Matsalu Nature Film Festival

Text Stewart Johnson
Photo Visit Estonia / Maris Altmann

For 23 years the Matsalu Nature Film Festival has been growing in popularity, with sometimes over 1200 films submitted. This year, from 23–27 September, the film festival will take place in Lihula, followed the next week from 28 September until 4 October in various other locations throughout Estonia. Nature documentaries are the name of the game, and the films will be from Estonia and around the world. There will also be several side programmes focusing on educational workshops and photography, as well as a concert by a major Estonian artist.

Bees, birds, the muskox, deer, tigers, hippos, penguins, primates, and even Estonians–kidding about that part—will be only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the incredibly broad selection of films being shown at the Matsalu Nature Film Festival. Many of these films have been directed by some of the currently most famous nature film directors from around the world, and the most promising up-and-coming directors.

The Matsalu Nature Film Festival, or MAFF, offers its top prize of the MAFF Egg. Work on these unique awards begins in the spring, as it’s a painstaking process, guaranteeing that the winners of the MAFF Eggs have produced a truly beautiful work of art in their film. Other prizes include Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and so on. The jury will consist of reputable judges from Estonia and Finland, as well as Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

In addition to nature films, there will be five photography exhibitions, and several nature workshops open to students of all ages. Other events naturally include an opening ceremony, lectures, and a concert by Estonia’s very own NÖEP.

The full programme is available here. This includes individual films, screening times and locations, and the entire list of side events, as well as the following week’s programme.

To learn more about this and similar topics
Documentary events in Lihula Film Festival MAFF Matsalu Nature Film Festival nature documentary