This year's slogan of the international short film festival: "Fixing the Future", suggests the organizers are looking to attract engaged films and create a meeting space - often in unusual locations - to discuss important topics. "We are committed to creating a planet-friendly festival that is both open and diverse", they declare.
The programme of this contest, in which artists from around the world will vie for prizes, comprises three international and two Polish film categories. A total of over 70 pictures from nearly 40 countries, including 7 world, 3 European and 35 Polish premieres, will be shown. The best of them will be selected by an international jury as well as the audience. This year, for the first time, a three-person Youth Jury will pick the winners of cash prizes in the Polish-film contest. The total prize pool exceeds PLN 50,000.
Traditionally, the programme includes the Dances with Camera dance film contest, which examines bodies and their movements through a camera lens, as well as the Urban View contest offering various perspectives on the urban experience. There will also be a new addition this year: the Polish Experimental Film Contest showcasing works from the borderline of visual arts and film. The off-competition section will include themed screenings for viewers of all ages, toddlers to seniors. Here too audiences will enjoy a huge variety of genres ranging from horror to comedy to Festival Hits, which are two sets of audience-selected film favourites from festivals across Europe.
But Short Waves is not only about movie screenings. The showings will be accompanied by educational and industry events, a geographical focus on Lebanon and the new Hotel Europe all-day festival club in the centre of the Łazarz district of Poznań. There will also be iconic blind home movie showings at Random Home Cinema and daily opportunities to dance it out at the House afterparty. The festival will also feature special events, including an audio-visual opening of Form Cinema: Sharp and Honest in the Pavilion and a concert by Hania Rani during the award ceremony on Saturday, 22 March. The last day of the festival will not be a definitive closing as selected films will hit the road commencing a tour of over a dozen Polish cities.
Anna Solak
translation: Krzysztof Kotkowski
12th Short Waves Festival
17-22 March
Venues include Rialto Cinema, House, Pawilon
For programme and ticket information see: shortwaves.pl
© Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania 2020