Berliner Fenster & interfilm Berlin presents:
Going Underground -
5th International Short Film Festival in the Berlin Subway:
01. February - 07. February 2006

'Going Underground', from 1st of February to 7th of February 2006 Berliner Fenster in co-operation with interfilm Berlin will run the fourth International Short Film Festival for 'Ultra Shorts' in Berlin's underground trains. Those privileged to travel the Berlin Underground will find that their usual glassy-eyed 'underground-stare' will be awakened and entertained by a variety of short delights.

This year to celebrate Going Underground's fifth birthday, in addition to the official Going Underground Award with the usual 14 festival films, a second competition will be held featuring 7 additional films. Entitled ‘Renewable Movies' the 7 films share the theme ‘Renewable Resources'.

The winners are:

The prize sponsor and co-initiator of this section is FNR e.V, a specialised agency for renewable resources, from the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Nutrition and Agriculture.

The three winning film makers will be rewarded with prizes of
1. Prize 3,000 EUR
2. Prize 2,000 EUR
3. Prize 1,000 EUR

FNR will provide the competition winners with the following prize money:
1. Prize 2,500 EUR*
2. Prize 1,500 EUR*
3. Prize 750 EUR*

The 4th – 7th prize-holders shall each receive a competition flat rate of 250 EUR*

Short films and energy from renewable resources – what do they have in common?
It's perhaps hard to believe that so many of the things which surround us are made using petroleum. Clothing, cars, furniture, packaging. Each of these can already (or in the near future) be produced using other energies and other ingredients. Although the industrial nations' dependence on petroleum will no doubt lead to an energy-countdown within the next 50 years, the problem is only registered on a sub-conscious level by most people. The debate on energy and resources gleaned from plants which can be (re)grown almost everywhere – instead of fighting over source enriched regions - therefore belongs in the forefront of people's consciousness… so what better place than the Berlin subway?!

Dependence and hope, but also botany and technical insight, innovation and research, wood-pellets and Bio-diesel. All that and much more in 90 seconds. Animation, drama, science- fiction or love-story, we look forward to your films and ideas.
Fred Kuhaupt and Heinz Hermanns (Festival Directors) .

Renewable Movies
Heating with wood or making clothes out of hemp and linen aren't exactly new ideas. Since ancient times mankind has utilised renewable resources for energy production and material use. As the scarcity of fossil fuels become ever more obvious – especially petroleum –the alternatives offered by renewable resources increasingly engage public interest. In the meantime thanks to innovative processes it's already possible to replace many modern products with conventional resources –disposable cutlery made from corn starch or foam mattresses out of sunflower oil are already on the market. Better known products include wood-pellets for heating and bio-diesel as fuel. The range of suitable plants is as diverse as Nature itself: trees, rape, poppies, corn, wheat, sugar beets, thistles, flax and many more offer sustainable alternatives.  
Competition films should consider the possibilities which make renewable resources so important for the future. The emphasis could especially be placed upon the diversity of the plants, the resources gleaned from them and their varying roles. It's important to show which chances Nature presents us with and to demand these be utilised!