Pikkfilmi

Pikkfilmi is the Estonian term for a feature film. It refers to a cinema or television narrative work of substantial running time intended for general release, as opposed to a short film (lühifilm) or other shorter formats. The word combines pikk, meaning long, with filmi, the genitive form of film.

In film industry usage, pikkfilmi denotes a film whose length exceeds the typical duration of a short film. There is no single universal threshold, but many organizations consider a pikkfilmi to be around 60 minutes or longer, while some cataloguing bodies use 40 minutes as the lower bound for feature status. In practice, runtimes commonly range from about 60 to 180 minutes.

Pikkfilmi often features more extensive storytelling, higher production values, and wider distribution strategies than short films. Making a pikkfilmi typically involves longer development and production cycles, more extensive casting, and a plan for release in cinemas or on streaming platforms, sometimes followed by festival showings and international co-productions. The term is used in funding guidelines, programming, and education to distinguish longer-form narrative cinema from shorter formats.

In Estonia, pikkfilmi is a key category for national cinema, with development and production supported by public funds and industry bodies such as the Estonian Film Foundation. Estonian pikkfilmi have been presented at local festivals and in international collaborations, contributing to the country’s presence in European cinema.