A wide range of emotions awaits. Exercises in empathy for those who find themselves in impossible situations, and meditations on hope and love.

The evening can begin in grand style. Picture this: Dostoevsky has already written Crime and Punishment, but gambling has eaten a hole in his wallet and the pages of The Idiot are still blank. The Idiot(s) (17:30, Apollo Kino Solaris) turns the spotlight on his young wife Anna, who, of course, is the one holding everything together. Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert have created a witty period comedy starring Aimee Lou Wood, Johnny Flynn and Vicky Krieps.

Let’s keep things light-hearted. Director Jaak Kilmi’s stories about history are united by a warm, human touch. This time, in Peegel (19:30, Apollo Kino Plaza), he and Andres Keil explore the legacy of sports photographer Lembit Peegel. His dynamic photographs set the standard for what a good sports photograph should look like. Through Peegel’s life’s work, the history of Estonian sport comes into focus. Kilmi will attend the screening.

What Does It Cost to Remain Human?

Meanwhile, other screenings take audiences on journeys both visual and emotional. The War We Carry (19:00, Apollo Kino Plaza) follows Hninn, an enterprising student who wants to become a nun, until a military coup takes place in Myanmar. Filmed over six years, the documentary tells the story of a family searching for safety amid civil war. The film’s music was composed by Maarja Nuut. Danish documentary filmmaker Kaspar Astrup Schröder, a familiar face at PÖFF, will also attend the screening.

In i want to be human (20:45, Apollo Kino Plaza), Lithuanian director Rinaldas Tomaševičius turns his camera on inmates in a strict-regime prison. This intimate film about dignity and redemption gives its subjects the space to remain human. The director and his crew will attend the screening.

Film Highlights: Late-Night Experiences as Friday the 13th Approaches

• Shorts Night Cinema (21:00, Bar Von Krahl). As a one-off, the cinema is moving into a bar. A legendary, hours-long marathon screening of short films, ranging from comedies to nightmares.
• The Leader (21:00, Apollo Kino Plaza). Based on the true story of the Heaven’s Gate cult. The cast includes PÖFF guest Tim Blake Nelson, Vera Farmiga and Jim Parsons, who plays the cult leader’s devoted servant. An unsettling and provocative film. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session.
• Nervous (21:45, Apollo Kino Plaza). Hoping to save their troubled marriage, a couple move into an isolated house on the outskirts of Seoul. There, the woman discovers a vinyl record that plays nothing but silence. Soon, she realises she can no longer hear her husband’s voice. In Abner Pastoll’s oppressive horror film about loneliness and self-discovery, the film’s meticulous sound design does most of the work in creating fear.