Late Night Comedy

Festival
PÖFF Shorts 2020
Programme
Shorts Alternatives

Comedy is at its best when it defies social conventions, and surely the films in Black Nights Comedy lineup do that a lot. But conventions change over time, and even modern, hip attitudes are here overturned and challenged.

Tempo is king in comedy – it can be elongated, like when you're waiting for the right musical instrument to hit you in the head. Or it can be an accelerated state of affairs: just start bumping into various awkward situations with no way out. Family, strangers, neighbours, fellow passengers, co-workers, friends – they are both the subjects and the objects of ridicule. There are tribulations and situations that none of us would like to experience. Thankfully, we are in the audience. At other points, we wish we could be there and grab a little of the fame (or the rowdy sessions) that our characters enjoy.

Comedy is like an initiation into a mystic cult, sometimes also turning into a bittersweet impression. But that's part of the deal, and you can certainly rebound.

Films

Baltic premiere

The Best Orchestra in the World

Local title
Maailma parim orkester
Director
Henning Backhaus
Country
Austria
Year
2020

Ingbert, the sock, applies for a position as double bass player at the Vienna State Orchestra. Bad idea.

Director
Henning Backhaus
Runtime
Language
German

World premiere

The Bouncer

Local title
Turvamees
Original title
Poke
Director
Aleksi Salmenperä
Country
Finland
Year
2020

A night club bouncer gets disgusted of all the violence and repression of the weak he is seeing. He has to act to protect the victims.

Director
Aleksi Salmenperä
Runtime
Language
Finnish

Baltic premiere

Awkward

Local title
Piinlik
Director
Nata Metlukh
Country
USA
Year
2020

A day full of socially awkward moments.

Director
Nata Metlukh
Runtime
Language
English

Baltic premiere

Captain Anti-Diet Man

Local title
Kapten Anti-Dieet Mees
Original title
Kapten Anti-Dieet Mees
Director
Raul Esko, Romet Esko
Country
Estonia
Year
2020

An ordinary guy decides to become a superhero vigilante fighting against healthy foods after his best friend turns vegan. He goes on a journey to determine the origin of mysterious green super smoothies that overpowers people.

Director
Raul Esko, Romet Esko
Runtime
Language
Estonian

The Tale of the Green Cheese

Local title
Jutt rohelisest juustust
Original title
D'Gschicht vom grüene Chääs
Director
Noah Erni
Country
Switzerland
Year
2020

A peasant lives an idyllic life in the Swiss alps, until one of his goats gives birth to a kid that doesn't look like it should.

Director
Noah Erni
Runtime
Language
Swiss German

Baltic premiere

I Am Your Father

Local title
Ma olen su isa
Original title
Je suis ton père
Director
Justine Le Pottier
Country
France
Year
2020

Paul, 21, never knew his father. But during a lunch, Paul learns that he is the son of Gérard Depardieu, the French international star. He decides to go looking for him, but he will come up against a major problem: how to get in touch with him? His father is a movie star, impossible to approach.

Director
Justine Le Pottier
Runtime
Language
French

Baltic premiere

The Last Train

Local title
Viimane rong
Director
Ross Hogg
Year
2019

An observational animation exploring the behaviours and interactions of a diverse cross section of tired, drunk, disgruntled, joyous and riotous strangers, pushed together within the confines of the last train home.

Director
Ross Hogg
Runtime
Language
English