Interfilm, Berlin’s renowned international short film festival, is set to make a grand return for its 40th edition. Scheduled to take place from November 5th to 10th, 2024, the festival will be hosted across multiple venues. Known for its eclectic mix of screenings, workshops, and wide-ranging events, this year’s festival promises a rich line-up that focuses on the intricate relationship between the human body and film.
The selection for this edition spans various styles and formats, from documentary and fiction to music videos, experimental, and animation films. Organisers are keen to tackle contemporary issues surrounding themes of representation, politics, race, desire, queerness, and consent—all in relation to the body. Among the festival highlights is an evening dedicated to screenings and discussions on the topic of short film and accessibility, held at Pfefferberg Haus 13.
The festival will kick off on November 5th with an opening night at Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. The inaugural event will introduce the various juries responsible for bestowing the festival’s highly-coveted awards, alongside previews of some of the standout films. This year, filmmakers will compete in several categories, including International, German, Documentary, Green Film, and Eject_XXIV, a segment known for its quirky and offbeat short films.
The International Competition’s Stories in Motion subcategory will feature films from countries such as Senegal, Iran, Malaysia, Portugal, France, and Germany, each exploring facets of travel. Venues such as Pfefferberg Theater, ACUDkino, and Rollberg Kino will screen these films throughout the festival.
Interfilm is also a participant in the European Short Film Audience Award, a collaboration among ten like-minded festivals committed to showcasing Europe’s best short films from the past year. Festival-goers can look forward to screenings of notable works including a documentary by Ukrainian filmmaker Halyna Koziutynska about squatting in the Carpathian Mountains, a monologue on racism by Simon van der Zande set on public transport in Brussels, and a Finnish animated short by Heta Jäälinoja that creatively engages with themes of vegetable gardens and nuns.
In addition to the competitions, there will be genre specials exploring essay films on reality and truth, queer short films addressing desire and identity, and a selection of coming-of-age stories. A retrospective section titled ‘Alle Macht der Super 8’ will celebrate the festival’s roots with a dozen Super 8 films dating back to the 1980s, predominantly shot in or related to Berlin.
Complementing the screenings, Interfilm will host several events and workshops. The InterForum discussion series targets industry professionals and will tackle themes such as diverse body representation, abortion, trauma, and Jewish identity in short films. For those seeking a more relaxed atmosphere, there will be karaoke and quiz nights at Roter Salon, a festival birthday celebration on November 9th, and a closing award ceremony on November 10th at Volksbühne and Kino Rollberg, rounding off the memorable 40th edition of Interfilm.
For more information, the public can visit the official website at interfilm.de.
Source: Noah Wire Services