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34th International Shortfilm Festival Berlin 2018

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20 - 25 November 2018

At 9 Berlin venues interfilm celebrated 400 films from more than 60 countries in more than 50 programs. With 20,000 visitors and 700 accredited guests from all over the world, the festival came to a euphoric close with an exceptional array of winning films. 17 prizes worth 35,000 euros were conferred.

The award for Best Film, endowed with 6000,- Euro by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, went to the intoxicating comedy "How it Feels to be Hungover" by Viktor Hertz from Sweden. Both the award winner of Best Live Action - the refugee tragedy "Dark Chamber" by Otto Banovits (Sweden / Hungary) - and Best Animation - the underwater parable "Plankton" by Gustaf Lindstrom (England) - scored points towards an ®Oscar, because as of this festival edition the winners of these interfilm categories are automatically in the running for a nomination at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles (info below).

Oscar® Update 2018

interfilm: Oscar® Qualifying Festival!

2018 kicks-off with a bang! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles has declared interfilm an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival. As of now, winning films in the categories “Best Fiction” and “Best Animation” in the International Competition of the interfilm festival will automatically be considered to compete for an OSCAR® in the categories "Live Action Short" and "Animated Short Film".

The interfilm Festival thereby joins the ranks of OSCAR® relevant festivals such as the Berlinale, Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand, Annecy, BAFTA, Montreal, Seattle and Tampere just to name a few. Naturally, all further ACADEMY AWARD® criteria must be met.

“This is tremendous news,” exclaims Festival Director Heinz Hermanns, “especially considering our immense passion for extraordinary animation and sharp fiction”. Our colleagues at Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg are equally enthusiastic: “We have been delighted by interfilm’s growing success for many years and are proud that they have now too, been acknowledged by Hollywood”, asserts Kirsten Niehuus from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. “Through this qualification, interfilm has been conferred with an OSCAR® of its own”. Even Björn Böhning, Head of the Senate Chancellery of the Federal State of Berlin is thrilled: “My many visits to the festival have led me to become an interfilm fan. It’s great that the ACADEMY is of the same opinion. I’m already looking forward to November!”

And speaking of Oscar®-Shorts: interfilm distribution will show the 2018 nominated shorts in the sections LIVE ACTION and ANIMATION in 2 programs exclusively in German, Austrian and Swiss cinemas. The release date is the 1st of March 2018.

The interfilmers are already gearing up for another round of selection viewing for the 34th International Short Film Festival Berlin, which will be held from November 19 to 25, 2018. The call for entries opens on February 1! - Enter films now!