The creature that haunts me, where does it come from? Does it come from within me or from somewhere else? What is feeding it? Is it rage or guilt? Is it trauma or loss? Could it be desire or maybe love? Perhaps simply hunger? Blurred Lines is a compilation of six atmospheric shorts that draw spectators into a realm of mystery. Magic connects with reality as the boundary between them dissolves.
A Greco-Creole political western set among the palm trees and soy fields of the Argentine Pampas. When the bad gaucho summons the spirit of his dead brother, drama and violence are unleashed. The centaur, just like the gaucho, is a myth, one that was lost long ago.
Jaime drops dead abruptly while working on his field in the Ecuadorian Andes. He is the newest victim of a deadly and mysterious disease that has struck his Indigenous community. As his body lies lifeless on the ground, his animal spirit emerges from his body. He wanders through the Andean moors until he meets the spirit of his wife, and together, they begin their journey to the Land of the Dead.
It's nighttime in the suburbs, and the stillness is interrupted by a strange presence, a creeping being that lurks in the dark.
Archeology of Pleasure Javier Di Benedictis / Argentina 2017 / 8'12" / DCP / colour / no dialogue / Ani/Exp
El Sátiro (1907) – often considered the oldest surviving porn film – was supposedly filmed in Argentina. The original copy would have been in the hands of a private collector; but it also circulates on the internet. Frame by frame, the copy was preserved through handmade processes. In a visual essay, we investigate the preservation of images and the history of violence and sexuality.
In a small fishing cove on an island, where nature is not merely decoration but an active force shaping the events, locals spread rumours about the devil in a nearby cave. Gabriel will try to decipher the strong attraction he feels towards a mysterious androgynous young woman whose name is Héctor.
In the depths of the mind, pain takes the form of a living being. A love relationship unleashes the darkness and gives rise to a world of shadows. «Creature» offers a sensual experience of the obscurity within evoking a world of shadows in the real world.
The Andes mountain range stretches from Argentina, where it serves as a natural border with Chile, up north through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, where it splits into three branches, one of which extends into Venezuela. The eight curated programmes presented here are the result of a comprehensive audiovisual enquiry into this vast territory. Los Estados Andinos seeks to offer a panorama of the political, social, cultural, and artistic scene of these seven nations, exploring the idiosyncrasies and traditions of each as well as their collective identity and common grounds.
The Latin American film industry, and specifically the film scene in the Andes nations, expanded according to each country’s economic capacity and willingness to invest. It has also been directly connected to social and political turmoil, both within the region and under the influence of external events. While cinema arrived around 1896 and slowly started to disseminate, it was only in the 1940s and 50s that some local productions started to bloom after each nation implemented laws promoting the film industry. Some countries stood out in this respect, Argentina chief amongst them. After World War II, and with the impact of the Cuban Revolution, a new cinematic culture awakened and quickly became politicized. During this period, filmmakers found inspiration in eclectic sources, mainly from abroad, which triggered a phase of exploration.
The 1960s and early 70s were pivotal: the new Latin American cinema movement, forged in a postcolonial environment and ignited by popular movements seeking cultural, political, and economic autonomy, brought a break with established filmmaking practice. The movement intended to reveal Latin American realities with their multiple contrasts and insisted on searching for the overlooked, placing entirely new themes centre stage, such as the collective memory of the excluded. It was a highly critical anti-establishment and anti-mainstream movement aimed at creating a cinema that ignites sociopolitical transformation. Beginning with a fruitful production of films in Argentina and Chile, the movement spread widely through the region to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and beyond. At the same time, several national movements emerged, striving to develop an autochthonous cinema of auteur films.
The second half of the 1970s brought a decline in cinematic production in the region, along with the rise of dictatorships and a decrease in funds. Many filmmakers went into exile and continued to work from abroad. The 1980s were characterized by struggle, dependency on state support, and precarious channels of distribution. Since the 1990s, industries in the region have once again experienced significant growth and an undeniable creative wave, above all in Argentina, which is rightly seen as a powerhouse of film production, but also in Chile and Colombia. Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, in turn, are often overlooked, yet they are developing relevant bodies of work that shine a light on indigenous lives in contemporary times.
We are aware of the immense diversity that characterizes the region and of the individuality and particularity of each country. We don’t seek to homogenize or equalize their experiences by any means. Instead, with our selection, we want to feature the multiculturalism of these nations while at the same time portraying their shared experiences in recent and contemporary times. The programmes are not organized by nation; instead, they are thematically structured.
Three programmes explore the socio-political realities in the Andean nations. While two of them, Working the Land and Critical Contrasts, take a historical perspective, Andean Paradox focuses on the present and on a growing tendency to regain agency through action. The programme Tierra vital features a journey through landscapes that shape and condition cultural and identity practices and imaginaries. The sense of belonging is intertwined with the sense of place. Family Comes First, as the title suggests, addresses the importance of family relationships, the struggles and affection between family members. The queer experience and the exploration of bodily autonomy in the region is given a window in the programme Free Your Mind, Free Your Body. Finally, Stories of the Uncanny and Blurred Lines echo each other. The former uses animation as a medium to address difficult, strange, and seemingly dissimilar topics that attract and repel at the same time; the latter is inspired by magic realism, capturing the spirit of the supernatural encapsulated within the mundane. It is an evocative programme, an amalgamation of the real and the magical.
The Andes are a region of many facets. They come with a halo of mystery and mysticism. As a Colombian curator who lived in Europe for several years, I have a sense of the manifold associations of the term «Latin America». Many see us with the eyes of desire and yearning, others with great fear. There are those who observe us with interest and genuine curiosity, while others want to exploit our territories. We are also said to be incredibly open and warm, happy and loving people who welcome everyone with open arms and hearts. Our nations are usually associated with political and social instability, an assessment that is then contrasted with the beauty of our inhabitants and the majestic and varied landscapes of our countries. Despite the stereotypes and what we evoke in the world’s imagery, we surely are a pluricultural and multi-ethnic region that shares the same territory and colonial past and yet encompasses diverse countries with different political and socioeconomic realities and complexities.
Text: Mariana Bonilla Rojas Curated by Mariana Bonilla Rojas, John Canciani, Laura Walde, Federico Windhausen
Blurred Lines
This programme is inspired by magic realism, where a realistic setting is populated with supernatural elements that usually reference local culture and folklore. Blurred Lines presents stories composed of multiple layers, both in form and content, where true meaning often lies below the surface. There is a disturbance as the absurd pervades the mundane, where it is swiftly absorbed, normalized, and subsequently assumed as natural. This powerful narrative device allows us to tackle both challenging and ordinary experiences.
The journey proposed by this programme calls for an active viewer. Evoking feelings of doubt and confusion, a sense of curiosity and attraction, these stories are told through ambiguity and bewilderment, which enhances the experience and allows diverse interpretations. The common thread that weaves the stories together is this lurking entity: a mythological, maybe metaphorical, or even spiritual creature that torments, plagues, consumes, questions, and at times has the power to liberate us.
We encounter a mythological beast between man and horse that introduces a discussion about loss and honour in an all-male world; a spirit animal that connects the land of the living with that of the dead; a shapeshifting being that devours anyone in its path; a predator in the shape of a satyr prowling the area; a mysterious woman who seems to embody the legend of an island; and an inner creature that grows steadily.
The creature that haunts me, where does it come from? Does it come from within me or from somewhere else? What is feeding it? Is it rage or guilt? Is it trauma or loss? Could it be desire or maybe love? Perhaps simply hunger? Blurred Lines is a compilation of six atmospheric shorts that draw spectators into a realm of mystery. Magic connects with reality as the boundary between them dissolves.
A short film is not just a shorter film. Shorts are a distinct art form, which we showcase at our annual festival.
Short films come in all shapes and genres, and how long – or short – they are, varies quite a bit. Simpler production processes allow filmmakers to capture the zeitgeist and quickly respond to trends. Shorts can be entertaining or surprising, they can analyse society, take a political stance, or offer glimpses of worlds unknown to us.
We compile our short films into thematic programmes or specific sections, such as our competitions, paying close attention to the selection and sequence of films in each programme. All you need to enjoy short films is an open mind for new discoveries and surprises.
The Festival
Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur is Switzerland’s major short film festival. For six days every November, we transform the city into a dynamic short film hub.
Kurzfilmtage offers discoveries for everyone: our thoughtfully compiled thematic programmes address current events or topics that our curators are passionate about. The competition programmes showcase the latest filmmaking from around the globe, while installations, performances, and other specials highlight the diversity of audiovisual forms. And a programme of special events including concerts, readings, and more enhance the festival experience.
