"The recent environmental awareness survey found that in times of crisis, environmental issues receive less attention than in the past, but I remind you that we have already exhausted the year's natural resources by the end of July [details here: Earth Overshoot Day 2022]; we are far behind schedule," Taimar Ala, the director of the Estonian Environment Agency, said.

"There is no place on Earth where human activity has not had an impact in some way," he added.

"I agree with the scientists who say that we need to invest in environmental awareness. The planet does not need us, but we do need a habitable planet," Ala said.

"When I started working with the film festival, I said it then, and I'll say it again: 'If we can persuade people to make ecologically conscientious decisions through film, we will all win.'"

This year's special program of environmental films features five timely nature documenting on the consequences of human activity on the environment around the world:

Just Animals (Finland), directed by Vesa Kuosmanen and Saila Kivela, is about a young woman, Saila, who openly admitted to being a member of an activist group that secretly filmed hundreds of animal farms. Saila spends years of her youth engaged in a legal struggle in which the prosecutor seeks a prison sentence for her and the farmers demand extreme compensation.

"All That Breathes" (India-UK), directed by Shaunak Sen, examines the relationship between black kites and the Muslim brothers who help them in returning to the skies. New Delhi's ecosystem relies on the black kite, which has been falling from the sky at alarming rates.

"Matter Out of Place" (Austria), directed by Nikolaus Geyrhalter, explores the footprints of human waste across the earth and shows the struggle of humans to gain control over the massive quantities of trash.

Ivalo Frank's "The Last Human" (Denmark and Greenland) is a tribute to director's vast and scenic homeland. The finding of the first life by scientist Minik Rosing that predates all previous traces of life by over 300 million years, is entwined with the scenery of melting ice masses that, if allowed to continue, threaten to drown our civilization.

"A Taste of Whale" (France), directed by Vincent Kelner tells a story annual tradition, where pilot whales are hunted in masses in the fjords of the Faroe Islands. Film invites the audience to bear witness to the "Grind" and confront a practice that is commonly accepted.

Visit the PÖFF website for more information about the films and screening times. Films screened as part of the special program will be introduced by Environment Agency experts.

The Tallinn Dark Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) takes place from November 11 to 27. 

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