The 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival begins today! On the opening day, 32 films will be screened in cinemas across Tallinn and Tartu.

At 19:00 the curtain will rise at Alexela Concert Hall for the anniversary show Round and Round, which will look back at the festival's three decades.

The evening will also see the presentation of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Bruno O’Ya scholarship.

The black carpet will be rolled out at 17:45, and the ceremony will also be available to watch via live stream.

The opening ceremony will be followed by the opening film of the festival, Ulya – an emotionally stirring drama by Latvian director Viesturs Kairišs, inspired by the extraordinary life of the world’s tallest female basketball player, the legendary Uljana Semjonova, who finds refuge on a basketball court. For local audiences, the film takes on a special resonance thanks to the soundtrack music of the folk music duo called Puuluup. Estonia has also contributed to the film’s production, and Latvia has submitted it as its Oscar nominee for this year.

Meanwhile, Apollo Kino Plaza offers the chance to take a remarkable journey through time. Aki Kaurismäki’s Drifting Clouds opened the very first PÖFF in 1997 and now returns to the big screen to mark the festival’s anniversary.

Drifting Clouds, Friday 6 November, at 19:00, Apollo Kino PlazaDirector: A. Kaurismäki Country: Finland, Germany, France

Today's film highlights:

If you can’t make it to the opening ceremony, there are some excellent films to watch this evening, including:

• Minotaur. A brave, taut and explosive thriller from Andrey Zvyagintsev that won the Grand Prix for Best Film at Cannes.

"The Minotaur" Friday 6 November, at 19:00, Apollo Solaris Director: Andrey ZvyagintsevCountry: France, Latvia, Germany

• Everybody Digs Bill Evans. A tender portrait of the jazz pianist for which Grant Gee won the Silver Bear for Best Director at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival.

"Everybody Digs Bill Evans" Friday 6 November, at 20:00, Artis Director: Grant Gee Country: Ireland, United Kingdom

• A Long Winter. Andrew Haigh's sensitive family drama in snowy Colorado.

"A Long Winter Friday" 6 November, at 21:30, Apollo Kino Plaza Director: Andrew Haigh Country: United Kingdom, Canada

• The film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, winner of the Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival, will be screened at the Electric Cinema in Tartu at 20:30. The film's international appeal is weighed in by the distinctive style of director Jane Schoenbrun and the presence of Gillian Anderson in the leading role.

"Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" Friday 6 November, at 20:30 Electric Cinema, Tartu Director: Jane Schoenbrun Country: Canada, United Kingdom

Let the mood guide you!

The festival often feels like it goes on for ages, and then suddenly it’s over and you realise you haven’t seen half as many films as you’d have liked. There’s still time to do things differently! Come to the cinema! PÖFF runs until 22 November. Check out the festival programme and try the new filter system to help you choose films that suit your mood. Looking for something emotional, suspenseful, or spine-tingling? You'll find all of these experiences in the programme. You can view the programme here: https://poff.ee/en/search_film/.