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Date Sections Locations

International Competition

Recent short films from around the globe. The best works are presented with prizes at the Award Ceremony on Sunday.

International Competition I:
Heat Wave

International Competition II:
Mapping the Present

International Competition III:
Caught in Moments

International Competition IV:
Work-Life Balance

International Competition V:
Out of Control

International Competition VI:
Other Dimensions

Internationaler Competition VII:
Performing Rituals

Swiss Competition

Recent short films from Switzerland. The best works are presented with prizes at the Award Ceremony on Sunday.

Swiss Competition I:
Was sein könnte

Swiss Competition II:
Zwischen Erwartung und Realität

Swiss Competition III:
Zurück zum Anfang

Sparks

With the Sparks programmes, we hope to spark a passion for the medium of short film. Featuring highlights from this year’s competition submissions, the selection offers an excellent introduction to the world of shorts, showcasing a diverse film culture beyond the usual mainstream and YouTube videos.

Swiss Film School Day

A presentation of films from Switzerland’s film schools, with live feedback and award show.

Swiss Film School Day:
Session I

Swiss Film School Day:
Session II

Swiss Film School Day:
Session III

Swiss Film School Day:
Session IV

Swiss Film School Day:
Award Ceremony

Main Focus:
Los Estados Andinos

The eight curated programmes presented here are the result of a comprehensive audiovisual enquiry into the vast territory of the Andean nations: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Los Estados Andinos offers a panorama of the political, social, cultural, and artistic scene of these seven countries, exploring the idiosyncrasies and traditions of each as well as their collective identity and common grounds.

Family Comes First

Free Your Mind, Free Your Body

Stories of the Uncanny

Working the Land

Critical Contrasts

Country in Focus:
Israel

Commemorative practices, reflections on identity, family relationships, and borders in both the geographical and mental sense – these are four weighty and highly complex themes in a country like Israel. The shorts in the Country in Focus explore the past and present of this still young nation, illuminating the historic premises of its existence, the ubiquitous conflicts on multiple fronts, the militarization of everyday life, and family relationships within this context.

Mother/Daughter

Reflections on Identity

Person in Focus:
Kurdwin Ayub

Kurdwin Ayub is one of Austrian cinema’s most interesting voices. Her distinct cinematic style has been recognizable from her earliest works through her most recent film, «Sonne», and it continues to evolve. In her works, she addresses gender roles, identity and migration, patriarchal structures, youth culture, and the fast pace of our time – always in an authentic and personal manner. Both playful and analytical, Ayub and her films resist pigeonholing.

Kurdwin Ayub – Short Films

Kurdwin Ayub – Sonne

Master Class:
Kurdwin Ayub (en)

Hors Concours

Recent short films from Zurich, Switzerland, and around the world screened out of competition

European Film Academy on Tour I

European Film Academy on Tour II

European Film Academy on Tour III

Special Programmes

Short film programmes on topics that our curators are passionate about – or that are simply fun.

Postapocalyptic Imagination

Death by Sports

Films in Dialogue – Re:
Dear Oleksiy …

Family Programmes

Short film fun for young viewers aged 6+ and for the whole family.

Magic Lantern:
Shorts for Kids – Differences

Gala-Events

Festive events with moderation, guests and screenings.

Opening Programme

And the Winners Are … I

And the Winners Are … II

What People Talked About

Expanded Cinema

Installations, performances, and exhibitions present the medium of film in unfamiliar forms.

Vernissage:
Kurzfilmtage x oxyd

Alice Bucknell:
E-Z Kryptobuild

frölicher | bietenhader | pifragile

Artist Talk with frölicher | bietenhader | pifragile

Alexandra Navratil:
Spell

Hannes Schüpbach:
Instants, Essais, Interventions

Echo der Industrie

Simon Liu:
Star Ferry

A Wall is a Screen

Music & Parties

Rastapopoulos & Lost Lobos

Comfort (Glasgow)

Mi$$ Hi$$ & DJ Miss Maybe

Workshops & Other Events

Events that let you dive even deeper into the world of short film.

Radio Stadtfilter Talk

Coucou Reads Cinema

Family Workshop:
Stop-Motion & Pixilation

Industry Events

The Industry Events offer a platform for networking among film professionals, for discussing theoretical concepts, and for information and education about creative methods and aesthetic trends.

12.11.2022, 17:00, Maxx 5
DE UT + Q&A

Display Content Notes

With this programme, we hope to spark a passion for the medium of short film. The shorts in Sparks II represent a broad range of current filmmaking. The selection is meant to appeal to multigenerational audiences and inspire discussion.

Part of:

Discussion animée entre entendeurs de voix
Tristan Thil / France 2022 / 12' / DCP / colour/black & white / French / Ani/Doc

Instead of «schizophrenic», they prefer the term «voice hearer». Twice a month, they meet with Virginia, who leads a discussion group for people suffering from this illness, which is considered incurable.

Ana Takes a Stand
Sydney Buchan / Germany/Portugal 2022 / 15'48" / DCP / colour / Portuguese / Fic

While visiting Lisbon, good girl Ana learns a lesson about selfishness from an old friend.

Haulout
Maxim Arbugaev/Evgenia Arbugaeva / United Kingdom 2022 / 25' / DCP / colour / Russian / Doc

On a remote coast of the Siberian Arctic, a lonely man in a wind-battered hut is waiting to witness an annual natural event. But warming seas and rising temperatures bring an unexpected change, and he soon finds himself overwhelmed.

Klimax
Bea Hoeller / Germany 2021 / 2'47" / DCP / colour / no dialogue / Ani

Barbie immerses herself in a lustful, magical world. Aesthetic associations related to femininity, female masturbation, and the often negatively connoted image of the female sex.

Ours
Morgane Frund / Switzerland 2022 / 19'5" / DCP / colour / French/Swiss German/German / Doc

An amateur filmmaker who has filmed bears for years contacts a film school looking for someone to edit his images into a film. A student comes forward. But when she digitizes his archive, she discovers that the recordings are not only of bears. A discussion ensues about the power of the gaze and its voyeuristic violence.

The Flying Sailor
Wendy Tilby/Amanda Forbis / Canada 2022 / 7'45" / DCP / colour / no dialogue / Ani/Fic

Two ships collide in a harbour, an explosion shatters a city, and a sailor is blasted skyward. With ears ringing, blood pulsing, and guts heaving, he soars high above the mayhem and towards the great unknown. A bold blend of comedy, suspense, and philosophy, «The Flying Sailor» is an exhilarating contemplation of the wonder and fragility of existence.

More programmes:
Sparks I Sparks II

Sparks

With the Sparks programmes, we hope to spark a passion for the medium of short film. Featuring highlights from this year’s competition submissions, the selection offers an excellent introduction to the world of shorts, showcasing a diverse film culture beyond the usual mainstream and YouTube videos.

Sparks II

With this programme, we hope to spark a passion for the medium of short film. The shorts in Sparks II represent a broad range of current filmmaking. The selection is meant to appeal to multigenerational audiences and inspire discussion.

More programmes:
Sparks I Sparks II

Further sections:
International Competition Swiss Competition Sparks Swiss Film School Day Main Focus: Los Estados Andinos Country in Focus: Israel Person in Focus: Kurdwin Ayub Hors Concours Special Programmes Family Programmes Gala-Events Expanded Cinema Music & Parties Workshops & Other Events Industry Events

Programme

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.

Programme of the 28th Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (archive)

Short Films

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.

Competitions — Recent short films from around the world. The best shorts will be presented with awards on Sunday evening.

Hors Concours — Recent short films from Zurich, Switzerland, and around the world screened out of competition.

Main Focus — Films that explore a region, a social phenomenon, or an artistic trend.

Country in Focus — The cinema of a country from contemporary and historical perspectives.

Person in Focus — A spotlight on the work of a filmmaker.

Special Programmes — Short film programmes dedicated to topics that our curators are passionate about – or that are simply fun.

Family Programmes — Short film fun for young viewers aged 6+ and for the whole family.

Expanded Cinema — Installations, performances, and exhibitions present the medium of film in unfamiliar forms.

Special Events — Concerts, parties, readings, and many other events enhance the festival experience.

Talks & Panels — Moderated talks and panels after the screenings offer additional context and insight into films and themes.

Industry Events — A wide range of educational events and networking opportunities.