# Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival

Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival (Estonian: Haapsalu Õudus- ja Fantaasiafilmide Festival, abbreviated HÕFF) is an international film festival which takes place annually in Haapsalu, Estonia. HÕFF focuses on horror and fantasy films. HÕFF is organized by the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, the Haapsalu Culture Center, and the town of Haapsalu.
The first HÕFF took place in 2005, after being created by Marek Reinaas.
Since 2012, HÕFF is a member of Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF).

## Notable premieres

* 2016 Babak Anvari "Under the Shadow"
* 2016 Simon Rumley "Johnny Frank Garrett's Last Word"

## Film awards
### Audience Award

The Audience Award has been given out every year since 2012.
| Year | Film Title | Director |
| 2024 | Chainsaws Were Singing | Sander Maran |
| 2023 | Sisu | Jalmari Helander |
| 2022 | The Sixth Secret | Mart Sander |
| 2021 | Justice 2 | Toomas Aria |
| 2020 | The Mortuary Collection | Ryan Spindell |
| 2019 | One Cut of the Dead | Shinchiro Ueda |
| 2018 | Snowflake | Adolfo J. Kolmerer |
| 2017 | Bad Black | Nabwana I.G.G. |
| 2016 | In Search of the Ultra-Sex | Nicolas & Bruno |
| 2015 | The Guest | Adam Wingard |
| 2014 | In Order of Disappearance | Hans Petter Moland |
| 2013 | Omnivores | Óscar Rojo |
| 2012 | Iron Sky | Timo Vuorensola |

### Short Film Méliès d'Argent

The winners of the award will later be nominated for the Méliès d'Or:
2024 - Wander to Wonder directed by Nina Gantz 2023 - Shut directed by Niels Bourgonje 2022 - Eyes on You directed by Raoul Kirsima 2021 - Hospital Dumpster Divers directed by Anders Elsrud Hultgreen 2020 - Downs of the Dead directed by Even Husby Grødahl 2019 - Bad Hair directed by Oskar Lehemaa 2018 - The Dark Room directed by Morgane Segaert 2017 - Fucking Bunnies directed by Teemu Niukkanen 2016 - The Black Bear directed by Mèryl Fortunat-Rossi and Xavier Seron 2015 - The Salf of the Earth directed by Jonathan Desoindre 2014 - Canis directed by Marc Riba and Anna Solanas 2013 - The Trap directed by Alberto Lopez

### Best Estonian Genre Film

| Year | Film Title | Director |
| 2024 | Chainsaws Were Singing | Sander Maran |
| 2023 | Child Machine | Rain Rannu |
| 2022 | Talent | Silver Õun |
| 2021 | Kratt | Rasmus Merivoo |
| 2020 | Eerie Fairy Tales | Mart Sander |

### Navigator Pirx Award for Best Sci-Fi Film

Named after the 1979 Polish-Soviet film Inquest of Pilot Pirx:
| Year | Film Title | Director |
| 2024 | Escape Attempt (short film) | Alex Topaller, Dan Shapiro |
| 2023 | Last Sentinel | Tanel Toom |
| 2022 | Loop (short film) | Pablo Polledri |
| 2021 | The Following Year (short film) | Miguel Campana |

## Career Achievement Awards
### HÕFF Lifetime Achievement Award

2013 - Hideo Nakata 2014 - Tobe Hooper 2015 - Sven Grünberg 2016 - Karel Zeman (posthumous) 2018 - The television show Jupiter 2019 - Vladimir Tarasov and Priit Vaher

### Award of Recognition

2020 - Mari Lill - For her work on the Estonian children series The Little Witch 2022 - Gülnar Murumägi - For her work as director of the Haapsalu Cultural Centre, the homebase of HÕFF 2023 - Eve Kivi - For her work on the Soviet-Finnish Fantasyfilm Sampo 2024 - Peeter Volkonski - For his work on the televisionfilm How the King Leaned on the Moon