'Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart' Courtesy of PÖFF Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has unveiled the lineup for the Baltic Competition of its 29th edition, featuring 11 titles from the region's filmmakers. Sergei Loznitsa's Two Prosecutors, which premiered at Cannes, will open the lineup in an out-of-competition slot. The three world premieres in the program are very different. Alise Zariņa's Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart is a Latvian coming-of-age dramedy that follows Liv, a 30-something woman struggling with body insecurities. "Once, Liv dreamed of being a Barbie and still hopes her loving, somewhat old-fashioned husband finds her irresistible, even if their kisses are few and far between," reads a synopsis. "Everything changes when Liv receives a sudden call: her estranged father is in a coma and undergoing intensive therapy." Related Stories General News British Rapper and 'Supacell' Star Ghetts Appears in London Court Over Fatal Hit-and-Run Business Vancouver's Iconic Park Theatre Rescued From Shuttering Borderline, from director Ignas Jonynas, is a modern western starring rising star Šarūnas Zenkevičius (Renovation). "Mourning ornithologist Vilius owes money to the bank, guards birds from poachers' nets, monitors migration, and cares for his mentally vulnerable daughter, Urtė," reads a plot summary. "When a staged accident disrupts his bleak routine, Vilius is forced into the shadowy world of smuggling illegal contraband." And in Paavo Westerberg's Finland-Estonia co-production Therapy, Finnish film stars search for the secret to a long marriage in a historical Estonian mansion. "Marriage no longer works for popular authors Leena and Pekka, though their careers as couples' therapists are thriving," according to a plot summary. Among other Baltic Competition titles are Lithuanian writer and director Gabrielė Urbonaitė's feature directorial debut Renovation, Lithuanian cinematographer Vytautas Katkus' directorial debut The Visitor, and The Activist, the final movie in Lithuanian director Romas Zabarauskas' (The Lawyer, The Writer) queer trilogy. "With this year's selection, we're highlighting the growing importance of our region," said Edvinas Pukšta, curator of the Baltic Competition. "For the first time, PÖFF features two separate Baltic competitions - one for fiction and one for documentaries - and nearly 40 feature-length Baltic films across the entire festival, which is more than ever before. One of our goals is to showcase award-winning films from the region, such as The Visitor, which just won the Riga International Film Festival feature film competition, and to celebrate their international success with our audiences." The Baltic Competition jury is made up of Georgian auteur Alexandre Koberidze (Dry Leaf, What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?), Turkish filmmaker Gözde Kural (Cinema Jazireh), and Montse Triola, producer, co-founder of Andergraun Films, and long-time collaborator of Albert Serra (Afternoons of Solitude). Check out the full Baltic Competition program for the Tallinn festival below. World PremieresBorderline, dir: Ignas Jonynas (Lithuania) Flesh, Blood, Even a Heart, dir: Alise Zariņa (Latvia) Therapy, dir: Paavo Westerberg (Finland, Estonia) International Premieres Red Code Blue, dir: Oskars Rupenheits (Latvia) The Activist, dir: Romas Zabarauskas (Lithuania) New Money, dir: Rain Rannu (Estonia) Baltic Premieres Becoming, dir: Zhannat Alshanova (France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Lithuania) Hunger Strike Breakfast, dir: Karolis Kaupinis (Lithuania) Renovation, dir: Gabrielė Urbonaitė (Lithuania) Others Fränk, dir: Tõnis Pill (Estonia) The Visitor, dir: Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania, Norway, France) Out of Competition Two Prosecutors, dir: Sergei Loznitsa (France, Germany, Netherlands, Latvia, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine) THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Lawrence Once Told Viola Davis "I Lose So Much Control Over My Craft When I Have to Do Press" Podcasts Nearly 70 Years Later, 'Bad Seed' Horror Icon Revisits Her Oscar-Nominated Turn Zoey Deutch 'Anniversary' Review: Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler Lead a Stupendous Cast in a Family's-Eye View of Authoritarian Politics The Chronology of Water 'The Chronology of Water' Star Imogen Poots to Receive Denver Film's Excellence in Acting Award afi fest 2025 'Majonezë' Wins AFI Fest's Short Film Grand Jury Prize Song Sung Blue Kate Hudson Praises 'Song Sung Blue' Co-Star Hugh Jackman: "It's Hard Not to Fall in Love With Him" Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Lawrence Once Told Viola Davis "I Lose So Much Control Over My Craft When I Have to Do Press" Podcasts Nearly 70 Years Later, 'Bad Seed' Horror Icon Revisits Her Oscar-Nominated Turn Zoey Deutch 'Anniver