Short fiction films marathon - South
2021-2022
short films, 162 min, eng subtitles, 16+
Barley / Ječam žela by Andrija Mugoša (Montenegro 2021, 18’)
Jakov invites his old friend Petar, who lives abroad, to be the godfather at his daughter’s baptism. His arrival awakens deeply repressed memories of their relationship, and Petar fails to resist his temptation and secretly tries to reach Jakov.
Sarajevo FF 2021
Merlinka FFl 2021
Branka by Ákos K. Kovács (Hungary 2021, 20’)
Yugoslavia, 1991. Far away from the war zones, Branka gets a job at a maternity ward of a state hospital. The young woman is all alone, but it turns out loneliness is not the hardest burden Branka has to carry. Newborns are disappearing from the hospital.
BuSho (Budapest Short) 2021 (Student Jury Best Fiction, BuSho Award 2021 - Prize of Szeged)
Philosophical FF 2022 (Audience Award)
Krakow FF 2021
Craze / Hajszálrepedés by Bianka Szelestey (Hungary 2022, 21’)
Lenke has to face the fact that she has to stop clinging to her dying relationship after her partner of 8 years blurts out that he's breaking up with her, just before a family dinner. During the dinner, Lenke goes through the stages of letting go but takes one last, desperate act to avoid it.
Cannes Film Festival (Cinefondation)
Liquid Bread / Chlieb náš každodenný by Alica Bednáriková (Slovakia, 2021, 26’)
In Southern Slovakia, on hot summer days, a family of three generations meets under one roof. An unexpected visit from Zoja, the granddaughter, stirs up the peaceful routine. Within the quiet presence of God and alcohol, the family untails its tragicomical past and a few (almost) unsaid secrets.
Love Stories On The Move / Prin oraș circulă scurte povești de dragoste by Carina Gabriela Dașoveanu (Romania, 2021, 15’)
Lili, a taxi driver, is trying to save her marriage with Dani, an amateur fisherman. Her fares expose Lili to several love stories really different from her own.
Cannes 2021 (Cinefondation)
Sundance 2022
Vilnius International Short Film Festival 2022
Marko by Marko Šantić (Croatia, 2021, 17’)
Marko and Ankica never got over the death of their only child, Ante, in the war. When their neighbour Stipe suggests renting their son’s room to tourists, Marko feels insulted but Ankica manages to talk him into it. Renting rooms is easy money, especially for retired people, but having an unknown man sleeping in his son’s bed troubles Marko.
Festival Internacional de Cine de Oriente 2021 (Best International Fiction Film)
Martovski Festival – Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival 2022 (Best International Short Film)
Number 26 by Gvantsa Meparishvili (Georgia, 2022, 20’)
Ski school instructor Nika tries to hide a fatal accident that happened on the slopes. But when night comes, it turns out that girl number 26 is missing. Nika will confess the accident to his girlfriend Nata, together they will share the responsibility for this dreadful secret.
Uppsala Short Film Festival 2021
Zagreb FF 2021
Red Sea FF 2021
Tbilisi IFF 2022
The Potemkinists / Potemkiniștii by Radu Jude (Romania, 2022, 18’)
In 1905, the sailors on the battleship Potemkin are given political asylum in Romania - an act of defiance against Russia. In 2021, a sculptor (Alexandru Dabija) wants to create an artwork inspired by the event. A comedy about art, history, memory and cinema, which film critic Andrei Gorzo describes as "a cross between a Caragiale sketch and a Mark Rappaport video essay".
Festival de Cannes 2022 (Cinefondation)