want to thank my co-author \u2018mi amor\u2019 [N\u00faria Dunj\u00f3.] We started this film with the desire to reclaim such fundamental rights as children\u2019s rights, living in a relationship of violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn its literal and figurative meaning, in reference to the family of filmmakers, producers and craft creators, family was very much the theme of the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival \u2013also known as P\u00d6FF \u2013 which for the first time combined the festival and Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event awards, in a joyful, smooth and well-orchestrated ceremony.<\/p>\n

\n\tFamily was also the theme of all main competition winners, including the Turkish \u201cLikeLike,\u201d which scooped direction (Ali Vatansever) and original score (Erdem Helvac\u0131o\u011flu), and Germany\u2019s \u201cThe Frog and the Water\u201d<\/a> in which actors Aladdin Detlefsen and Kanji Tsuda shared an acting award for their roles as unlikely brothers by choice.<\/p>\n

\n\tBeyond family, the need for togetherness, humanity, healing and resilience against aggression were at the core of many award-winning titles, with war in Ukraine all too present in everybody\u2019s mind and hearts. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIn times like these, comedy is part of our mental survival toolkit,\u201d noted Norway\u2019s St\u00e5le Stein Berg at Friday night\u2019s prize ceremony, where he won best screenwriter in main competition for Petter N\u00e6ss\u2019 political satire \u201cNo Comment.<\/a>\u201d \u201cWhen the world is on fire, we need to carry on doing what we love, together with the people we love. You\u2019re all beacons of love, folks,\u201d told the audience.<\/p>\n

\n\tReceiving both of the Fipresci Award and Best Film in the First Film Competition for \u201cHercule Falling\u201d dealing with PTSD, Danish filmmaker Christian Bonke said in his thank-you speech: \u201cThe film deals with the trauma of war; it shows that it doesn\u2019t stop with war. The film started before Ukraine, and today we\u2019re in a situation where all countries put more money into this military conflict. It even looks like we\u2019ll send more people to war and our world leaders have completely abandoned diplomacy and peace talks. I would therefore dedicate this film to the victims of war,\u201d he said, closing his emotional speech with \u201cGlory to Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGlory to Ukraine\u201d was indeed a rallying cry Friday evening at Tallinn\u2019s Alexela Concert Hall, which sank painfully in the hearts of many Estonians, Lithuanians and Latvians, sharing not too distant memories of Russian occupation. \u201cMy film deals with war in Ukraine, affecting us all and our democracies. We have to resist and make art that connects people,\u201d argued Lithuania\u2019s Gabriel\u0117 Urbonait\u0117 when collecting the director award for \u201cRenovation\u201d from the Baltic Film competition.<\/p>\n

\n\tLithuania Rules
Lithuania attended P\u00d6FF with a record 17 titles and went home with the most wins \u2013 9 \u2013 across all festival and industry awards, confirming the vitality of its new generation of talents, backed by strong producers, such as veteran Uljana Kim<\/a>, behind \u201cRenovation,\u201d \u201cHoly Destructors\u201dand the two-time work in progress winner \u201cDice-Ching-O-Mat and Marija Razgut\u0117 at M-Films, who produced the Baltic Film Competition winners \u201cThe Visitor\u201d<\/a> and \u201cBecoming.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tFinland also put in a strong performance on Friday night with Best Film at the Doc@P\u00d6FF International Competition for \u201cDays of Wonder,\u201d Best Short from Rebels with a Cause section for \u201cPay Day, and \u201cThe Well\u201d by newcomer Siiri Halko scooping the weighty \u20ac20,0000 ($23,000) Eurimages<\/a> Co-Production Development Award. Finland\u2019s \u201cLex-Julia\u201d scored the Baltic Work in Progress Public Award.<\/p>\n

\n\tLast night was also a celebration of animation with an emotional Lifetime Achievement to Estonian master Janno P\u00f5ldma, co-creator of the iconic \u2018Lotte\u2019 character and children and youth films via the sub-festival Just Film. \u201cFilm literacy at school is essential and films for kids and youth should not be ghettoized, although they are still disregarded in the film industry,\u201d said Marge Liiske, head of Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event.<\/p>\n

\n\tFilm education and training were also highlighted via a raft of awards at Tallinn\u2019s Discovery Campus. One of the program\u2019s star mentors, two-time Palme d\u2019Or contender Jessica Hausner, was handed the festival\u2019s first Honorary Award by Tallinn Black Nights Festival Director Tiina Lokk. Citing French helmer Julia Ducournau who herself quoted Martin Scorsese, the Austrian director said: \u201cArt is about asking the questions, not giving all the answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tBetween Nov. 7-23, Tallinn Black Nights, one of the world\u2019s \u201cA-list\u201d film festivals alongside Cannes, Berlin and Venice, showcased 252 feature films and 275 shorts from an impressive 79 countries, including 111 world and 31 international premieres.<\/p>\n

\n\tOn the industry front, nearly 860 accredited guests from around 50 countries signed up for the must-attend annual event for content from the Baltics, Nordics, CEE and beyond.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cFilm as an artform is our focus, not glamor,\u201d Lokk insisted when speaking earlier to Variety. \u201cI can see that producers, filmmakers and distributors finally understand our DNA and send us their film gems for us to showcase to our engaged film audience. Next year will be a big anniversary, our 30th. I can\u2019t wait to celebrate this with my team and the audience,\u201d she said.
After Catalonia this year, Lokk is looking into focusing on Korea in 2026. <\/p>\n

\n\t29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (P\u00d6FF) Winners\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tOfficial Selection Competition
Grand Prix<\/p>\n

\n\t\u00a0\u201cThe Good Daughter,\u201d J\u00falia de Paz Solvas (Spain)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Director\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAli Vatansever, \u201cLifelike\u201d (Turkey)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Actress\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tKiara Arancibia,\u201d \u201cThe Good Daughter\u201d (Spain)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Actor\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAladdin Detlefsen, Kanji Tsuda (The Frog and the Water, Germany)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Script\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSt\u00e5le Stein Berg, \u201cNo Comment\u201d (Norway)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Production Design\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tChris Richmond, David Hand, \u201cThink of England\u201d (U.K.)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Original Score<\/p>\n

\n\tErdem Helvac\u0131o\u011flu, \u201cLifelike, (Turkey)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Cinematographer\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tYutaka Yamazaki, \u201cThe Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat,\u201d (Japan)
First Feature Competition
Best Film<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHercules Falling,\u201d Christian Bonke (Denmark)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Director<\/p>\n

\n\tSamuel Abrahams, \u201cLady\u201d(U.K)<\/p>\n

\n\tSpecial Jury Prize, Best Editing,\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tJan Van Der Weken, \u201cSunday Ninth,\u201d (Belgium)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSpecial Jury Prize<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEasy Girl,\u201d Hille Norden (Germany)<\/p>\n

\n\tCritics\u2019 Picks Competition<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Film<\/p>\n

\n\tChina Sea\u201d, Jurgis Matulevi\u010dius (Lithuania, Taiwan, Poland, Czechia)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Director<\/p>\n

\n\tMat\u00edas Szulanski, \u201cA Summer Tale\u201d(Argentina)<\/p>\n

\n\tSpecial Mention<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cOh, What Happy Days,\u201dHomayoun Ghanizadeh (Iran)<\/p>\n

\n\tSpecial Mention<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMo Papa,\u201dEeva M\u00e4gi (Estonia)<\/p>\n

\n\tRebels with a Cause Competition
Best Film, \u201cThe Baronesses,\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tNabil Ben Yadir, Mokhtaria Badaoui (Belgium, Luxembourg, France)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Director<\/p>\n

\n\tR\u00f3gan Graham, \u201cBlindsight\u201d (Romania,Turkey)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Rebel with a Cause Short Film<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPay Day,\u201d P\u00e4ivi Hirsiaho (Finland)<\/p>\n

\n\tDoc@P\u00d6FF Baltic Competition
Best Film<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHoly Destructors,\u201dAist\u0117 \u017degulyt\u0117 (Lithuania, France, Latvia)<\/p>\n

\n\tSpecial Jury Prize<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMy Family and Other Clowns,\u201d Heilika Pikkov, Liina S\u00e4rkinen (Estonia)<\/p>\n

\n\tDoc@P\u00d6FF International Competition
Best Film<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDays of Wonder,\u201d Karin Pennanen (Finland, Denmark, Norway)
Special Jury Prize<\/p>\n

\n\tRaisa R\u0103zmeri\u021b\u0103 and her team, \u201cElecting Ms Santa,\u201d Raisa R\u0103zmeri\u021b\u0103 (Moldova, Romania)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Cinematographer<\/p>\n

\n\tMax Golomidov, \u201cEdge Of The Night,\u201d Vladimir Loginov (Estonia)<\/p>\n

\n\tBaltic Film Competition
Best Film<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Visitor,\u201d Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania, Norway, Sweden)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Director<\/p>\n

\n\tGabriele Urbonaite, \u201cRenovation\u201d(Lithuania, Latvia, Belgium)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Baltic Producer for Co-production\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tZhannat Alshanova, \u201cBecoming,\u201d Hannat Alshanova (France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Lithuania, Sweden)<\/p>\n

\n\tNETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asia Cinema) Jury Prize<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Muralist,\u201d Sengedorj Janchivdorj (Mongolia)<\/p>\n

\n\tInternational Federation of Film Critics (Fiprecsci) Award<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cHercules Falling,\u201d Christian Bonke (Denmark)<\/p>\n

\n\tP\u00d6FF Audience Award\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Good Daughter,\u201d J\u00falia de Paz Solvas (Spain)<\/p>\n

\n\tJust Film Youth and Children\u2019s Film Festival\u00a0
Grand Prix<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThey Call Me Danka,\u201d Dovile Gasiunaite (Lithuania)<\/p>\n

\n\tJuniors\u2019 Jury Best Film Award\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Songbirds\u2019 Secret,\u201d Antoine Lanciaux (France)<\/p>\n

\n\tChildren\u2019s Jury Best Film Award<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLeo & Lou,\u201d Carlos Solano (Spain)<\/p>\n

\n\tYouth Jury Best Film Award<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWheelie,\u201d Isis Mihrimah Cabolet (Netherlands)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tECFA Award<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMira,\u201d Marie Limkilde (Denmark)
#youngfilmmaker Award Sunflower,\u201dKetlin K\u00f5iv\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tIndustry Awards, a Selection:
Baltic Event Co-Production Market
Best Project<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Well\u201d by Siiri Halko, produced by Silmu Films, Finland
Eurimages Special Co-Production Development Award\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAlice Wants to Live\u201d by Denys Sobolev (prize given to a project from Ukraine)<\/p>\n

\n\t-Producers Network Prize for Promising Young Producers<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNo Salvation Coming\u201d (Czechia) and \u201cVesna\u201d (Ukraine, France, Lithuania)<\/p>\n

\n\tBaltic Event Co-Production Market Public Favorite<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Queen of England Stole My Parents\u201d by Ernestas Jankauskas (Lithuania, Poland)<\/p>\n

\n\tScript Pool Award<\/p>\n

\n\tWhite Ship by Teresa V\u00e4li (Estonia)<\/p>\n

\n\tScript Pool Public Favourite Award: \u201cApoteos\u201d by Christofer Nilsson (Sweden)<\/p>\n

\n\tEuropean Genre Forum Award\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLittle Bird\u201d by Faye Jackson (U.K.)<\/p>\n

\n\tWorks in Progress
Special Award by TRT<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDice -Ching-O-Mat\u201d by Kristijonas Vild\u017ei\u016bnas (Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest International Project<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPrince\u201d by Federico Borgia (Argentina, Uruguay)<\/p>\n

\n\tInternational Works in Progress Public Favourite<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe Convulsions\u201d by David Guti\u00e9rrez Camp (France, Spain)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Baltic Project<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDice-Ching-O-Mat\u201d by Kristijonas Vildziunas (Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia)<\/p>\n

\n\tBaltic Event Works in Progress Public Favourite<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLex Julia\u201d by Laura Hypp\u00f6nen (Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Poland)<\/p>\n

\n\tBest Just Film Project<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSuiza\u201d by Maria Fernanda Gonzales (Peru, Argentina)<\/p>\n

\n\tJust Film Works in Progress Public Favorite: \u201cSuiza\u201d (Argentina, Peru)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two weeks after a triumphal opening to the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with \u201cThey Will be Dust,\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30584,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[89],"tags":[12398,167,18322,166,4541,18323],"class_list":["post-30583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tallinn","tag-debra-mcguire","tag-estonia","tag-eurimages","tag-tallinn","tag-tallinn-black-nights-film-festival","tag-uljana-kim"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30583"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30583\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}