Happy Go Lucky, the acclaimed new film from Mike Leigh that is shortlisted for the European Film Award as Best Film, will open the 12th edition of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) in the Baltic seaport city of Tallinn, Estonia. Growing into prominence as the "Sundance of Eastern Europe", the festival shows an array of acclaimed films from Europe and Asia in competition, while introducing new filmmaker talents from the Baltic region and North America (US/Canada).

One of Europe’s most intriguing film festivals, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in Estonia will open tonight in the Russian Theatre with Priit Tender’s new animation film Kitchen Dimensions, with live music by Märt-Matis Lill, performed by NYYD Ensemble to be followed by the Eastern European Premiere of Happy Go Lucky. The Festival will screen over 200 feature films from 75 countries, with an international competition EurAsia presenting 18 new films from Europe and Asia. A competition for Best Baltic Feature is also showcased, with features, animation and documentaries from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. 15 films in the program are nominated for European Film Awards, including the screenings of such high-end titles as Il Divo (Italy, Paolo Sorrentino), The Class (France, Laurent Cantet), Gomorrah (Italy, Matteo Garone), Happy Go Lucky (UK, Mike Leigh) and Waltz With Bashir (Israel). The Awards themselves will be presented in Tallinn in 2010, the first time in an Eastern European city.

Sandy Mandelberger, Tallinn Black Nights FF Dailies Editor
Tallinn Blog & dailies