The 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has announced its winners, with Silent City Driver from Mongolian director Sengedorj Janchivdorj taking home the Grand Prix for best film in the official selection, along with the best production design honor for Munkhbat Shirnen.
The film follows a 32-year-old man who, after serving 14 years in prison for his involvement in a murder case, emerges to face societal rejection and health challenges from a prison beating, finding solace only in caring for stray dogs. The festival jury praised Silent City Driver as “a dark fairy tale from Mongolia” that broke new ground with its unique cinematic style.
German drama No Dogs Allowed by director Steve Bache took the best feature award, with Southern Chronicles from Lithuanian helmer Ignas Miškinis winning the prize for best Baltic film. Indian drama Pyre from director Vinod Kapri scooped the festival’s audience award.
Pirjo Lonka and Elina Knihtilä shared the best actress award for their roles in Teemu Nikki’s Finnish comedy 100 Liters of Gold. Lee Hyo-Ye won best actor for his performance in the Korean thriller The Loop by director Sang-Beom Koo.
Turkish drama Empire of the Rabbits by director Seyfettin Tokmak took both best cinematography and best screenplay awards. The prize for best director in the first feature category went to Diego Figueroa for his Chilean horror film A Yard of Jackals.
In the competition section, Irene von Alberti’s social satire Protected Men emerged victorious in the Rebels with a Cause category, while Masaki Tsujino’s Japanese family drama The Brothers Kitaura won best film in the Critics’ Picks program. The inaugural Doc@PÖFF competition saw The Watchman from directors Lou Du Pontavice and Victoire Bonin take top honors, with the jury praising its sensitive portrayal of the topic of migration.
In the youth and children’s section, Just Film, Kontra from Danish director Jonas Risvig took both the Youth Jury best film award and the Grand Prix. Other youth category winners included I Accidentally Wrote A Book! for Children’s Best Film and Niko – Beyond the Northern Light, the latest in a long-running Finnish holiday franchise, which won the Toddler’s Jury Award.
See the full list of winners for the 2024 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival below.
Grand Prix Best Film
Silent City Driver
Best Director (Official Selection)
Pink Lady
Best Cinematography
Claudia Becerril Bulos for Empire of the Rabbits
Best Script
Seyfettin Tokmak for Empire of the Rabbits
Best Actor
Lee Hyo-Ye for The Loop
Best Actress
Pirjo Lonka and Elina Knihtilä for 100 Liters of Gold
Best Original Score
Alyana Cabral and Moe Cabral for Some Nights I Feel Like Walking
Best Production Design
Munkhbat Shirnen for Silent City Driver
Best First Feature Film
No Dogs Allowed
Best First Feature Director
A Yard of Jackals
Best Baltic Film
Southern Chronicles
Best Baltic Director
Drowning Dry
Critics’ Picks Best Film
The Brothers Kitaura
Critics’ Picks Best Director
I, The Song
Rebels with a Cause Best Film
Protected Men
Rebels with a Cause Best Director
Contact Lens
Doc@PÖFF Best Film
The Watchman
Audience Award
Pyre
FIPRESCI Award
Mongrels
Just Film Grand Prix
Kontra
