We are happy to welcome two new members to the European Short Film Network (ESFN): The renowned IndieLisboa International Film Festival (PT) and Uppsala Kortfilmfestival (SE) have joined the network, which was founded in 2018 and is now active in six countries. The four founding members are VIENNA SHORTS (AT), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen (DE), Go Short Festival in Nijmegen (NL) and Short Waves Festival in Poznan (PL).

The ESFN was formed to support and promote European short films and is supported by the Creative Europe Program – MEDIA of the European Union with funding until 2024. VIENNA SHORTS acts as the coordinating festival and will soon be part of another European festival network—more to be announced soon.

THIS IS SHORT and other projects

The joint VOD project THIS IS SHORT will be re-launched in October 2023 as a year-round streaming service for audiences and the industry, bundling and displaying the amazing wealth and variety of European short film production. The network’s core initiative ran for three months each in the spring of 2021 and 2022. The expansion will be coordinated by German project manager and curator Jens Geiger-Kiran, who is known, among other things, for the cinema VOD network CinemaLovers.

In addition to the streaming platform, the network will develop on-site film programs to be presented throughout the year at the six member festivals. The focus will be on analog formats, launching in 2023 with two film programs from the Friedl Kubelka School for Independent Film in Vienna. Curated by director Philipp Fleischmann, who heads the school’s film department, the programs will travel through Europe between April and November.

Another focus is on sustainable festival organization, which all participating festivals have been committed to for several years. Together, all members of the ESFN have therefore pledged to observe the Code of Sustainability which was developed by the network in 2021 and which can be downloaded here.

News 19.1.2023