Estonia’s Tallin Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) opens its 30th edition on Friday, the first under the creative leadership of artistic director Trin Tramberg. The lineup promises a mix of new discoveries and gems, great films and the best of the year’s festival circuit.
The film curator, whose profile has grown with PÖFF over more than 15 years, began her work at the festival as a program assistant before becoming program coordinator and playing a key role in shaping Tallin’s international profile. PÖFF founder and longtime fest director Tina Lok, who remains CEO, has shifted her focus to overall strategic and developmental direction.
The 30th anniversary edition of PÖFF, running from 6-22 November, will screen 230 feature films and 259 short films from 87 countries. PÖFF, its youth and children’s film festival Just Film and PÖFF Shorts, dedicated to short films, will together present 107 world premieres and 47 international premieres.
Tallin Fest’s programming lineup increasingly features films from around the world, with Latin America having a particularly strong presence this year. But the 30th PÖFF will also proudly highlight Baltic cinema, featuring Lithuania and Latvia as well as the festival’s home, Estonia, which has always been “an essential part of the PÖFF”, says Tramberg. Since 2008, the festival has presented a Baltic Film Competition, which last year also included a Baltic Documentary Competition.
“In the year of our 30th anniversary, we want to give it an even stronger international platform and draw attention not only to our films, but also to the remarkable talent behind them,” Trumberg insists. “It feels particularly meaningful to give Baltic cinema a central place in this anniversary programme. We want international audiences to discover the diversity of filmmaking in our region, and for local audiences to see familiar places and experiences with new eyes.”
Additionally, “this year’s program reflects very different lives and experiences, yet tells stories we can connect with,” she says.
in conversation with heartTramberg previews what to expect from Tallin 2026, how the Baltics are the new Nordics and why she’s keeping a close eye on what works and what doesn’t in her first year.
“I decided that this year was really going to be observational for me,” Tramberg explains. heart. “This is my 16th year with the festival, and I’ve looked at it in different ways. But this is really the first year where I’m looking at the whole big picture with the details. So I really need to see what works and what doesn’t. There have also been ideas throughout this year that I’ve been trying to test out and see what decisions to make for years to come and what will make sense or not. So, right now, I’m doing a lot of observing.”
She also emphasizes that the PÖFF does not need to be saved or turned around: “I have always said that I did not come to save a sinking ship. I came to a ship that is completely fine and running smoothly. I just want to look at what works with fresh eyes to understand how we can move forward and make it even better.”
Has he noticed any themes and topics that keep appearing in the films of the 2026 program? “We noticed that motherhood is a topic,” says Tramberg. Indeed, he said last month: “Strong mother images recur throughout the selection, revealing the tensions between love, responsibility, loyalty and independence.”
“I’ve also discovered that there’s a new style,” she adds. “There was the advent of teenagers; then it was the advent of the 20s. And now my favorite is women over 35 who are finding themselves.”
New style or not, the fundamentals have not changed. The artistic director concluded, “It’s fun to see this new style.” “But generally, the general theme of the films is always people living their regular lives, family relationships, family relationships during tough times – simple stories set in a particular area.”
The warm discoveries of warm Latin American countries may provide a welcome change from the cold, dark Estonian November period this year when the Tallin Festival takes place. “This year we have quite an interesting representation of South America,” mentions Tramberg. Countries represented include Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
But his team did not select him based on far-fetched geographical considerations. “These stories came out,” she explains. “For me, it’s always about finding films that are accessible and interesting. It always boils down to the film itself.”
Closer to home, the anniversary is also a celebration of Baltic cinema. “Our festival has really helped shape Baltic cinema and vice versa,” the festival programmer highlights. “These days, thanks to all these co-creations, we’re really building momentum. So, why not celebrate these 30 years and look back at where we’ve come.”
And he’s confident about what’s going to happen next. “So far, we have an Oscar in this field [Latvia’s Flow]And I’m sure it won’t be the last,” she says. “It’s the first of many.”
Tramberg’s optimism hinges on what’s in the pipeline: “We have a lot of interesting co-productions and films in the market. The industry is booming. I would say, truth be told, that we are the new Scandinavia coming up. We’re thriving with productions, but also with independent stories. So it felt really natural. Celebrating 30 years to highlight what we’re doing here is quite a beautiful momentum.”