It's straightforward enough for Estonia's feature-length films. Most of them are shown in movie theaters, with the bigger ones reaching multiplex theaters and smaller documentaries circulating in smaller theaters, but it's made easy enough for the average moviegoer to access these. Some documentaries even skip the big screen altogether and go straight to TV – which is equally understandable, given that documentary box office numbers are what they are.

Moviegoers likely don't give this much thought, but films don't end with feature-length ones. Alongside them is a bounteous sea of short films, though they're no longer as easy to access.

It's not that these films are bad – far from it. Estonian animations and short films alike travel all over the world, are screened at top festivals and even win awards. Unfortunately, we still lack a good format for presenting these films to local audiences. You could organize a premiere for select people, and occasionally arrange special screenings, but you still aren't going to do a wide theatrical distribution for a 15- to 20-minute film. It's hardly likely anyone would be willing to pay full ticket prices for just 20 minutes [of film]. Sad, but that's how it is.

For two weeks, however, PÖFF tears down these inevitable barriers. On top of showcasing several new feature-length films – including the Estonian premieres of Meel Pailale's "Rolling Papers" and Monika Siimets' "The Black Hole," which won't see wide release until next year – PÖFF will also be screening the short films people have been talking about all year.

For the first time, domestic audiences will be able to catch Anu-Laura Tuttelberg's porcelain doll animated short "On Weary Wings Go By," Madli Lääne's "Jungle Law" as well as Anna Hints' "Sauna Day," a short film that's something between a documentary and fiction and premiered at Tampere Film Festival earlier this year. Also making their Estonian premieres will be Priit and Olga Pärn's "Luna Rossa" and Martinus Klemet's "Yummy," both of which have already made waves around the world.

There are, of course, many more names that deserve a mention, but what's important is to dive into the PÖFF program, and not forget the local films that can really shine amid all those festival hits and feature-length competition programs. Film enthusiasts should take full advantage of this opportunity, because many of these shorts will likely never see a public screening like this again after PÖFF. At best, they might appear on TV months or maybe even a year from now.

Happy PÖFF, everyone! Once again, there's so much to choose from. If only we could somehow hit pause on our lives and work to have more time to watch films.

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