United Kingdom
Laurence Boyce was born in Leeds, UK and began his career in 1999 at the Leeds International Film Festival. He relocated to Tallinn, Estonia in 2010 and works for the Black Nights Film Festival and is the head of Programme (Live Action) for PÖFF Shorts, the short film section of the festival. He is also an award-winning film journalist who writes for numerous publications which, internationally, include Screen International and Cineuropa as well as national publications such as Eesti Ekspress and Sirp
He is a member of FIPRESCI, the London Critics Circle, the Estonian Filmmaker's Union, the European Film Academy and BAFTA. He is currently the chairperson of the board of the Short Film Conference, a network of short film organisations from across the globe. He still lives in Tallinn, with his partner and three children who he hopes will be part of a next generation of genre fans.
Estonia
Anna Hints is an Estonian film director with a background in contemporary art and experimental folk music. Anna’s debut feature documentary “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” won the Directing Award in the World Cinema Documentary Competition programme at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023. It also brought Anna the prestigious Audentia Award that is given once a year to a female director by Eurimages. “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” was the Estonian National Entry at the 96th Academy Awards and won the European Film Award for Best Documentary. It has so far won 27 awards and jury Special Mentions and has been sold to 33 territories worldwide. “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” was nominated for the LUX European Audience Film Award, the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best First Feature Documentary, the Cinema Eye Honors in 4 categories, the PGA Award for Outstanding Producing of Documentary Motion Picture and won Best Cinematography at the IDA Awards and at Cinema Eye Honors.
Anna is a member of the electronic-folk trio EETER, which scored the feature documentary “The Wind Sculpted Land” (nomination in the Best Film Music category at the Estonian Film and TV Awards 2018). EETER also collaborated with Icelandic composer Eðvarð Egilsson on “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”.
Since 2019, Hints has been collaborating with Tushar Prakash, an Indian-born filmmaker who has produced the short films “Weight of Light” (Grand Prix of the PÖFF Shorts national competition) and “Sauna Day” (selected for many prestigious film festivals such as Cannes Critics' Week, TIFF Toronto, Clermont-Ferrand, Tampere) and the short documentary “An Estonian Man” (2024).
From 2022, Anna Hints has been studying working with actors and text at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Estonia
Katrin Sangla is a make-up artist with 32 years of experience who studied in the USA in Orlando and Hollywood (TV, film, advertising, photography) and whose creative contribution has enriched the Estonian media landscape. She has worked with top international artists on commercials, music videos and film series. She has also served as an international judge at the European Beauty Awards. She has written a book on make-up, trained hundreds of make-up artists in her studio and taught make-up as an elective for fashion students at the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Estonia
Hardi Volmer (1957) is a film director, artist and musician. He graduated from the Estonian Art Institute as a stage and theatre designer. Since 1984, he has directed and designed numerous animated and puppet films and has made stage solutions for more than 50 Estonian theatre performances. He has also directed four feature films and is the frontman in the punk rock group Singer Vinger.
Veiko is an Estonian science fiction writer, children’s author, poet, translator, and hobby photographer. In 1991, he graduated in forestry from the Estonian Academy of Agriculture. Since 2000, he has been a teacher at Luua Forestry School. He has written seven science fiction books, seven poetry collections, and two children’s books. Since 2015, Veiko has been the President of the Estonian Science Fiction Association. He has won the annual Estonian Science Fiction Award, Stalker, nine times.
Ene is a writer, Saaremaa native and now Tallinn-dweller. She has worked as a librarian, teacher, and journalist. She studied information science, theology, and multimedia design. She is currently the editor of the newspaper Postimees. She reads and writes science fiction and poetry. She has published four poetry collections, and her stories and poems have also been in various anthologies. She respects darker tones in music, films, games, and literature. And enjoys swimming.
Jüri is an Estonian sci-fi literature expert, translator, publisher and editor. He has previously been the director of the Estonian Sci-Fi Association, and the the editor for Elmatar and Fantaasia. He works for the sci-fi magazine Reaktor, and is currently compiling a bibliography for Estonian sci-fi. Kallas’ interests also venture into music and films.
Kalver is a film fan who spends much of his free time watching and (occasionally) writing about movies of all genres and ages. A big fan of Tartu Elektriteater and a curator of their horror film special “Õõvarõõm” (“Joy of Horror”). Author of a book about genre movies “Karta pole vaja” (“No need to be afraid”).
I consider myself to be an avid film fan, and I’ve been fascinated by fantasy and horror films since I was a child. I especially love when a film evokes strong emotions full of nerve-racking suspense. I’m interested in videography and cinematography, and I’m always looking for exciting shots and innovative solutions in films. I also appreciate unpredictable plots and believable acting.
I’m a pretty big film buff, and I tend to gravitate towards art and absurdist films, which are works of art in themselves – they tend to haunt me for days after I’ve seen them. When it comes to horror films, I think the most important thing is the relationship between psychological impact and audiovisual quality. When evaluating films, I tend to analyse the believability of the characters, the cinematography and the editing. I also have some acting experience, so I really appreciate the hard work of the actors.
I enjoy films regardless of genre, whether it’s a documentary or a timeless classic, I’m always up for it! A good film has unpredictable twists and turns. It is important that the film speaks to the viewer, offers new discoveries and food for thought. In horror films, I appreciate the suspense and the sense of dread that comes with not knowing; gratuitous brutal kills are not my cup of tea. If a film is based on real events, that’s like the icing on the cake. In short, I am a critical but tolerant film lover!
Watching films is one of my favourite things to do. When I do it, I feel that I can both broaden my horizons and have time to myself at the same time. I enjoy watching psychological thrillers the most, because even in a fast-paced world, they immediately grab your attention. The more films I watch, the more I appreciate original and distinctive films, which fortunately HÕFF always has
I love horror and fantasy films because they take me away from everyday life and open doors to new, mind-altering worlds. In horror films, I like the thrill and the adrenaline rush. Fantasy films captivate me with their rich imagination and enchanting settings where anything is possible. As a filmgoer, I am looking for thrills and I am emotionally involved – I like it when a film makes you think, feel or even frightens you a little.