The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival is speeding to a close this coming weekend when, on Saturday night, they will dish out the awards in a glittering closing ceremony. We’ve just heard that Yorgos Lanthimos and Jonathan Glazer are set to receive the prestigious Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award during the ceremony, the award that shines a light on diversity and inclusion in cinema.
The award is a tribute to Dennis Davidson, founder and CEO of DDA. After establishing one of the international film industry’s leading public relations companies 53 years ago, Davidson retired from DDAPR this March. The award honours artists whose most recent work contributes to improving diversity, inclusion and representation in the cinematic arts.
Tiina Lokk, founder and director of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, confirmed that the DDA Spotlight Award has been renamed the Dennis Davidson Spotlight Award. PÖFF established the DDA Spotlight Award in 2020, when the DDA celebrated its 50th anniversary.
“Dennis has long been a friend and supporter of our festival, and I am delighted we can continue this special award in his name,” said Lokk.
Dennis Davidson responded: “DDA was built way before quotas or diversity targets, on embracing all religions, sexualities, ethnicities, formal educational attainments, and social backgrounds. This continues to be the values sacrosanct to my successors. So, when Tiina created the Spotlight Award, to shine a light on meaningful filmmakers and messaging, I was delighted to be in a position to have a window through which to continue our long-held convictions”.
