Christmas comes early for movie-enthusiasts who find exciting presents under the tree during the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). Similar to kids, the film-fanatics want different things, for instance new experiences and everything from documentaries to feature films, from North-America to Asia. Thus, PÖFF is organized perfectly just to benefit everybody with a variety of choices and opportunities to satisfy their cinematic-needs.

In 2011 PÖFF and the wolf (the symbol of the festival) celebrated their 15th year and, despite not being the official opening movie, start with Jitters (2010). The title of that Icelandic movie probably describes an enthusiast who shakes of excitement before, during and after the festival. Honestly, why not shake and shiver? There are 13 days filled with movies, there are 6 different cinemas to choose from (in Tallinn) and of course over 200 movies from over 70 countries to see!

But life is cruel and everything must come to an end, and the overwhelming choice-making to see as many movies as possible, suddenly stops. One specific movie describes perfectly the mood of the last festival day: A Seperation (Iran, 2011). Like the couple who decided to end their marriage, the movie-enthusiast needs to part ways from the cinema knowing that another PÖFF has passed, another wolf has howled. This is a sad moment but it also means that the bittersweet anticipation for those cinema lovers, who now have to wait for next year’s festival, has begun. Happy PÖFF-waiting!

By Getter Trumsi