Other events in Baltic States

The International Federation of Associations of Film Producers (FIAPF) recognised the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (BNFF) as a festival with internationally certified competition programme from the year 2014, writes LETA/Postimees Online.

This means that BNFF became the 15th film festival in the world to be authorised to screen an international competitive programme with films from across the world instead the EurAsia competitive programme that it has organised thus far.

“As a result of lengthy consultations, it was decided unanimously to concede to BNFF’s request to expand their current international EurAsia competition programme and raise it a step above specialised competition programmes,” said Chairman of FIAPF Benoit Ginisty. He added that the move will provide new opportunities to films aspiring to international competitive programmes and to countries not yet sufficiently represented in the world of film. “FIAPFI is glad to contribute to the development of a festival that has proven itself during the past few years as the fastest-development meeting-place for film industry people in the region,” said Ginisty.

The Chief Organiser of BNFF Tiina Lokk said that whereas approximately 4,000 film festivals are held across the world, only 52 are accredited by FIAPFI and alongside BNFF, only 15 of them are certified to organise non-thematic international competitive programmes. “This status will provide us with new opportunities for development, in order to stand as equal partners in a row with festivals with long history, such as Cannes, Berlinale or Venice, as well as Karlovy Vary, Moscow and San Sebastian,” she said, adding that the recognition also vests the festival team with a responsibility to work as a gateway and mediator between the filmmakers of the region and the global cinema industry.

BNFF developed from the Nordic Film Week 18 years ago, and became full member of FIAPFI in 2008.