Content Notes
In our view, a festival must be attentive and curious, distinguished in its selection, and steadfast in its positions. However, it should always aim to provide the best possible setting for shared cinematic experiences and respectful exchanges for all visitors. The introduction of so-called content notes this year is intended to complement our efforts in this regard.
VIENNA SHORTS is a film festival with a diverse, daring program. Many of the over 300 films shown annually consciously engage with the world around us, highlight societal issues, aim to inspire through artistic means, confront, or explore boundaries. As a result, some films may contain elements, themes, or depictions that can evoke strong reactions in some individuals.
We understand that the perception of films is very individual and varied. To enable our audience to gather more information about the festival program beyond the film and program descriptions, our programmers and curators have provided additional information on particularly sensitive aspects of individual films, sorted by program.
Please note: Some of these notes may contain spoilers, so it is up to each person to decide whether or not to read the content notes. We also cannot guarantee comprehensive labeling of all sensitive content. For screenings featuring strobe lighting effects, there will be additional epilepsy warnings during the introduction in the cinema.
Empowering Streams
AliEN0089 addresses and contains explicit depictions of physical violence.
Visions From In-Between
Y and 27 contain depictions of explicit sexuality and sexual actions.
Echos From Outer Worlds
Visions contains flickering and strobe effects.
The Unfamiliar Familiar
Surface Séance contains strobe effects. The Act of Not Seeing With One's Own Eyes contains explicit depictions of organs.
Faraway, So Close
by my side addresses abortion.
The Sound And The Silence
Annoyance contains depictions of emotional abuse and anxiety in a comical context.
What Are You Longing For?
The Surprise Film contains light strobe effects.
Four Walls For A Future
Those Next to Us addresses the traumatic effects of refugee experiences and death.
Into Outer Space
The Conquest of Space contains explicit depictions of animal experiments.
If Paradise Was Half As Nice
The Surprise Film and Concerned Travelers address the traumatic effects of refugee experiences. Du bist so wunderbar (Paradise Europe) contains explicit sexual depictions.
Build Up, Reinforce, Break Out
Chronicles of a Lying Spirit addresses racism. All the Days of May addresses death and depression.
We Come In Peace, They Said
The trilogy by Jyoti Mistry addresses colonialism, racism, sexism and discrimination against queer people.
Dreams, Desires, And Divine Monsters
Yann Gonzalez' films often contain explicit depictions of sexual acts as well as blood and violence.
Digital Self And Digital Other
The Body Dissolver addresses physical violence. An Exemplary Punk addresses suicide. 6000 lies addresses abortion and death.
Two Incidents
A Single Incident addresses racism, physical violence and death. Incident contains explicit depictions of racism, police violence and death.
Welcome To Our Crisis
The films getty abortions, Crevette, Memoir of a Veering Storm and Contractions adress abortion.
Ukraine In Upheaval
Cars from Ukraine addresses war and refugee experiences.
Nightmares
Baptism of Silence contains depictions of emotional abuse, bullying, sexism, homophobia and use of discriminatory language, physical violence and sexual violence/abuse. The Taster addresses war and sexism. Thread Tension adresses sexim. Mara addresses sexism as well as pornography and contains depictions of blood.
Kinky Kino
The films Deep Clean, Taste of You, Two of Swords, Speed Date, Träume – 2Bang Serafina Sky and Love Your Cunt contain explicit depictions of pornography and sexual actions.
Into The Groove
The films Maybe It's Not Our Time Yet – Will Silver and Wendorlan (Scope Vid) – Squarepusher contain flashing lights/strobe lights. Shiver – Fever Ray contains blood/gore.
Très Chic
Say Hi After You Die addresses death.
Best Of The Fests
The Passing contains depictions of animal death. Electra contains depictions of emotional abuse and flashing lights.
Best Of The Animation Fests
Her Dress for the Final addresses death. Wander to Wonder features depictions of violence and death. Margarethe 89 addresses violence. Preoperational Model contains depictions of open wounds on animals.
Precious Miniatures
The Final Nail In The Coffin contains strong language, depictions of violence and death.
Psychotic Puppets
God Bless You contains depictions of abusive behaviour as well as alcohol abuse and addresses mental health.
LyrArkestra+ & Jan Kulka
Preliminary Exercises and Prefilm contain flashing lights and strong stroboscopic effects.
Walking On The Moon
Gaby's Hills addresses sexism.
Mo(u)rning
A Crab in the Pool addresses illness and death. The scent of beetroot and the people who live forever addresses mental health. I don't want to have to be loud addresses sexism. Porcelain contains depictions of abusive behaviour and alcohol abuse. 27 contains depictions of explicit sexuality and sexual actions.
Hayat
The films Happy Doom and Surface Séance contain strobe effects.