The FilmFestival Cottbus was represented for the first time this year at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn, one of Europe’s most important A-festivals and a central meeting point for filmmakers from around the world. Following the successful FFC focus Close-Up: Estonia, the visit to the Estonian capital offered a natural and inspiring continuation of the cultural exchange.
The festival, which celebrated its 29th edition in 2024, presented a diverse international programme that once again highlighted the creative power of Northern and Eastern European cinema. Particularly noteworthy was the strong connection to projects that had previously been featured at the FilmFestival Cottbus or at the co-production market connecting cottbus.
Among the films showcased was CHINA SEA by Jurgis Matulevičius — a visually striking work situated between transcendence and everyday life, whose development phase had been presented at connecting cottbus. The film celebrated its world premiere in the Critic’s Picks section curated by Nikolai Nikitin and marks the first Lithuanian-Taiwanese co-production, supported by partners from Poland and the Czech Republic.
Also featured were two remarkable Latvian productions in the Baltic Competition: RED CODE BLUE by Oskars Rupenheits, an atmospheric police crime drama that captures the spirit of the 1990s with non-professional actors, and FLESH, BLOOD AND EVEN A HEART by Alise Zariņa — a sensitive film about loss, childhood trauma, and human relationships, approaching heavy themes with subtle situational humour.
In addition to the screenings, the festival offered numerous opportunities for networking, exchanging ideas with international colleagues, and discovering new projects in the pitching and works-in-progress sections.
The FilmFestival Cottbus looks forward to continued collaboration and creative dialogue with Tallinn and the region!