The 128-square-meter outside screen set up in front of Tartu's town hall (Tartu raekoda) on Monday heralded the start of the Tartuff film festival.

Tartuff is organized under the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) umbrella, and the screen is, albeit temporarily, Estonia's largest open-air cinema, and can seat around a thousand.

The festival kicked off with the screening of Greek director Yorgos Zois' "Arcadia," followed by the highlight of the evening, Sander Maran's musical horror comedy "Mootorsaed laulsid" (English: "The Chainsaws Were Singing").

The latter offering was introduced by its creators Kaur and Peeter Maran, Jan Andresson, Janno Puusepp, Elsa Levo, Kadri Kuusler, and Ra Ragnar and Henryk Johan Novod.

Despite the rainy weather in Tartu, the movie showings attracted nearly a thousand viewers.

A special photo wall was also created by Tartu artist Stina Leek, which attendees were invited to decorate as they saw fit.

Tartuff continues Wednesday with two showings at 10 p.m. and at midnight with the screening of movies from Brazilian director Marcelo Gomes and Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky.

All festival screenings are free of charge to the audience.

The 19th Tartu Love Film Festival Tartuff runs until August 10.

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