Folklore Trolls: 30th Tallinn Film Festival Unveils First Visual Identity

Estonian moviegoers attending the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival will encounter a new set of characters on billboards and decorations starting Nov. 6. For the first time in its history, PÖFF has adopted a permanent visual identity, replacing previous ad-hoc designs with a consistent theme based on national folklore.

The festival runs from Nov. 6 to 22 in Tallinn. The new branding features the Kilplased, a group of foolish yet resourceful figures from Estonian legend. The artwork depicts these characters engaged in filmmaking activities. The design aims to be visually distinct and artistically ambitious while showcasing local talent.

PÖFF commissioned the design from Priit Pärn, an 80-year-old animator and cartoonist. The collaboration was executed with the creative agency AD Angels. Maria Plees, the festival’s head of marketing, stated that the goal was to enter the next decade with a fresh perspective and create new traditions. The agency had a list of leading Estonian artists but approached Pärn first.

Pärn has depicted the Kilplased since 1974. He worked on Rein Raamat’s animated film of the same name and published comic books and illustrated volumes featuring the characters. When asked why he chose them, Pärn noted that the Kilplased had never promoted a film festival or been seen making a movie before. He explained that when a large group of Kilplased sets out together, failure is out of the question.

The animator revealed the design on his 80th birthday. He said the decision to use the characters took about five minutes. Pärn described the process as finding the opposite of a standard poster, which he identified as wallpaper. He brought his wife, Olga, to the initial meeting with the agency. She served as a technical expert and contributed to the poster creation.

The visual identity will appear across advertisements and physical decorations for the event. PÖFF said the initiative seeks to bring cinema into dialogue with other art forms and introduce Estonian artists to international audiences. The characters in the artwork are shown in a flurry of activity, creating a film about themselves.