Tallinn Festival Premieres Documentary on Its Own Official Photographer

A documentary about Erlend Štaub, the official photographer of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, has had its world premiere in the festival's Special Screenings programme. A world premiere is the first public screening of a film anywhere.

The film is called 'A Photographer in Cannes'. Its original title is 'Un photographe à Cannes', and its Estonian title is 'Fotograaf Cannes'is'. It is an Estonian film, directed by the cinematographer Kullar Vilmne, who wrote it with the editor Erik Norkroos. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it follows Štaub on the red carpet and behind the scenes at Cannes, and it includes a moment with the model Bella Hadid. Štaub has attended the Cannes Film Festival for 15 years in a row.

The subject is a familiar face at Tallinn, too. He has served as the festival's official photographer for several years, so the film turns the camera on the person who usually records other people's arrivals and premieres.

The premiere comes during the 30th edition of the festival, which runs from 6 to 22 November 2026. The festival has been based at Telliskivi Creative City in Tallinn since 2009. Its opening night took place at the Alexela Concert Hall in Tallinn. On the opening day, 32 films were screened in cinemas across Tallinn and Tartu.

The opening ceremony also handed out awards. The Bruno O'Ya Scholarship for Young Film Actors went to Jarmo Reha. Lifetime Achievement Awards went to three film-makers: Priit Pärn, an Estonian animation director; Sven Grünberg, an Estonian film composer; and Hilmar Oddsson, an Icelandic film-maker.

For a festival audience, the appeal of a documentary like this is simple. It shows the long days behind a single photograph, and the people who make a red carpet look effortless. The festival continues until 22 November, with screenings in Tallinn and Tartu.