Student films awarded at BOB Gala
On June 12, the twelfth Best of BFM student film festival awards gala took place, celebrating the end of the academic year and recognizing the work of talented students of the Baltic Film, Media and Arts Institute (BFM).
The gala evening saw awards in 15 different categories. The BOB statue was awarded to outstanding works in the documentary, short, feature and dance film genres, as well as commercials, music videos, cross-media projects and creative bombs.
The film “The Last Spring” was the favorite of the evening with eight nominations, receiving awards in the categories of best cinematographer, cinematographer and supporting actor. The award for best film went to “Come Sit With Us”. “It was a little different, such an unexpected but original work”, commented PÖFF director and creator Tiina Lokk. In the opinion of the film’s producer Lennart Mathias Männik, the film’s charm lies in its simplicity. “I think it won because we never thought we were making the best film. We made the film that we like the most,” he said.
The Best of BFM festival (BOB) took place over two weeks, during which the audience had the opportunity to see the students' fresh work both in cinemas and on online platforms. The jury consisted of film professionals who assessed the works on originality, technical execution and artistic value.
According to jury member, choreographer and poet Sveta Grigorjeva, young artists have an important role in society and the cultural landscape: “The role of young people is to drive people crazy in a way. The role of young people is not to imitate anyone. The role of young people is to kick down the door and establish themselves. Their role is to show what their own interests, problems and what they want to see in the world are. That’s what young people do. To come, to be and to be stubborn.” She added: “I am always surprised by how high-quality BOB films are and how different they are. I see this stubbornness in young people now. Don’t lose it.”
The 2025 Best of BFM winners are:
Best Screenplay
"Mehe tegu" / "Noble Act", Marian Vridolin
Best Artist
"Viimane kevad" / "Last Spring", Krislyn Cassandra Laamann
Best Cinematographer
"Viimane kevad" / "Last Spring", Siim Volkmann
Best Editor
"Mis teeb rõõmsaks?" / "Happy Things", Krõõt Kaldre
Best Sound Director
"Ära ole uhke" / "Come Sit With Us", Timo Kiirend
Best Choreography
“Tsentrifugaaljõud” / "Centrifugal" - tiimiauhind
CreativeBOMB
"PIIR" / "BORDER", Aleksandra Šprotser
Best advertisment
"Freudian Flip"
Best Music Video
Pearly Drops - "Lost in The Dark"
Best Director
"Kivi südamel" / "Heart of Stone", Greta Liht
Best Actress
"Kivi südamel" / "Heart of Stone", Alice Siil
Best Actor in Supportive Role
"Viimane kevad"/ "Last Spring", Aleksandr Ivaškevitš
Best TV feature
"Õpetajate kiusamine lastevanemate poolt" / "Parents Bullying Teachers"
Best Documentary
"Kas ma olen piisavalt ukrainlane?" / "Am I Ukrainian Enough?"
The Best Movie
"Ära ole uhke" / "Come Sit With Us"
The recording of Bob Gala 2025 can be viewed on the Youtube channel: