A Straight-A Student Turning Into a Bear, Cancer, and Motherhood Feature in Tallinn Shorts Winners

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In the animation competition, Alice Eça Guimarães’ Because Today Is Saturday, an exploration of motherhood, was honored as the best film, while the new talents animation award was bestowed upon the cancer-themed Pear Garden from director Shadab Shayegan. And the best children’s film award went to Sophie Roze’s The Drifting Guitar, a story about home and companionship.

Finally, the national shorts honor went to Stiina, the story of a mother–daughter relationship from
director Elisabeth Kužovnik. And the Radiator IP Distribution Award went to Sasha Shprotser’s Border, in which she documents her four-day journey on foot from Narva, Estonia to her grandmother’s grave in Slantsy, Russia.

Check out the Tallinn short film winners unveiled this weekend below.

PÖFF SHORTS ANIMATION COMPETITION
Jury: Izabela Plucinska, Carolina López, Martinus Klemet

BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
“Because Today Is Saturday” (Portugal, France, Spain, 2025)
Director: Alice Eça Guimarães

Jury Statement: “A poetic and metaphorical portrait of motherhood, capturing the difficulty of nurturing and trying to keep a creative personal space. The film’s powerful imagery reveals how one role interferes with the other, with the use of original metaphors, no dialogue  and a beautiful rhythm.”

JURY MENTION
“Dog Ear” (Hungary, 2025)
Director: Péter Váczy

Jury Statement: “A tender and deeply felt story that sensitively portrays a troubled boy and his bond with a dog. The characters are crafted with remarkable empathy, allowing the audience to truly inhabit their emotional world.”

BEST CHILDREN’S FILM
“The Drifting Guitar” (France, Switzerland, 2024)
Director: Sophie Roze

Jury Statement: “A beautifully crafted tale about finding home, companionship, and harmony. With expressive design, strong musical work, subtle  humor, and exceptional voice acting, it resonates warmly with audiences of all ages.”

JURY MENTION
“Birds of Paradise” (Poland, France, 2025)
Director: Tomek Ducki

Jury Statement: “For beautiful  artwork  and wonderful animation, in which the world of birds has funny and unusual ideas.”

BEST FILM (NEW TALENTS ANIMATION)
Presented by: PÖFF
“Pear Garden” (Germany, 2024)
Director: Shadab Shayegan

Jury Statement: “A moving work that intertwines a child’s imagination with the reality of cancer. Through a young perspective, the film transforms a difficult subject into a poetic and heartfelt journey.”

JURY MENTION (NEW TALENTS)
“Floating” (Serbia, Croatia, Germany, 2025)
Directors: Jelena Milunović

Jury Statement: “For a beautiful and innovative presentation of a very personal theme, where the mental health issues of parents are expressed through metaphor and poetry.”

PÖFF SHORTS LIVE-ACTION COMPETITION
Jury: Naomi Smith, Gert Põrk, Adrian Barber

BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by: PÖFF
“Something Wild” (Hungary, USA, 2025)
Director: Zsuzsanna Konrad 

Jury Statement: “High-level traditional storytelling uses humour to make the film accessible to all audiences and pushes boundaries in its risk-taking. It presents historical and religious ideas in a way that tricks you into falling for the reality of the story and the characters’ situation.”

JURY MENTION
“Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts” (Canada, Spain. 2025)
Director: Shervin Kermani

Jury Statement: “Echoes of catastrophic moments brought to life in a humorous, brave and creative way. Being both sensitive and light, with great use of location and sound, a real tragedy is brought to life through a fictional interpretation.”

BEST FILM (NEW TALENTS LIVE-ACTION)
Presented by: Tallinn University Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute
“Family Sunday” (Mexico, 2025)
Director: Gerardo Del Razo

Jury Statement: “An impressive film about the fight for protection when your community comes under threat. Engaging throughout, the film presents an insightful perspective into street life, and a hugely detailed glimpse into a confined world.”

JURY MENTION (NEW TALENTS)
“Glitter Kiss” (Lithuania, 2025)
Director: Augustė Gerikaitė

Jury Statement: “Very accomplished, skilled filmmaking that exceeds that of an undergraduate production. A fresh take on a queer story filled with gentle details shows that family can be found even in unexpected strangers.”

PÖFF SHORTS NATIONAL COMPETITION

BEST SHORT FILM
1000€ presented by PÖFF
“Stiina” (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Elisabeth Kužovnik

Jury Statement: “The film shows a touching and convincing story about a mother–daughter relationship. It is excellently executed in a timeless setting.”

JURY MENTION
“Arrhythmia” (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Maria Reinup

Jury Statement: “The film shows an often overlooked dimension of family ties and the challenges of caring for your loved ones when life gets hard. The nuanced depiction of a fragile situation allows us to witness an everyday struggle.”

RADIATOR IP DISTRIBUTION AWARD
“Border” (Estonia, 2025)
Director: Sasha Shprotser

Jury Statement: “Embarking on an 80-kilometer solo journey across a sensitive border, this work reveals remarkable bravery and an intensely personal dedication that goes beyond physical endurance. The filmmaker’s fearless commitment to family and memory transforms a deeply intimate experience into a powerful and unique cinematic statement. Such originality and resolve in both concept and execution make it a truly inspiring achievement.”