Misericordia wins the Grand Prix and 20 000€ for the Best Film of Official Selection Competition;
The Best Feature Film Award goes to The Moon Is Upside Down;
In the Rebels With A Cause competition programme, The Award for Best Film goes to Five and a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania;
In Critics' Picks competition programme, The Best Film Award goes to The Land Where The Wind Stood Still;
Smoke Sauna Sisterhood gets the award for Best Baltic Film;
Mike Newell to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award
The jury of the Official Selection Competition, headed by Trine Dyrholm, selected Emma Dante's drama Misericordia as their favourite, handing the film the Grand Prix For The Best Film.
The jury commented on the film with the following statement: "A powerful film about how to stay supportive and, above all, exhibit humanity in a marginalised environment. Beautifully directed, shot and acted, the Best Film Award goes to Misericordia."
Manuel Martín Cuenca won the Best Director Award for Andrea's Love.
Goert Giltay accepted the Best Cinematography Award on behalf of Jos Stelling's Natasha's Dance.
The Best Script award went to Manuel Martín Cuenca (director) Lola Mayo (screenwriter) for Andrea's Love.
The Best Actress Award was divided between two performances: Lubna Azabal (Amal), and Kim Higelin (Consent).
The Best Original Score Award went to David Van Keer and Birger Embrechts, the composers of The Magnet Man.
Patient #1 got the award for the Best Production Design.
The jury of FIRST FEATURE competition, led by Nicolás Celis announced three awards
Bets Film award was given to The Moon Is Upside Down. The two special jury prizes went to
REBELS WITH A CAUSE COMPETITION PROGRAMME jury, led by Jim Stark warded three movies.
The Award for Best Film was given to Five and a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania, directed by Tomas Vengris. The award for Best Director in the Rebels With A Cause competition programme went to Agustín Toscano for his film I Trust You.
The Award for Best Rebel with a Cause Short Film went for the short film Element.
The jury of CRITIC'S PICK PROGRAMME, led by Dina Iordanova handed out two awards.
The award for the Best Critics' Picks Film went to The Land Where Winds Stood Still by Ardak Amirkulov.
The Award for Best Director in Critics' Picks went to Guel Arraes, for his work Great Sertão.
BALTIC FILM COMPETITION'S jury handed out two awards. The jury was led by Eleonora Granata Jenkinson.
The Award for Best Baltic Film was given to Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, directed by Anna Hints and produced by Marianne Ostrat.
Marija Razgute won the award for Best Baltic Producer for Co-production for her work on the movie Slow.
The 27th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival's audiences chose Once Again (for the first time) (USA, 2023) as their favourite film.
International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award was given to Falling Into Place, directed by Aylin Tezel (Germany, 2023).
NETPAC award was given to Inpaintings (Turkey, 2023), directed by Ozan Yoleri.
Lifetime Achievement awards went to Rein Rannap and Mike Newell.
The pre-announced Dennis Davidson's Spotlight Awards were given to Yorgos Lathimos for directing Poor Things, and Jonathan Glazer, for directing The Zone Of Interest.
The 23rd edition of Just Film winners:
Yana Titova’s film Dyad won the Just Film Grand Prix for the Best Youth Film.
Just Film awarded the Grand Prix winner a prize of 3000 €. The jury also admitted it wasn’t an easy choice: “All in all this year the international youth film competition was honoured with wonderful actors throughout the films. The Grand Prix for Just Film international programme goes to a film that is captivating, heartbreaking but also talks about the importance of our social responsibilities towards upbringing. A film that combined a great scenario, wonderful directing and actors, who played with all their hearts - "Dyad".
The ECFA Award for the Best European Children's Film went to Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret, directed by Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli.
The #youngfilmmaker Best Film was awarded to Kaur Kulver (director) for Third Tree from the Left.
The Just Film's Youth Jury Award for the Best Film was given to Skunk, directed by Koen Mortier. The jury commented: "We were completely shaken by this intense story and it will stay with us for a long time. It brings to light the physical and mental abuse of so many children that sadly often stays hidden from us. Thank you for creating this authentic and disturbing film."
The Just Film's Children's Jury Award for the Best Film went to Totally Boss, directed by Ingomar Vihmar.
The Just Film's Junior's Jury Award for the Best Film was given to Bim, directed by Tom van Gestel. The jury's commented: "This film was exciting, adventurous and funny. The protagonist Bim was brave and never gave up on his mission."
The Just Film's Class Jury Special Award went to The Fantastic Three, directed by Michaël Dichter.
The recipient of this year's second lifetime achievement award is one of the most renowned figures in in the field of cinematography – Mike Newell.
Celebrating his 81st birthday this year, Newell's notable directorial works include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Donnie Brasco and many more. He has garnered Oscar nominations and received two BAFTA awards.
"Throughout his more than 40-year directorial career, Mike Newell has demonstrated himself as an exceptional storyteller and a masterful creator of characters. His remarkable versatility spans from adapting classical literary works to translating popular video games onto the screen, and from crafting grand adventure films to portraying intimate romantic comedies. His distinct directorial style is instantly recognizable, and his infectious sense of humor resonates," commented Tiina Lokk, the head of The Black Nights Film Festival.
