Welcome to the XL Pärnu Film Festival!
Submissions for the 2026 festival are now open!
Our 40th International Documentary and Science Film Festival will take place on October 5–18, 2026 in Pärnu and on air of Estonian Television, followed October 12–18, 2025 in other locations of Estonia.
The awarded docs will be screened at the Estonian Art Museum in Tallinn as well as at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu.
We await submissions from all over the world. In the year 2026, our special focus will be on indigenous peoples and their disappearing cultures.
Early submission’s entry fee is 10 euros up to May 1, 2026. Late submission’s entry fee from May 2 to July 1, 2026 is 20 euros.
The selection committee will announce their decision latest by August 1, 2026.
We hope to compose a powerful program of docs of high artistic and scientific quality.
From the very beginning, our focus has been on folk arts, disappearing cultures as well as future of young people. In the time of bloody wars, we seek docs with messages for a peaceful world.
Awards of the XXXIX
Pärnu Film Festival are delivered!
Awards 2025:
Estonian People’s Award
The winner was chosen as a result of voting on the phone.
The award is an ethnographic blanket embroidered by Riina Pull.
Votes in the cultural portal of Estonian National Broadcasting resulted in the documentary
WHERE WE USED TO SLEEP by Matthäus Wörle, Germany, Romania.
The award is an ethnographic blanket embroidered by Riina Pull.
The Best Artistic Achievement
The winner was chosen by a jury formed of Ukrainian film makers: Olga Semak, Lesia Diak, Marina Shkarupa.
The award is an ethnographic blanket embroidered by Riina Pull.
The Best Film on Survival of Indigenous Peoples
The winner was chosen by a jury of Estonian National Museum: Pille Runnel, Karin Leivategija, Maido Selgmäe.
The award is an ethnographic blanket embroidered by Riina Pull.
Special Award of the Festival for creation of an audiovisual document:
The Best Science Film
The winner was chosen by doctors of Pärnu Hospital.
Special Award of the Festival for treatment of mental health problems:
The Best Student Doc
The winner was chosen by the students of Pärnu Sütevaka High School.
Special Award of the Festival:
In the project “Discover Filmmaker in Yourself“, supported by the Cultural Endowment, the jury had to evaluate 6 mature short films.
The jury – Kersti Uibo, Mirjam Matiisen, Sulev Keedus, Jaak Elling – decided:
2. Start up award:
TWO-FACETED WORLD by Olivia Moorits
TILLU, THE KID by Martin Ojala
ON AN ISLAND 2025 by Mirel Kallas
THE DAY OF LEVIS by Selina Lebin
MANIJA by Miia Mairi Nilsson
AWARD CEREMONY of the XXXIX PFF
From left: Veronica Castro, author of the film YUPUMA; Kalju Sapas, the main character of the film TORN; and Petra and Peter Lataster, authors of the film ALL IS WELL.
YUPUMA by Verónica Castro & Kawá Huni Kuin, BraziL
Sütevaka Humanitaargümnaasiumi õpilased valivad parimat tudengifilmi
Boalândia by Patrik Thomas, Mathias Reitz Zausinger Brazil, Germany
Winners of the XXXVIII Pärnu Film Festival
Awards of XXXVIII Pärnu Film Festival 2024.
DEMIURGE
by Olga Semak, Ukraine
Estonian People’s Award
Voted by the audience of Estonian Television
The prize was ethnographic blanket weaved by Christi Kütt
PLAY DEAD!
By Matthew Lancit, France, Portugal, Canada
with GRAND PRIZE of the festival
as the best artistic achievement
The winner was chosen by a five-member jury consisting of Anna Hints, Marina Shkarupa,
Tushar Prakash, Dane Dodds, Silvia Lotman
The prize was ethnographic blanket weaved by Christi Kütt
BON VOYAGE
by Karine Birgé, Belgium
Special mention of the festival jury in the category of best artistic achievement
THE DAIRY GARDEN
by Marc Weymuller, France
Special mention of the festival jury in the category of best artistic achievement
WE WANT TO LIVE HERE
by Aleksandrina Turcan, Ukraine
The best doc for youth
The decision of the jury of the students of Sütevaka Humanitarian High School
The prize was a carpet embroidered by Riina Pull
CYBORG
by Carey Born
United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, USA
The best science film
The winner was chosen by the jury of the Estonian Academy of Young Scientists
The prize was a carpet embroidered by Riina Pull
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MY DAD
by Marta Kovářová
Czech Republic, Slovakia
Special mention of the jury of the Estonian Academy of Young Scientists as the best portrait of a scientist
ROMAN TOI BEAUTIFUL SONGS
by Kalli Paakspuu
Canada
Special mention for brilliant recording of Estonian music history
CONGRATULATIONS!!!