Meet the Estonian Folklore Characters Helping to Celebrate the 30th Tallinn Fest – and Their Animator
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) has commissioned its first festival-wide visual identity for its 30th anniversary, turning to Estonian cartoonist and animation filmmaker Priit Pärn. His design features the Kilplased, comic figures from Estonian folklore, bringing the festival’s cinema celebration together with a distinctly local artistic tradition.
Pärn said he chose the characters because they had never promoted a film festival or been shown making one, and the idea took him about five minutes. He has depicted the Kilplased since 1974 in films, comics and illustrations. The characters will appear across the festival’s advertisements, decorations and other visuals; the festival runs from 6 to 22 November.
In short
- Priit Pärn created PÖFF’s first festival-wide visual identity.
- The design features the folkloric Kilplased making a film.
- The 30th Tallinn festival runs from 6 to 22 November.
Explained simply
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, known as PÖFF, is an annual film festival held in Estonia’s capital. Its 30th edition is due to run from 6 to 22 November.
The Kilplased are comic figures from Estonian folklore, and cartoonist and animation filmmaker Priit Pärn has depicted them since 1974. Their use across festival advertising and decorations connects a major cinema event with a longstanding strand of Estonian storytelling and art.