First Film International Festival

02/01/2026

26/10/2025

Yesterday was a truly special day - filled with emotions, stories, and people who believe in the power of cinema.

The hall of Artis Cinema was full of joy, inspiration, and anticipation: filmmakers met their audience for the first time, some saw their films on the big screen for the very first time, and viewers discovered new stories from all over the world.

This is what the essence of the First Film Festival is about - people, creativity, connection, and the courage to begin.

Thank you to everyone who shared this day with us - the participants, guests, and viewers who came to support, be inspired, and feel the atmosphere of the big screen.
Thank you for the warm words and kind wishes addressed to the festival organizers!
And thank you to the jury for their great work!

See you next year - at the third edition of the First Film | International Festival!
Until then - keep filming, keep telling your stories, and keep believing in yourself.

25/10/2025

Today, the second edition of the First Film | International Festival took place at Artis Cinema in Tallinn.
We are happy to announce the winners of 2025!

This year, the festival brought together 152 films from 44 countries - created by teachers, teenagers, and enthusiasts who dared to tell their stories through the language of cinema.

Grand Prix
Sunny-Man - Sandeep Reddy Sama (India)

First Estonia Short Film
Verse - Vladislav Popchenko (Estonia)

First International Short Film
TATA - Elias Stanković (Germany)

First International Animation Film
5 Second Rule - Invisible Friends Team (Armenia)

First International Short Film | Teachers as Authors
All About Moms’ Car - Esra Özcan (Turkey)

First International Short Film | Teachers as Producers
Scavenger - Nadège Herrygers (Belgium)

First Estonia Short Film | Teachers as Producers
Friendship Dance - Tallinna Liikuri Kindergarten (Estonia)

International Short Film | Teenagers
Running Away - Dari Justin (Australia)

Estonia Short Film | Teenagers
The Face in Shards - Karina Devadze (Estonia)

International Short Film Incorporating AI Technology
Door to Tomorrow - Junghwi Souk (Republic of Korea)

Thank you to all participants and viewers for your creativity, inspiration, and trust.
Each first film is not just a beginning - it’s the start of a cinematic journey.

firstfilm.eu

24/10/2025

О тех, кто делает своё первое кино

Второй год фестиваль First Film становится пространством, где кино рождается не в студиях и продюсерских офисах, а в классах, гостиных и домашних мастерских. Здесь снимают те, кто не имеет диплома режиссёра, но уже чувствует внутреннюю необходимость говорить языком кино.

В этом году мы получили 152 фильма из 44 стран. География впечатляет, но не меньше поражает разнообразие авторов - учителя, подростки, дизайнеры, архитекторы, инженеры, исследователи, родители. Каждый из них использует камеру не как инструмент производства, а как способ самовыражения.

Идея фестиваля - дать возможность тем, кто только начинает, почувствовать вкус большого экрана и услышать реакцию зрителя. Ведь именно момент показа в зале - когда гаснет свет и начинается фильм - делает автора настоящим режиссёром.

Мы знаем, что Таллин богат на фестивали - от международных премьер PÖFF до студенческих программ Koolifilm. Но First Film отличается тем, что здесь кино по-настоящему доступно каждому.
Это фестиваль, где важна не принадлежность к индустрии, а желание рассказать историю.

Фильмы, созданные нашими участниками, - это не просто первые работы. Это первые шаги в мир, где кино перестаёт быть элитарным искусством и становится формой личного диалога.

First Film - это пространство, где каждый кадр может стать началом чего-то большего.

📍 Когда: 25 октября, 12:00
📍 Где: кинотеатр Artis, Таллин
Вход свободный, но количество мест ограничено.

23/10/2025

ERR КОФЕ+

https://jupiterpluss.err.ee/1609836444/v-tallinne-projdet-mezhdunarodnyj-kinofestival-first-film

On October 25 at 12:00, at ARTIS Cinema, there will be a screening of the best films of the First Film | International Festival.
Festival information: https://firstfilm.eu/
Languages: Russian, Estonian, English.
Entrance is free, but registration is required
https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

25. oktoobril kell 12:00 toimub kinoteatris ARTIS First Film | International Festivali parimate filmide linastus.
Rohkem infot festivali kohta leiate veebisaidilt > firstfilm.eu/
Keel: eesti, vene, inglise
Sissepääs on tasuta, kuid registreerimine
https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

25. oktoobril kell 12:00 toimub kinoteatris ARTIS First Film | International Festivali parimate filmide linastus.
Rohkem infot festivali kohta leiate veebisaidilt > firstfilm.eu/
Keel: eesti, vene, inglise
Sissepääs on tasuta, kuid registreerimine
https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

19/10/2025

🎬 Meet the Jury of the First Film | International Festival 2025!

Together, they will review the competition films -
and it’s up to them to choose the winners in 9 categories and the Grand Prix recipient.

On October 25 at 12:00, at Kino Artis in Tallinn,
we’ll discover which films will touch the hearts of the jury and the audience the most.

Free entry, but seats are limited.
Reserve your spot: https://forms.gle/ziMUyoeQrj9FVeMG6



🎬 Знакомьтесь с жюри First Film | International Festival 2025!

Вместе они оценивают конкурсные фильмы.
И именно им предстоит выбрать победителей в 9 номинациях и одного обладателя Grand Prix.

Уже 25 октября в 12:00 в кинотеатре Artis в Таллине
мы узнаем, какие фильмы тронут жюри и зрителей больше всего.

Вход свободный, но количество мест ограничено.
Забронируйте место: https://forms.gle/ziMUyoeQrj9FVeMG6

🎬 Tutvuge First Film | International Festival 2025 žüriiga!

Koos hindavad nad võistlusfilme ja nemad otsustavad, kes võidab 9 kategoorias ning kes saab Grand Prix.

25. oktoobril kell 12:00, Kino Artis Tallinnas,
saame teada, millised filmid puudutavad kõige rohkem žürii ja publiku südant.

Sissepääs tasuta, kuid kohtade arv on piiratud.
Broneeri oma koht: https://forms.gle/ziMUyoeQrj9FVeMG6

18/10/2025

First Film | Festivali parimate filmide näitamine

16/10/2025

🎬 International Short Film Incorporating AI Technology

AI technology is reshaping cinema - giving filmmakers tools to visualize imagination, overcome traditional production limits, and explore complex human and environmental themes. This category highlights how creative minds use technology to tell stories that resonate emotionally while pushing visual boundaries.

🎬 The Soviet Phoenix – Tim Aßmann, Germany
After Chernobyl’s worst-case scenario, a giant caterpillar is discovered in the surrounding forests.
Tim Aßmann explores the intersection of history, science, and imagination. Using AI-assisted techniques, he brings fantastical elements to life while reflecting on human curiosity, the unknown, and the consequences of exploration. "The Soviet Phoenix" is a visually striking tale of discovery and fascination, blending fact and fiction.

🎬 The Last Track – Oscar Sanchez, USA
A porcelain fox runs through a peaceful forest, only to be shattered by human threat.
Oscar Sanchez a graduate in Graphic Design and as a self-taught AI enthusiast, he combines technology with cinematic craft to highlight urgent environmental themes. "The Last Track" is his debut short, emphasizing the fragility of Darwin’s foxes and the devastating effects of human actions on vulnerable species.

🎬 Door to Tomorrow – Junghwi (중휘) Souk (석), South Korea
A man discovers a mysterious door revealing the life he has always dreamed of - only to realize the importance of the present.
Junghwi Souk, based in Seoul, crafts narratives that blend mystery, metaphor, and emotional depth. In "Door to Tomorrow", he explores the paradox of a generation living for the future while neglecting today, using the "door" as a symbolic device for time and reflection.

These films show that AI is not just a tool - it’s a new language for storytelling, enabling filmmakers to explore imagination, emotion, and meaning in unprecedented ways.

Screening & Awards – October 25 at 12:00, Kino Artis, Tallinn, Estonia
Free entry!
Reserve your seat here: https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

15/10/2025

🎬 First International Short Film

Short films are often where cinema breathes most freely - where stories are told with honesty, courage, and no need for spectacle.
In this category, filmmakers from around the world explore themes of loss, hope, imagination, and human connection - each through a lens shaped by their unique culture and experience.

🎬 Together – Ronny Tanvir, Bangladesh
A heartfelt story of friendship - one friend giving courage to another during a difficult time.
Ronny Tanvir, a filmmaker from Rajshahi, Bangladesh, tells stories about everyday people and emotional connections. Together reminds us that true strength often comes from shared kindness and empathy.

🎬 TATA – Elias Stanković, Germany
A daughter spends an endless night beside her recently deceased father. Between love and fear, silence becomes the loudest sound.
Elias Stanković, a 20-year-old German filmmaker with Serbian and Turkish roots, grew up between cultures, confronting both the beauty and the weight of belonging. His films merge poetic imagery with emotional honesty - honoring traditions while questioning them. TATA is a deeply personal reflection on grief, motherhood, and the quiet power of letting go.

🎬 Golden – Gabriel Simone, USA
After a breakup, a young man buys a gold tooth, believing it might change his life.
Gabriel Simone grew up in Philadelphia surrounded by classic cinema - from Humphrey Bogart to Audrey Hepburn - and taught himself filmmaking through his passion for movies. Now based in Los Angeles, he blends old-school storytelling with modern introspection. Golden is a subtle story about identity, self-worth, and the fragile hope that something small can transform everything.

🎬 Sunny-Man – Sandeep Reddy Sama, India
Six-year-old Sunny dreams of a Spiderman school bag. When his parents can’t afford it, he and his imaginary superhero set out to earn the money themselves.
Sandeep Reddy Sama is a self-taught filmmaker with a background in computer science. He explores both tender, human dramas and lighthearted stories that carry emotional depth. Sunny-Man captures childhood resilience and imagination - the ability to face disappointment with quiet courage.

These films remind us that storytelling knows no borders - it’s a universal language of emotion, memory, and meaning.

Screening & Awards - October 25 at 12:00, Kino Artis, Tallinn, Estonia
Free entry!
Reserve your seat here: https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

14/10/2025

🎬 First International Short Film | Teachers as Producers

It’s inspiring to see how teachers and adults find time for creativity — in this case, animation.
Animation is one of the most accessible forms of art for children, and when teachers learn what fascinates kids, they connect more deeply with both creativity and learning itself.

This category features short films made by children and their mentors from different countries:

🎬 We Are Humans – students from Porto, Portugal. A heartfelt reflection on what it means to be human.
🎬 Scavenger – 12 children (ages 9–12), Belgium. What happens when a strict teacher takes charge of the whole school?
🎬 One Day in the Forest – preschoolers (ages 4–6), Serbia. Learning from an early age to love and protect our planet.
🎬Dantino on a Mission – “Maddalena di Canossa” Middle School, Italy. A cosmic journey to rediscover humanity’s core values - peace, love, and justice.
🎬 I'm bored – 12 children, Belgium. Little Wolf’s vacation turns into a touching mission from his grandmother.

Screening & Awards – October 25 at 12:00, Kino Artis, Tallinn, Estonia
Free entry!
https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA

13/10/2025

🎬 First Estonia Short Film

Three short films from Estonia — three visions of freedom, fear, and self-discovery.

"What Next?" – Alice J.
A group of friends never quite makes it to the concert — but they never give up either. A lighthearted story about friendship, music, and finding joy no matter what.

"Verse" – Vladislav Popchenko
A legendary hacker of the metaverse faces his greatest challenge — breaking free from the system and from himself. A philosophical sci-fi story about freedom and awareness.

"Embrace from the Abyss" – Shara Arus
A young scientist is haunted by a dark force born from her own creation. A psychological journey into fear and inner shadows.

These films capture the pulse of a new generation — honest, daring, and full of life.

Join us for the screening and awards ceremony on October 25 at 12:00 at Kino Artis!
Free entry!
Reserve your spot here: https://forms.gle/AShQyvzk3aXTpxnEA