Júlia de Paz Solvas’ The Good Daughter [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] has emerged as the main winner of the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, held in the Estonian capital from 8-22 November. For the first time in the event’s history, one and the same film has secured both the Grand Prix for Best Film, valued at €20,000 and provided by the city of Tallinn, and the Audience Award.

The jury, comprising Teona Strugar Mitevska, Roberto Schaefer, Debra McGuire, Ingo Fliess and Nomuunzul Turmunkh, commented: “The Good Daughter is a strong and emotional drama about a teenage girl dealing with family conflict. It handles difficult themes with care, making the story feel real. The lead performance is honest and sensitive, helping the audience understand her feelings.” Furthermore, Kiara Arancibia was named Best Actress for her role in the movie, as she “expresses fear, loyalty, confusion and strength without overacting, which gives the film much of its emotional power”.

The Best Director Award, valued at €5,000, went to Ali Vatansever for LifeLike [+lee también:
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ficha de la película], with the jury stating: “Powerfully and poignantly, with great sensitivity, the director paints an emotional picture of the inner life of the main character by masterfully navigating between reality and the virtual world.” The film was also awarded Best Original Score for Erdem Helvacıoğlu, who “creates a subtle but powerful sonic world that draws us into the emotional journey of father and son, and gently holds us there”.

The Best Cinematography Award went to Yutaka Yamazaki for Japan’s The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat by Yukihiro Morigaki. Best Script was bestowed upon Ståle Stein Berg for No Comment [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] by Petter Næss, which “stands out for its clever, sharp and highly engaging take on political chaos”. Aladdin Detlefsen and Kanji Tsuda shared the Best Actor gong for their performances in The Frog and the Water by Thomas Stuber. Meanwhile, Best Production Design was awarded to Chris Richmond and David Hand for Think of England [+lee también:
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In the First Feature Competition, Christian Bonke’s Hercules Falling [+lee también:
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ficha de la película], as “it’s fearless, it’s playful, and it pushes the genre with absolute confidence”. Special prizes recognised Jan Van Der Weken’s editing work on Sunday Ninth by Kat Steppe and the production design of Hille Norden on Easy Girl [+lee también:
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The Critics’ Picks jury presented their Best Film Award to China Sea by Jurgis Matulevičius, a “harsh, uncompromising and, at the same time, deeply poetic and human journey”. Matías Szulanski won Best Director for the “relentless and pounding experience” of A Summer Tale. Special Mentions were given to legendary actor Ali Nasirian  for his performance in Oh, What Happy Days! [+lee también:
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In the Rebels with a Cause strand, The Baronesses [+lee también:
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ficha de la película], directed by Nabil Ben Yadir and Mokhtaria Badaoui, took home Best Film for “witnessing the evolution of an older woman on a journey from obedient to rebellious, using art to reclaim her sense of identity”. Adrian Sitaru earned himself Best Director for Blindsight [+lee también:
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The Baltic Film Competition crowned The Visitor [+lee también:
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entrevista: Vytautas Katkus
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ficha de la película], and the Award for Best Baltic Producer for a Co-production went to Jean-Laurent Csinidis, Denis Vaslin and Marija Razgutė for Becoming [+lee también:
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In Doc at PÖFF, the international jury awarded Best Film to Days of Wonder by Karin Pennanen, praising its sensitive multi-layered form. The Best Cinematography Award went to Max Golomidov for Edge of the Night and the Jury Special Prize to Electing Ms Santa by Raisa Răzmeriță. In the Baltic Documentary Competition, Holy Destructors by Aistė Žegulytė won Best Film, while My Family and Other Clowns by Heilika Pikkov and Liina Särkinen bagged the Jury Special Prize.

Here is the list of award winners at the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival:

Official Selection Competition

Grand Prix for Best Film
The Good Daughter [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] – Júlia de Paz Solvas (Spain)

Best Director
Ali Vatansever – LifeLike [+lee también:
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tráiler
ficha de la película] (Turkey/Greece/Romania)

Best Cinematography
Yutaka Yamazaki – The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat (Japan)

Best Script
Ståle Stein Berg – No Comment [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Norway)

Best Actress
Kiara Arancibia – The Good Daughter

Best Actor
Aladdin Detlefsen, Kanji Tsuda – The Frog and the Water (Germany)

Best Original Score
Erdem Helvacıoğlu – LifeLike

Best Production Design
Chris Richmond, David Hand – Think of England [+lee también:
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entrevista: Richard Hawkins
ficha de la película] (UK)

First Feature Competition

Best Film
Hercules Falling [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] – Christian Bonke (Denmark/Germany)

Best Director
Samuel Abrahams – Lady [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (UK)

Special Prize for Best Editing
Jan Van Der Weken – Sunday Ninth (Belgium/Netherlands)

Special Prize for Best Production Design
Hille Norden – Easy Girl [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Germany)

Critics’ Picks

Best Film
China Sea – Jurgis Matulevičius (Lithuania/Taiwan/Poland/Czech Republic)

Best Director
Matías Szulanski – A Summer Tale (Argentina)

Special Mentions
Ali Nasirian – Oh, What Happy Days! [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Iran/USA/France/Canada)
Eeva Mägi – Mo Papa [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Estonia)

Rebels with a Cause

Best Film
The Baronesses [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] – Nabil Ben Yadir, Mokhtaria Badaoui (Belgium/Luxembourg/France)

Best Director
Adrian Sitaru – Blindsight [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (Romania/Turkey)

Best Short Film
Pay Day – Päivi Hirsiaho (Finland)

Baltic Film Competition

Best Baltic Film
The Visitor [+lee también:
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entrevista: Vytautas Katkus
entrevista: Vytautas Katkus
ficha de la película] – Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania/Norway/Sweden)

Best Baltic Director
Gabrielė Urbonaitė – Renovation [+lee también:
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entrevista: Gabrielė Urbonaitė
ficha de la película] (Lithuania/Latvia/Belgium)

Best Baltic Producer for a Co-production
Jean-Laurent Csinidis, Denis Vaslin, Marija Razgutė – Becoming [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] (France/Kazakhstan/Netherlands/Lithuania/Sweden)

Doc at PÖFF International Competition

Best Film
Days of Wonder – Karin Pennanen (Finland/Denmark/Norway)

Best Cinematography
Max Golomidov – Edge of the Night (Estonia)

Jury Special Prize
Electing Ms Santa – Raisa Răzmeriță (Moldova/Romania)

Doc at PÖFF Baltic Competition

Best Film
Holy Destructors – Aistė Žegulytė (Lithuania/France/Latvia)

Jury Special Prize
My Family and Other Clowns – Heilika Pikkov, Liina Särkinen (Estonia)

Other awards

NETPAC Award
The Muralist – Sengedorj Janchivdorj (Mongolia)

FIPRESCI Award
Hercules Falling – Christian Bonke

Audience Award
The Good Daughter – Júlia de Paz Solvas

Lifetime Achievement Awards
Juozas Budraitis
Janno Põldma

Honorary Award
Jessica Hausner

Bruno O’Ya Young Actor Scholarship
Ursel Tilk