A focus on the works of Willy Hans inevitably includes the collective consisting of Paul Spengemann, Jan Eichberg, Steffen Goldkamp, and Hans. The four are by no means a conventional production collective. Instead of striving for control, they like to explore the limitless possibilities of a continuous exchange of ideas, collaborating in a wide variety of forms.
Time as punishment – of juvenile inmates and bodies that become heavy in prescribed spaces.
Affenstunde Willy Hans / Germany 2010 / 16'49" / black & white / no dialogue / Fic
A woman and two men live their dandy lives in a country house, not knowing how to fill the days. At the point of ultimate boredom, the elderly man is starting to look out for the woman who increasingly keeps to herself. As they barely speak to each other anymore, obvious hostility soon arises. During a dreamlike walk in the woods, the woman comes to a decision.
Pocket Call Paul Spengemann / Germany 2021 / 7'4" / DCP / colour / no dialogue / Exp/Ani
You used to call me on my cell phone, you used to, you used to. A brief look at the screen is enough to know who is calling. The display warns you who is waiting at the other end of the line. There is a brief, decisive moment before you pick up to consider whether it would be better to ignore the incoming call, especially in view of the fundamental question of who still makes phone calls these days.
Thierry is a photographer visiting a foreign city. He is looking for the museum. Isabelle is lonesome and tries to help him out. They dedide to go for a drink in a pub nearby. Thierry soon discovers that the memorized phrases in the foreign language won't produce the desired results. An audio language training programme for French served as the template for this boy-meets-girl story.
The film is set in a humanities high school built according to plans by Danish architect Arne Jacobsen. Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann and Paul Spengemann accompany a group of students during activities that appear mysterious at first in the modernist spaces: auditorium, gymnasium, café, library, corridors. The eight protagonists use simple theatrical means such as spotlights, sound tubes, and thunder sheets to contribute to their own staging of an ancient Greek text, which is withheld from an audience.
Everything goes around in circles. Five people, one living room. It is only when the wine has been spilled, the issue of dark matter solved, and nobody expects food anymore that the music is turned up. We’re caught in the orbit of the same, always the same, always the others. Humans, words, things.
Willy Hans was born in Freiburg in 1982. In 2009, he began his studies at the HFBK University of Fine Arts Hamburg, where he made several films, including «Der fremde Fotograf und die Einsamkeit» (2012), which screened at multiple festivals. «Das satanische Dickicht – Eins» is his graduation film, which he has since expanded to a trilogy. Currently, Hans is working on his first feature-length film.
Willy Hans has developed a unique style characterized by his love of experimentation and a talent for blending genres. His films surprise viewers with unexpected twists and intriguing image compositions. He doesn’t shy away from unconventional narrative structures and unusual perspectives.
Since 2014, Willy Hans has also been part of a collective with Paul Spengemann, Jan Eichberg, and Steffen Goldkamp, who were fellow students at HFBK Hamburg. The four are by no means a conventional production collective. Instead of striving for control, they like to explore the limitless possibilities of a continuous exchange of ideas, collaborating in a variety of forms.
Kurzfilmtage is showing Hans’s trilogy «Das satanische Dickicht» («The Satanic Thicket»), which features a dark and mysterious world, where the supernatural encounters the mundane. In addition to their impressive visuals and high production values, these shorts stand out for the unique atmosphere that Hans creates. Their somber beauty captivates audiences, immersing them in a world full of secrets and unimaginable horrors. A thrilling masterpiece of short filmmaking that lingers in viewers’ minds long after the closing credits have ended.
The second programme is dedicated to the collective Spengemann, Eichberg, Goldkamp, Hans, whose members appear in different functions – director, cinematographer, screenwriter, etc. – across the six shorts. Both screenings are accompanied by a conversation with the filmmakers, and a 90-minute Master Class with Hans and other members of the collective will be held on Saturday.
Spengemann, Eichberg, Goldkamp, Hans
Willy Hans was born in Freiburg in 1982. In 2009, he began his studies at the HFBK University of Fine Arts Hamburg, where he made several films, including «Der fremde Fotograf und die Einsamkeit» (2012), which screened at multiple festivals. «Das satanische Dickicht – Eins» is his graduation film, which he has since expanded to a trilogy. Currently, Hans is working on his first feature-length film.
Willy Hans has developed a unique style characterized by his love of experimentation and a talent for blending genres. His films surprise viewers with unexpected twists and intriguing image compositions. He doesn’t shy away from unconventional narrative structures and unusual perspectives.
Since 2014, Willy Hans has also been part of a collective with Paul Spengemann, Jan Eichberg, and Steffen Goldkamp, who were fellow students at HFBK Hamburg. The four are by no means a conventional production collective. Instead of striving for control, they like to explore the limitless possibilities of a continuous exchange of ideas, collaborating in a variety of forms. Kurzfilmtage is showing Hans’s trilogy «Das satanische Dickicht» («The Satanic Thicket»), which features a dark and mysterious world, where the supernatural encounters the mundane. In addition to their impressive visuals and high production values, these shorts stand out for the unique atmosphere that Hans creates. Their somber beauty captivates audiences, immersing them in a world full of secrets and unimaginable horrors. A thrilling masterpiece of short filmmaking that lingers in viewers’ minds long after the closing credits have ended.
The second programme is dedicated to the collective Spengemann, Eichberg, Goldkamp, Hans, whose members appear in different functions – director, cinematographer, screenwriter, etc. – across the six shorts. Both screenings are accompanied by a conversation with the filmmakers, and a 90-minute Master Class with Hans and other members of the collective will be held on Saturday.
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.