The short film is radical and free. Sometimes controversial, disruptive, on the limits of comprehension, but always ready to stir the heart. It is as multi-layered as the possibilities offered by its creation – it can present itself as an open question, a bold thesis, a sketched out thought or a carefully staged drama. 

 

A short film is an immersion into the world. Which breathlessly takes you from one adventure to the next. Sometimes, with a nod to the full-length film, sometimes on a search for a unique energy and variation of form. 

 

Often from the very beginning, the short film carries the artist’s stylistic and thematic character, which will later become his own language. Far lower production budgets allow for a total lack of compromise and contributes to the development of the language of this format. 

 

Since 1955, the Berlinale has awarded a Golden and Silver Bear to the best short film. Since 2003, short films have had their own international jury and since 2006 their own section. The international jury awards, alongside the Bears, also the Prix UIP for the best European Film and a DAAD scholarship award. 

With the introduction of a dedicated section, the festival has expressed its commitment to raising the profile of short films in terms of film production. 

 

Every year the Berlinale presents roughly 60 short films, not only in Berlinale Shorts, but also in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino, Generation and Forum expanded sections. They are presented in programme blocks of up to two hours, and are guaranteed to take audiences on a special journey. 

 

The Berlinale Shorts section shows about 30 films, of which about 10 compete for the Golden Bear. The programme shows all faces and genres of the short film format and has no formal limitations. 

 

In the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section short and mid-length German films are shown in order to provide promising talents a platform regardless of the length or his or her film.  

 

The Generation section, under the headings Kplus and 14plus, shows about 20 films for children and young people. These short films compete for the Crystal Bear as well as for the 2,500 euro “Special Prize of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk (German Child Support Organisation)”.  

 

Forum expanded presents cinema beyond its own boundaries. With film and video art, installations, performances and discussions, this programme combines the idea of the festival with the exhibition, the historical with the visionary, theory and practice. Short, artistic (experimental) films and video works can be found in Forum expanded.