Our vision

 

Since its birth in 2017, our festival committed to a deep and thoughful sifting of the international short film panorama, trying to showcase a selection that is able to portray the actual variety in languages, forms, innovations and genre films that is today independent cinema. What we look for, in terms of selected films, is a sign or premonition of an author to come. We try to find these new directors by looking not for just one sign, but for many good omens at once: a peculiar management of the film’s rhythm; an original aesthetic form; deep, metaphorical writing; the tendency to speak about one’s own peculiar vision of the world. All of this should converge in films that are able to release a very strong and deep emotional and intellectual pull in the spectator.

 

We try to adapt our selection to the times we’re living, and we’ll choose programs, themes, moods and awards also based on how the films are able to portray the ever-changing reality we’re going through in these times. Also, the films are picked based on other picks as well, creating intertwining synergies, insights, interactions among them.

 

Our award is called The Hollow Man. It was inspired by T.S. Eliot’s homonimous poem, but with a different meaning. For us, it is the symbol of someone who has torn his heart apart and offered it to us.

 

We strive for the creation of a festival that is really able to showcase, empower and promote the films of authors that can stay in time as masterpieces of the short film format.

 

 

Andrea Gatopoulos

Artistic Director

Our award

 

From 2019, our award is a handmade ceramic statue made by the artist Cino Zolfanelli and designed by Andrea Gatopoulos. It is given to the winner of the best international film at the end of each call along with a $1000 cash prize. The statue is always re-made from scratch and never fabricated twice in the same size and features. It wants to be an icon of a non-individualistic, genderless and anti-stardom award for artistic recognition.