Kufstein Short Film Festival: Who am I?
The program, consisting of nine international short films, delighted the almost 70 visitors to the sixth edition of the short film festival, inspiring them and making them think. Who am I? What kind of masks do I wear? And am I able to show myself without these masks? These were just some of the questions addressed by the more than 80 films submitted from over 25 countries. "There were a lot of great films, and we were very pleased to receive so many submissions. In the end, it was very difficult for us to narrow down the final selection to nine films," says Blanka Blickle, who is primarily responsible for the program.
Best films are honored with an award
As in previous editions, the best films were also honored with an award in 2023. The expert jury consisting of Anna Ladining, Meral Sevencan and Emanuel Bachnetzer presented the short film "The Beyond" by Daniel Maurer from Switzerland with the Raiffeisen Award Short Film Festival Kufstein. The Audience Award by ÖH Kufstein went to "Beyond the Sea" by Hippolyte Leibovici from Belgium. In addition to the screening of the short films, the audience could also look forward to a varied supporting program. In workshops that took place in the town and at the FH Kufstein Tirol in the run-up to the event, Kufstein residents and students were able to give free rein to their creativity on a large canvas and paper masks and explore their own stories, beliefs, and experiences through artistic activities, thus gaining a deeper understanding of their own identity. The described canvas and the painted masks were exhibited at the Kultur Quartier on the evening of the event.
From theory to practice
Since its successful premiere in 2018, the FH Kufstein Tirol practical project has been a permanent fixture on the event calendar in Kufstein. As with the anniversary edition in 2022, Prof. (FH) Dr. Verena Teissl also coached the festival in 2023. The international project team consisted of seven students from the full-time master's degree course in Sports, Culture & Event Management. The event is organized by FH Kufstein Tirol, but the project team was entirely responsible for the organization and implementation of the short film festival. This included not only the creation of the program, but also the selection and design of the venue, marketing, sponsoring and the creation of a supporting program. The supervision of the various areas of responsibility was also very well received by the students. "The short film festival offered us the perfect opportunity to put our theoretical knowledge into practice," says Max Dotzauer, who was responsible for marketing and communicating the event. In 2023, the Kufstein Short Film Festival was awarded the "Green Event Tirol Basic Certificate" for the first time. "We believe in the power of art and culture, not only as a medium of entertainment, but also as a tool for change. Our festival relies on sustainable practices to have a positive impact on the environment. From waste separation to sustainable catering - every step counts!" says Tabea Betzler, head of the organization team.
Conclusion
"We are delighted that our program was so well received and hope that we were able to inspire our visitors to reflect and exchange ideas through our event," says Eric Burzinski, responsible for the team lead and the side program. The short film festival sees itself as a meeting platform for locals, school pupils and national and international students. "We would like to say a big thank you to our sponsors, Raiffeisen Bezirksbank Kufstein, Kufsteinerland, BAU! Bar, KufNet & ÖH FH Kufstein, without whom the organization and implementation of the festival would not have been possible," says Benedikt Ueberholz, who is responsible for finances. We would like to thank all participants, sponsors, and visitors once again and hope to see you again at next year's edition.