'Ulya' to open Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

TALLINN - The opening film of the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (POFF) will be "Ulya," which will kick off the festival's Baltic focus.

The biographical drama by Latvian director Viesturs Kairiss received a seven-minute standing ovation at its premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The film, which is breaking box-office records in Latvia and has been submitted for an Oscar, will now be screened for an Estonian audience for the first time at the POFF opening ceremony on November 6 at the Alexela Concert Hall.

The story is set in 1964 in the Latvian Old Believers' village of Paberzi. 14-year-old Ulya is a girl just like any other, except for one thing: she is already two meters tall, still growing, and constantly ridiculed for her height. The film explores whether Ulya's extraordinary stature is a curse or a blessing, and at what cost.

This emotional story of self-discovery is inspired by the life of Uljana Semjonova, once the world's best female basketball player, and features significant Estonian contribution to its production.

The film's co-producers include Pille Runk and the studio Allfilm, with Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman as co-screenwriters. The music was composed by the band Puuluup, with sound design by Siim Skepast and makeup by Liisi Pollumaa.

The title role is played by Latvian actor Karlis Arnolds Avots, for whom the part is a dream come true. He is also the author of the film's idea and original screenplay. Avots won the Best Actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival for his portrayal of the Latvian basketball legend.

Semjonova, who passed away in January, was a two-time Olympic champion, a three-time world champion, and a ten-time European champion. For nearly her entire career, she played for the legendary Latvian women's basketball team TTT Riga, winning the Soviet Union championship 15 times. She was also named Latvian Athlete of the Year 12 times.

The screening of "Ulya" also marks the beginning of this year's POFF focus program, which is dedicated to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The three countries will also be united at the POFF opening ceremony with the premiere of "Round and Round," a production created for the anniversary festival that looks back on the past three decades. Three pianists - Hans Matthias Kari from Estonia, Karlis Gusts Zarins from Latvia, and Gabriele Agile Bajoraite from Lithuania - will perform film scores from their respective countries on three pianos.

The Black Nights Film Festival will run from November 6 to 22.