In the same competition, Ali Vatansever won Best Director for the Romanian minority coproduction LifeLike.
Hercules Falling (Denmark) by Christian Bonke won the First Feature Competition, while China Sea (Lithuania, Taiwan, Poland, Czech Republic) by Jurgis Matulevičius received the award for best film in the Critics’ Picks Competition.
The Baronesses (Belgium, Luxembourg, France) by Nabil Ben Yadir and Mokhtaria Badaoui won the Rebels with a Cause Competition, a section where Romanian director Adrian Sitaru won Best Director for Blindsight.
The Visitor (Lithuania, Norway, Sweden) by Vytautas Katkus was presented with the Best Baltic Film Award in the Baltic Film Competition.
The winners of the DOC@PÖFF Baltic Competition and the DOC@PÖFF International Competition were also announced.
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival was held from 7 to 23 November 2025.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
FESTIVAL WINNERS:
Official Selection Competition:
Grand Prix for the Best Film:
The Good Daughter / La buena hija (Spain)
Directed by Júlia de Paz Solvas
Best Director:
Ali Vatansever for LifeLike / Bir arada yalniz (Turkey, Greece, Romania)
Produced by Terminal Film
Coproduced by Aktan Gorsel Senatlar, Foss Productions, Da Clique SRL, Chainsaw Europe
Best Cinematography:
Yutaka Yamazaki for The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat / Kakuu no Inu to Uso wo Tsuku Neko (Japan)
Directed by Yukihiro Morigaki
Best Script:
Ståle Stein Berg for No Comment / Ingen Kommentar (Norway)
Directed by Petter Næss
Best Actress:
Kiara Arancibia in The Good Daughter / La buena hija (Spain)
Directed by Júlia de Paz Solvas
Best Actor:
Aladdin Detlefsen, Kanji Tsuda in The Frog and the Water / Der Frosch und das Wasser (Germany)
Directed by Thomas Stuber
Best Original Score:
Erdem Helvacıoğlu for LifeLike / Bir arada yalniz (Turkey, Greece, Romania)
Directed by Ali Vatansever
Best Production Design:
Chris Richmond and David Hand for Think of England (United Kingdom)
Directed by Richard Hawkins
First Feature Competition:
Best Film Award:
Hercules Falling / Herkules falder (Denmark)
Directed by Christian Bonke
Best Director:
Samuel Abrahams for Lady (United Kingdom)
Special Prize for Best Editing:
Jan Van Der Weken for Sunday Ninth / Zontag de Negenste (Belgium)
Directed by Kat Steppe
Special Prize for Best Production Design:
Easy Girl (Germany)
Directed by Hille Norden
Critics’ Picks Competition:
Best Film Award:
China Sea / Kinų jūra (Lithuania, Taiwan, Poland, Czech Republic)
Directed by Jurgis Matulevičius
Produced by Film Jam
Coproduced by Lava Films, Bionaut, Ma Studios
Supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre, the Polish Film Institute, the Czech Film Fund, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA)
Best Director Award:
Matías Szulanski for A Summer Tale (Argentina)
Special Mentions:
Ali Nasirian in Oh, What Happy Days (Iran, France, Canada)
Directed by Homayoun Ghanizadeh
Eeva Mägi for Mo Papa (Estonia)
Produced by Kultuurikuur, Kinosaurus Film
Supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia
Rebels with a Cause Competition:
Best Film Award:
The Baronesses (Belgium, Luxembourg, France)
Directed by Nabil Ben Yadir, Mokhtaria Badaoui
Best Director:
Adrian Sitaru for Blindsight / Piatră-hârtie-foarfecă (Romania,Turkey)
Produced by Tangaj Production
Coproduced by Vigo Film
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre (CNC), the Turkish General Directorate of Cinema, Creative Europe – MEDIA
Best Short Film:
Pay Day (Finland)
Directed by Päivi Hirsiaho
Baltic Film Competition:
Best Baltic Film Award:
The Visitor / Svečias (Lithuania, Norway, Sweden)
Directed by Vytautas Katkus
Produced by M-Films
Coproduced by Staer, Garagefilm International
Supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre, Creative Europe MEDIA, the Lithuanian National Radio and Television, Film Fond Nord, the Swedish Film Institute
Best Director:
Gabriele Urbonaite for Renovation / Renovacija (Lithuania, Latvia, Belgium)
Produced by Studio Uljana Kim
Coproduced by Mima Films, Harald House
Supported by the Lithuanian Film Centre, the National Film Centre of Latvia, the Lithuanian National Broadcaster (LRT)
Best Baltic Producer for Co-production:
Becoming (France, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Sweden)
Directed by Zhannat Alshanova
Produced by Films de Force Majeure, Accidental Films, Volya Films, M-Films
Coproduced by Kjellson & Wik
Supported by Aide aux Cinémas du Monde – Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée, Institut Français, the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, JSC State Center for the Support of National Cinema, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, the Hubert Bals Fund, the Netherlands Film Fund, the Lithuanian Film Centre, Creative Europe MEDIA, the Red Sea Film Fund, Sacem, the City of Gothenburg
DOC@PÖFF International Competition:
Best Film Award:
Days of Wonder (Finland, Denmark, Norway)
Directed by Karin Pennanen
Best Cinematography Award:
Max Golomidov for Edge of the Night (Estonia)
Directed by Vladimir Loginov
Jury Special Prize:
Raisa Răzmeriță for directing Electing Ms Santa (Moldova, Romania)
DOC@PÖFF Baltic Competition:
Best Film Award:
Holy Destructors (Lithuania, France, Latvia)
Directed by Aistė Žegulytė
Jury Special Prize:
My Family and Other Clowns (Estonia)
Directed by Heilika Pikkov, Liina Särkinen
NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asia Cinema) Jury Prize:
The Muralist (Mongolia)
Directed by Sengedorj Janchivdorj
International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award:
Hercules Falling / Herkules falder (Denmark)
Directed by Christian Bonke
Audience Award:
The Good Daughter / La buena hija (Spain)
Directed by Júlia de Paz Solvas
Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Lithuanian actor Juozas Budraitis
Estonian film director Janno Põldma
Honorary Award:
Austrian director Jessica Hausner
Bruno O’Ya Young Actor Scholarship:
Ursel Tilk
Click HERE to see the winners of the children’s film sub-festival Just Film.
