Alpha Violet’s Tallinn Film Fest: ’18 Holes’ & More

Paris-based sales boutique Alpha Violet is set to make a significant impact at the upcoming Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), securing worldwide distribution rights for two distinct features that will premiere in competition. These acquisitions, João Nuno Pinto’s Portuguese drama ’18 Holes to Paradise’ and Alexander Murphy’s French-Nepalese documentary ‘Goodbye Sisters,’ highlight Alpha Violet’s commitment to auteur-driven cinema that tackles urgent social and environmental themes. The festival, running from November 7-23, will serve as a global platform for these compelling narratives, showcasing diverse voices and perspectives from different corners of the world.

’18 Holes to Paradise’: A Portuguese Drama of Division and Drought

One of the leading contenders for Tallinn’s main Grand Prix is ’18 Holes to Paradise,’ a new film from acclaimed Portuguese filmmaker João Nuno Pinto. Pinto, a New York Film Academy graduate, is recognized for his previous works including his debut ‘America’ (2010) and ‘Mosquito,’ which opened the Rotterdam Festival in 2020, as well as the crime series ‘Natural Law’. This latest drama, penned by Fernanda Polacow, who also wrote ‘Mosquito,’ delves into a fractured society grappling with environmental and social upheaval.

The film is set at a drought-stricken Portuguese country home, where landowners and staff recount the same events from irreconcilable perspectives, thereby revealing a world on the brink of collapse. The narrative unfolds as a massive forest fire engulfs the property, triggering internal social crises that bring the land workers into the conversation. Pinto describes the film as born from the experience of witnessing Portugal “dry out and be sold cheap,” aiming to portray a “beautiful and decadent country side property and its three siblings who can’t agree on its future: to sell or not to sell”. The cast features notable actors such as Margarida Marinho, Beatriz Batarda, Rita Cabaço, and Jorge Andrade. Following its world premiere in Tallinn on November 13, the feature, supported by pubcaster RTP, is slated for national release in Portugal via NOS, with Trent Film handling Italian distribution.

‘Goodbye Sisters’: A French-Nepalese Doc Exploring Dreams and Migration

Also premiering in competition at Tallinn is ‘Goodbye Sisters,’ which is among ten films selected for the Doc@PÖFF International Competition. Directed by emerging French-Irish filmmaker Alexander Murphy, this documentary is a co-production between Paris-based Goodseed Productions and Nepal’s Underground Talkies Nepal.

The film intimately follows Jamuna, 20, and her younger sister Anmuna, as they journey from the bustling city of Kathmandu to the high ridges of the Himalayas. Their purpose is to partake in the perilous harvest of yarsagumba, a rare and valuable creature, half mushroom and half insect, whose market value surpasses that of gold. For Jamuna, selling this precious commodity in the city represents a pathway to supporting her family and funding her aspirations for studies abroad. Murphy emphasizes that his film explores “the strength it takes to hold on to a dream against all odds,” depicting Jamuna’s refusal to accept a pre-determined life in Nepal and her courageous fight for the future she envisions. This choice, however, comes with the profound cost of saying goodbye to her loved ones, offering an “intimate glimpse into what migration truly means”. ‘Goodbye Sisters’ will be released by established French outlet Dulac Distribution.

Alpha Violet’s Strategic Selections at Tallinn

Alpha Violet co-heads Virginie Devesa and Keiko Funato expressed enthusiasm for their new acquisitions, highlighting their thematic relevance. They noted, “Both films address urgent and polarizing social issues: the threat of ecological disaster and devastating forest fires in Portugal in ’18 Holes to Paradise,’ and the lack of opportunities for girls in Nepal, and their search for a way out in ‘Goodbye Sisters’”. Their selections underscore a belief that these films will resonate with buyers seeking narratives driven by strong themes and compelling storytelling. Beyond these two premieres, Alpha Violet is also representing ‘Forastera’ by Spanish talent Lucía Aleñar Iglesias, a Toronto-Fipresci winner, which will screen in Tallinn as part of a Focus on Catalonia. This feature has already secured distribution deals in the U.S. (Grasshopper Film), Japan (Starcat), and Sweden (Folkets Bio).

The presence of ’18 Holes to Paradise’ and ‘Goodbye Sisters’ at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival solidifies Alpha Violet’s position as a key player in bringing impactful, globally relevant cinema to international audiences. These films offer poignant reflections on contemporary issues, from environmental crises and societal divides to personal ambition and the challenges of migration, making their premieres at Tallinn particularly timely and significant.