About Us
Our History

Pärnu International Documentary and Science Film Festival, in short – Pärnu Film Festival – was originally named Pärnu Visual Anthropology Festival.
Born from Lennart Meri’s idea in 1987 the Pärnu International Documentary and Science Film Festival is the oldest of its kind in the Baltic countries and is about to happen for the 34th time in 2020.
Since its birth, one of the main themes of the festival has been the survival of indigenous peoples and their cultures. The screening program also includes audiovisual interpretations of contemporary society, portraits of fascinating people and human relations, as well as films on music and art. Children and youth have always been included, both at workshops and as viewers of the films for our youngest.
As of 2020, to highlight the importance of scientific research on various issues as well as the importance of allowing the scientists to be heard, we will screen a special subprogram of science films that are of high value artistically.
Main subjects of the festival are: Human Interest, Social Issues, Art and Music, Survival of Indigenous Cultures, Scientific Research, Docs for Kids and many more.
Since 1999, a separate competition has been held for films that will be broadcasted on Estonian Television (Estonian People’s Award). Next to awards given by the international jury there is always the competitive program on TV for the people to vote. In cooperation with the Estonian Television we show thought provoking and fascinating docs to the whole of Estonia and everyone is welcome to vote for their favourite worthy of the Estonian People´s Award. The beautiful woven blanket of West Estonian pattern will be placed on the shoulders of the filmmaker whose work will get the highest number of votes.
History In Pictures

Boat trip to Manija Island in 1987, with Asen Balikci in the center. Guests of the First Film Festival conquering Manija Island in 1987. Lennart Meri ja Mark Soosaar wrapping winner of the first festival, Asen Balikci, in the Grand Prize - an authentic Estonian ethnographic blanket, in 1987. In 1988, the II festival took place and the winner Jon Jerstad (Norway) takes winner of the first festival - Asen Balikci (Canada) - into his new blanket. Heimo Lappalainen (Finland) won the Grand Prize for his TAIGA NOMADS in 1993. Kersti Uibo (Estonia/UK) took her blanket to London after receiving Estonian People's Award with the film EDVARD'S ACRE in 1995. Wen Pu Lin (China) won the Grand Prize of our festival in 2000 with essay-type documentary IN SEARCH OF SHANGRI-LA . Agnes Varda (France) received the Estonian People's Award of 2001 for her documentary CLEANERS AND I in Estonian embassy in Paris.
Maciej Adamek (Poland) with I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU and Ulrika Bengts (Finland) with NOW YOU ARE HAMLET won the Grand Prix. Both received the red hand-woven Estonian blanket in 2003. In 2003 Estonian People's Award was received by Nicolas Philibert (France) for the film TO BE AND TO HAVE. Johan Palmgren (Sweden) earned the title of best film of the festival with his love story EBBA AND TORGNY. Lars Westman (Denmark) with wonderful film DO YOU LOVE ME? won the Estonian People's Award in 2005. Kazuyo Minamide (Japan) was awarded for the best scientific documentation for her film CIRCUMCISION IN TRANSITION in 2006. Yoram Honig (Israel) was the winner of the Estonian People's Award in 2007, with dramatic documentary FIRST LESSON OF PEACE. Andrzey Dybcak (Poland) received prize in 2008 for the best artistic achievement with his film GUGARA. In 2009, the prize for the best environmental film was received by the director of TOXIC PLAYGROUND, film maker William Johansson (Sweden) and shared the award with his co-author Lars Edman. In 2010, the best Estonian film OLD MAN AND THE MOOSE was created by Joosep Matjus. Mika Hotakainen (Finland) received the Grand Prize of the festival for his and Joonas Berghäll's documentary STEAM OF LIFE. The Grand Prize of 2011 for the best artistic achievement was received by Jerzy Sladkowski (Sweden), author of VODKA FACTORY. The prize was shared with TEACHER IRENA by Itamar Chen (Israel). Swedish film makers Håkan Pienikowski and Kåge Jonsson won the Estonian People's Award with the film ONCE THERE WAS LOVE. The blanket was large enough to heat two men together. Hanna Polak (Poola) võitis 2015.aasta Eesti Rahva Auhinna filmiga "Midagi paremat on tulekul" Hanna Polak (Poland) won the Estonian People's Award for her doc SOMETHING BETTER TO COME in 2015. Knutte Wester (Sweden) was a winner of the Estonian People's Award in 2017, for his documentary animation A BASTARD CHILD Main character dr. Erik Erichsen of the film THE REBEL SURGEON by Erik Gandini (Sweden), received Estonian People's Award in 2018.
AWARDS OF THE PÄRNU FILM FESTIVAL

Winners of the GRAND PRIZE – the best film of the festival:
2019 – SUMMA by Andrei Kutsila (Belarus/Poland)
2018 – OF FATHERS AND SONS by Talal Derki (Germany/Syria/Lebanon/Qatar)
2017 – DEAD WHEN I GOT HERE by Mark Aitken (Mexico/UK)
2016 – WEDDING: A FILM by Mohammadreza Farzad (Iran)
2015 – THOSE WHO FEEL THE FIRE BURNING by Morgan Knibbe (The Netherlands)
2014 – RAMIN by Audrius Stonys (Latvia)
2013 – THE LAST STATION by Cristian Soto and Catalina Vergara (Chili)
2012 – WITH FIDEL WHATEVER HAPPENS by Goran Radovanovic (Serbia)
2011 – TEACHER IRENA by Itamar Chen (Israel);
VODKA FACTORY by Jerzy Skladkowski (Sweden);
2010 – STEAM OF LIFE by Joonas Berghäll and Mika Hotakainen (Finland);
2009 – LEFT BEHIND by Fabian Daub and Andreas Gräfenstein (Germany);
2008 – GUGARA by Andrzej Dybczak and Jacek Naglowski (Poland);
2007 – THE SEEDS by Wojsiech Kasperski (Poland);
2006 – BEFORE FLYING TO THE EARTH by Arunas Matelis (Lithuania);
2005 – THE 3 ROOMS OF MELANCHOLIA by Pirjo Honkasalo (Finland);
2004 – EBBA AND TORGNY by Johan Palmgren (Sweden);
2003 – NOW YOU ARE HAMLET by Ulrika Bengts (Finland);
2002 – I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU UNTIL I DIE by Maciej Adamek (Poland);
2001 – KUSUM by Jouko Aaltonen (Finland);
2000 – IN SEARCH OF SHANGRI-LA by Wen Pu Lin (China);
1999 – THE ARTIST’S LIFE by Lasse Naukkarinen (Finland);
1998 – GAIA’S CHILDREN by Bente Milton (Denmark);
1997 – PORTAL TO PEACE by Thomas Stenderup (Denmark);
1996 – PARADISE by Sergei Dvortsevoy (Russia);
1995 – EVALD’S ACRE by Kersti Uibo (Estonia/UK);
1994 – LIVING ON THE AGANO RIVER by Makoto Sato (Japan);
1993 – TAIGA NOMADS by Heimo Lappalainen (Finland);
1992 – A VISIT by Kari Happonen (Finland);
1991 – THE ALLOTMENT GARDEN by Lise Roos (Denmark);
1990 – SONG OF HARMONICS by Hugo Zemp (France);
1989 – CROSS-STREET by Ivars Seleckis (Latvia);
1988 – VIDAROSEN by Jon Jerstad (Norway);
1987 – WINTER IN ICE CAMP by Asen Balikci (Canada).
Winners of the Estonian People’s Awards:
2019 – BUDDY by Heddy Honigmann (The Netherlands)
2018 – REBEL SURGEON by Erik Gandini (Sweden)
2017 – A BASTARD CHILD by Knutte Wester (Sweden)
2016 – MUSSA by Anat Goren (Israel)
2015 – SOMETHING BETTER TO COME by Hanna Polak (Denmark)
2014 – MERCY MERCY by Katrine Riis Kjaer (Denmark)
2013 – ROMAN POLANSKI: A FILM MEMOIRE by Laurent Bouzereau (Switzerland)
2012 – ONCE THERE WAS LOVE by Kage Jonsson and Hakan Pieniowski (Sweden)
2011 – VILLAGE WITHOUT WOMEN by Srdjan Sarenac (Serbia);
2010 – A GOOD MAN by Safina Uberoi (Australia);
2009 – FLYING WITH ONE ENGINE by Josuha Weinstein (USA);
2008 – MOTHER by Antoine Cattin (France) and Pavel Kostomarov (Russia);
2007 – FIRST LESSON IN PEACE by Yoram Honig (Israel);
2006 – THE DEVIL’S MINER by Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson (Germany);
2005 – DO YOU LOVE ME? by Lars Westman (Sweden);
2004 – MY FLESH AND BLOOD by Jonathan Karsh (USA);
2003 – TO BE AND TO HAVE by Nicolas Philibert (France);
2002 – NARROW IS THE GATE by Kersti Uibo (Estonia/UK);
2001 – CLEANERS AND I by Agnes Varda (France);
2000 – GRANDFATHERS AND REVOLUTIONS by Peter Hegedus (Australia);
1999 – SALTMEN OF TIBET by Ulrike Koch (Switzerland).

On the photo: Ville Niemi (on the left), author of ″World´s Fire″, one of the two Best Student Docs and Paul-Andres Simma, winner of the Estonian People´s Award for his film ″My Dear Mother″
Winners of the 34th Pärnu Film Festival
NATIONWIDE COMPETITION ON ESTONIAN TELEVISION
Theme: Human Rights Naked
MY DEAR MOTHER by Paul-Anders Simma (Finland)
The Estonian People´s Award as voted by the TV-audience
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
ANIMAL IMAGE by Perttu Saksa (Finland)
Grand Prize of the festival as the best artistic achievement
THEN COMES THE EVENING by Maja Novaković (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Special Mention of the International Jury
THE TOUGH by Marcin Polar (Poland)
Best Short Doc in the category of Between Life and Death
PRIPYAT PIANO by Eliška Cílková (Czech Republic)
Special mention in the category of Between Life and Death
Members of the International Jury:
Andrei Kutsila
Jaan Tootsen
Kersti Uibo
Liis Nimik
Lukas Berger
Mário Gajo de Carvalho
Mark Aitken
COMPETITION FOR THE BEST ART DOCUMENTARY
ASAK by Mahdi Zamanpour Kiasari (Iran)
Best Art Doc
Members of the Jury from the Estonian Art Museum KUMU:
Mare Pedanik
Sirje Helme
Eda Tuulberg
COMPETITION FOR THE BEST SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTARY
WHAT IF BABEL WAS JUST A MYTH? by Sandrine Loncke (France)
Members of the Jury:
Kira Jääskeläinen
Garri Raagmaa
Karl Pajusalu
COMPETITION FOR THE BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY
WORLD’S FIRE by Ville Niemi (Finland)
FUCK, IT’S BIOLOGY by Veronica Andersson (Sweden/Poland)
Best Doc by Student (both)
As voted by the students of Baltic Film and Media School