(Still: Natasha's Dance - Jos Stelling, credits: Mark de Blok)

Kicking things off with two Dutch films participating in the Official Selection – Competition, a collection of brand new films by well-established filmmakers, representing the geographical, thematic and stylistic diversity of the cinematic art. Both features are celebrating their international premiere at the festival.

Firstly, Natasha's Dance**(prod. FATT Productions) directed by Jos Stelling. Nearly fifty years after the world premiere of his debut film Mariken van Nieumeghen in 1975 in the Cannes competition programme, he says this will be his last film. It tells the tragicomic love story of the unworldly Daantje and the Russian Natasha, a woman socially isolated and scarred by life. SEE NL interviewed the respected filmmaker in the run-up to the festival.

The second Dutch feature in the competition is Jaap van Heusden's meticulously crafted The Man from Rome**(prod. IJswater Films). SEE NL talked to the director about his film following a modern-day crusader on a quest to save mankind from darkness.

PÖFF Shorts 
Part of the Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) is the international short film and animation festival PÖFF Shorts. A selection of Dutch productions is included in this section of the festival:

The animated short film Nobody*(directed & prod. by Studio Job, Joris en Marieke) is taking part in the Shorts Kids Animation Competition; Catherina Iosifidis' Offside (prod. Volya Films) is screening in the Shorts Live-Action Competition and both When Doves Try, directed and produced by Thalia de Jong, and Shut by Niels Bourgonje are part of the Night Cinema program. Short dance film Endurance by Imre van Opstal is included in the Let There Be Dance program and Miriam Guttmann's short documentary Seahorse Parents screens in the Queer Joy program. 

Simon van der Zande's Thank You For Your Patience! is showing in the Shorts New Talents Competition: Live-Action. SEE NL talked to Van der Zande after his film (that he co-produced) got selected for the San Sebastian International Film Festival's NEST Student Competition. It world-premiered at the Ghent Film Festival in 2022 where it won the Pack Audience Award and a special mention before going on to win the Audience and Youth awards at the Go Short International Short Film Festival in Nijmegen (The Netherlands).

Kumu Documentary
The documentary Close to Vermeer* about the famous Dutch painter is selected for PÖFF's Kumu Documentary programme. In the run-up to the largest Vermeer exhibition ever, a cast of curators and experts set out in search of what makes a Vermeer truly Vermeer. The film is directed by Suzanne Raes (prod.: Docmakers, sales: Deckert Distribution).

Just Film
The biggest subfestival of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is the youth and children’s film festival Just Film. Just Film’s International Youth Competition brings along new and fascinating films from all over the world. Celebrating it's international premiere, Lilian Sijbesma's feature film Under The Naked Sky** (prod. Revolver Amsterdam) is in the race for the Grand Prix. Skunk** (min. co-prod. BALDR Film), directed by Koen Mortier is world premiering in the same competition.

Quita Felix' graduation film Shuffle is screening in Just Film's programme Stories From Land, Sea and Space and the feature film Sea Sparkle** (min. co-prod. Viking Film) by Domien Huyghe is included in the Children's Programme.

For more information on Tallin Black Nights Film Festival, click here. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund and Production Incentive