Navigating personal autonomy and public acceptance, this programme invites us to discover Iran beyond headlines and clichés. With a keen sense for the contradictions of daily life, the films portray people who question the rules, carve out spaces of freedom, and pursue their own ideas of life, love, and belonging. By turns moving, playful, and thought-provoking, these shorts offer surprising perspectives on a society in transition.
On her way back from work, a woman witnesses something happening on the bus, and she has to decide whether to reveal it or not.
Abraham Reza Gamini/Elnaz Ghaderpour / Iran 2024 / 13'36" / colour / Persian / Fic
A transgender teenage boy named Abraham was murdered and burned in a cave outside a small village. The main suspect is his religious father who prays in a small mosque every day.
Amitis is a teenage girl who always wears orthodontic headgear and is under the constant pressure of orthodontic treatment. But suddenly she does a strange thing with her friend Sara.
Saaghi and her two friends have come to the largest park in Teheran to take pictures of the once-in-a-century total eclipse. Mischievous and rebellious, they steal a camera stand, lie to their parents, and discuss boys as well as an upcoming party. Their wanderings lead them to a remote part of the park. As the sun disappears, Saaghi sees something that should have stayed hidden.
Home and family, relationships, desires, wishes, and everything else is summarized in a kitchen. The stuttering boy is alone there, playing with his imagination.
Mother Is a Natural Sinner Hoda Taheri/Boris Hadzija / Germany/Iran 2024 / 15' / colour / Farsi/German / Fic
Hoda, an Iranian refugee woman, lives in exile in Germany with her boyfriend, Hadi. Due to an unexpected pregnancy, Hoda starts to examine common beliefs regarding gender roles in relationships and openly challenges the current patriarchal social norms surrounding feminine bodies and motherhood.
Every image has a frame. And each frame determines what is visible and what remains out of sight. This applies to news reporting as much as to cinema. How Iran is framed, which stories are told, and what becomes visible depends on historical and political contexts.
Iran has been shaped by profound political and social changes. Over the course of a century, the country has experienced two revolutions: the Constitutional Revolution of 1905–06 and the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The empowerment of social groups defined these movements as much as the repeated influence exerted by imperial and ideological forces. The country’s political situation and perceptions of Iran have had a lasting impact on both domestic and diasporic filmmaking.
At least since the spring of 2026, the world’s attention has once again turned towards Iran, as war is shaking the country to its foundations. Our Focus programme Shifting Grounds – Framing Iran takes this as an occasion to challenge Eurocentric views of the country and to sharpen our awareness of the complexity of Iranian cinema and society – a complexity that defies simple explanations.
This Focus on Iranian cinema emerged from a collaboration between two non-Iranians and one Iranian curator. We conceive of «Iranian cinema» not as a fixed category, but rather as a perspective shaped by a range of attributions, contexts, and experiences. Questions about production conditions, the diaspora, and national identity intersect with interrogations of Western views and narrative patterns. What is perceived as Iranian cinema emerges from the interplay of festival practices, audience expectations, and cinematic self-representation. These diverse perspectives and their connections served as the starting point for this collaborative curation.
Six programmes bring together historical and contemporary works created in Iran and the diaspora, combining various documentary, fictional, and experimental forms. They range from the imagery of oil to issues of identity and self-determination outside social norms, from myth and reality to diverse forms of resistance. Works from the independent Cinema-ye Azad film movement of the 1970s are also represented. Many of the films navigate the space between inside and outside – between national borders, real walls, and fictional spaces, as well as the invisible borders in people’s minds.
The focus is not on the country itself, but on how Iran is seen, narrated, and imagined – and how cinema can keep reframing these images.
Vincent Förster, Lynn Gerlach, Afsun Moshiry
Surfacing Realities
This programme focuses on people in Iran who are asserting their place in a society dominated by strict norms. Between the public and private spheres, between conformity and self-determination, multilayered narratives explore identity, freedom, and the courage to pursue one’s own path.
The films tell stories of young people and adults who are fighting for equality, for diversity, and against political persecution. They ask who is allowed to be visible, who is forced to disappear – and what kinds of images can exist to begin with.
«Gaze» links ethical questions about looking at and looking away with the daily fear of assault in public spaces that women face. In «Abraham», the protagonist takes up space through his painful absence. In «Solar Eclipse», a hidden world of deceit and betrayal unwittingly comes to light.
The animation «The Fourth Wall» also plays with the boundaries of the visible. Techniques and spaces blend, as do the worries of individual family members. Shards attest to violence, but they are also pieced back together into something new. In the diasporic work «Mother Is a Natural Sinner», long-held notions about gender roles and sexuality start to unravel as tasks like carving chickens and fixing pipes are carried out casually.
From people who were not supposed to be who they are to images we were not supposed to see: by turns serious, humorous, quiet, and rebellious, these films show how visibility can become an act of resistance.
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.
The programme of the 30th Kurzfilmtage will be released on 14 October 2026.
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.
Focus
Films that explore a region, a social phenomenon, or an artistic trend.
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.
