Ukrainian Film Club and the Association at the opening of PÖFF30: Ukrainian films to see

Last Friday the team of the Ukrainian Film Club in Estonia, a cultural project of the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia, attended the opening of the 30th anniversary edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) at Alexela Concert Hall. For the team, it is another opportunity to speak about Ukraine, introduce Ukrainian cinema to an international audience and thank those who help Ukrainian stories be heard around the world.

This year PÖFF focuses on the cinema of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This Baltic unity was celebrated in the performance “Round and Round”, dedicated to the festival’s three decades, in which film music from the three Baltic countries was played on three grand pianos. The festival was opened by Estonian director Elmo Nüganen, whose films are well known to the film club’s audience. The opening film was “Ulya”, about the legendary Latvian basketball player Uljana Semjonova; before the screening the Estonian duo Puuluup, whose music features in the film, performed on stage.

A particularly warm moment for the team was meeting Alar Karis and Sirje Karis. With Sirje Karis they recalled last year’s project Yellow-blue Butterflies. For Kids, held during PÖFF 2025 with her support, and spoke about supporting Ukraine and bringing deported Ukrainian children home.

The film club thanks festival director Tiina Lokk and the entire PÖFF team for their long-standing support for Ukraine and Ukrainian cinema and for the Standing with Ukraine programme. The Ukrainian Film Club in Estonia has been an information partner of the programme for three years in a row.

Ukrainian films and films about Ukraine at PÖFF 2026 — upcoming screenings:

Traces — 18 November, 20:00, Tallinn, Apollo Kino Solaris, hall 4.

To Die To Live — 12 November, 17:45, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 8; 16 November, 17:00, Kino Artis, hall 2; 19 November, 19:00, Apollo Kino Solaris, hall 4 (all in Tallinn).

Slava: Shooting with Music — 13 November, 18:45, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 7; 16 November, 20:15, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 8; 20 November, 21:30, Kino Sõprus (Tallinn).

Vesna — 13 November, 20:15, Tallinn, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 8; 14 November, 15:15, Tartu, Apollo Kino Tasku, hall 2; 17 November, 20:00, Tallinn, Kino Artis, hall 1.

Slava — 14 November, 17:00, Tallinn, Apollo Kino Solaris, hall 4; 19 November, 21:30, Tartu, Apollo Kino Tasku, hall 3.

Camouflage — 14 November, 17:30, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 8; 21 November, 20:45, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 7 (Tallinn).

I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming — 14 November, 20:15, and 19 November, 19:00, Tallinn, Kino Artis, hall 2.

Wings — 14 November, 21:00, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 5 Lux; 21 November, 14:15, Kino Sõprus (Tallinn).

Living On — 15 November, 20:45, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 7; 21 November, 20:00, Apollo Kino Plaza, hall 9 (Tallinn).

Film descriptions, information about meetings with filmmakers and ticket links are in the “PÖFF 2026” highlights on the Ukrainian Film Club’s Instagram: instagram.com/ukrainianfilmclub.ee.

Source: Facebook post by the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia. Photos: Association archive and the festival’s official page.