Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher to receive the 2024 Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award at the upcoming Black Nights Film Festival

Tiina Lokk, the founder and artistic director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), announces that the 2024 Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award will be presented to Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher at the Closing Ceremony on Saturday, November 23rd. British-Palestinian director Nabulsi and British producer Sawsan Asfari will be on hand for the award presentation.

The Teacher premiered at TIFF 2023, and is the feature film debut by Farah Nabulsi, the British- Palestinian filmmaker. Following her Oscar-winning short, The Present, The Teacher is a powerful and urgent new film about day-to-day life in the occupied West Bank. The film takes audiences on an intense, emotional journey into the lives and experiences of those living in occupied and colonised Palestine, and lifts the curtain on the hardships and difficult choices they have to make. Inspired by a real incident and set in 2014, The Teacher is a shattering work that feels as current as today’s headlines, and a drama made more devastating by Saleh Bakri’s soulful performance.

The award is PÖFF's tribute to Dennis Davidson, founder of DDA, the global communications and marketing agency. For a long time, DDA has believed in the importance of film festivals recognising and putting emerging talent on the map. The award recognises artists whose recent work has contributed to improving diversity, inclusion and representation in the cinematic arts.

“Dennis has been a valued friend and steadfast supporter of our festival for many years, and I am honoured that we can uphold this distinguished award in his name,” said Tiina Lokk, the founder and the director of the festival.

In making the announcement, Davidson noted that Nabulsi’s The Teacher has received excellent reviews, including the following:

“…. Nabulsi hits the dramatic beats with confidence and Bakri [lead actor] has distinction; his sensitivity and intelligence command every scene” – Peter Bradshaw/ The Guardian

“….the film conveys the brutal misjustices and traumas endured by generations of Palestinian citizens, and Bakri [lead actor] is compelling” - Tom Dawson/ Total Film

“British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi’s powerful and urgent new film is of the highest order” – George Savvides/ Parikiaki


The Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award was presented to Zone of Interest and Poor Things in 2023 and to Women Talking and Holy Spider in 2022. The Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award 2024 will be presented at the PÖFF Closing Ceremony on 23 November. Farah Nabulsi and British producer Sawsan Asfari will be on hand to receive the award. The Closing Ceremony starts at 19:00 at the Alexela Concert Hall in Tallinn. The ceremony will be streamed online at poff.elisastage.ee.


The 28th edition of PÖFF l will take place from the 8th until the 24th of November, while the festival’s industry platform Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event will run from 14th until the 22nd of November. 
The opening ceremony take place on the 8th of November at Alexela Concert Hall. The festival opening film is Long Story Short, directed by David Dietl. 

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event and with the two sub-festivals, Just Film and PÖFF Shorts, has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and the busiest regional industry platforms.