interfilm 2023
14 - 19 November 2022
INTERFILM 39 will present more than 300 short films in 50 competition and special programs from over 60 countries at 10 Berlin venues. Within the teams of the different sections, 20 curators <-- have created deeply thoughtful and highly creative programs that span socio-critical examinations to cinematic liberation and the sheer joy of cinema.
Non-white and queer perspectives in short film are a focus of this 39th edition of INTERFILM
The German Competition focuses on issues of social justice, cultural belonging and personal identity. The three programs deal with stories of BIPOC persons, of migrants, of refugees and of children of the former GDR, of queer people, FLINTA* and all who have to struggle daily for their visibility and participation in society.
In "Focus On: The *Other* German Cinema" othering, stereotypes and dominant narratives are turned on their head - with diversity as normality, subversive-empowering stories and nuanced characters by and with BIPOC persons. Three programs are dedicated to queer (self)love in the Asian-Diasporic queer community, coming-of-age stories of children and young adults of colour, as well as the resistant practice of remembering, and the dignified commemoration of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust and racist violence in Germany. Curation: Canan Turan.
Non-white perspectives in short film outside Germany are the subject of two special programs: "Spotlight: Uganda" focuses on the productivity and creativity of the Ugandan film scene - curated by Ali Musoke and Patience Katushabe, while "From Afghanistan to Exile" looks at the short filmmaking of Afghan filmmakers and presents Afghan productions as well as works from the diasporic community - a cooperation with the Goethe-Institut in Exile. Curation: Zamarin Wahdat.
At InterForum, the space for discussion and sharing knowledge, conceptual and technical aspects of filmmaking meet socially relevant and political content. Naturally, the themes of the festival are also reflected here: With "The Lighting / What About Skin Tones? Opening the Black Box of Lighting" addresses the inherent racist bias of film and lighting technology, while "Ugandan Cinema Unveiled: Spotlight on Stories, Experiences and Struggles" looks at the specific production conditions in Uganda.
Curators can attend the workshop "Doing Curatorial Justice" at InterForum. What possibilities do curators and other festival staff have to create new concepts and practices of ethical representation, justice and accountability at film festivals? The panel "Beyond a Submission to the Norm" directly follows the programs of the "Focus On" section and discusses the (non-)presence of BIPOC perspectives, histories and aesthetics at festivals. Finally, Benita Bailey's presentation of her project "#YELLIT from the Mountain" is dedicated to making BIPOC artists visible in the current cultural scene.
*Other* perspectives are a leading thread, found throughout the festival in competitions, special programs, masterclasses, talks and events. The European Short Film Audience Award offers a broad view of life in Europe with ten films from ten European short film festivals, "Queer Fever" is a celebration of inventive, highly personal and playful LGBTQIA+ perspectives and "Reality Bites" proves that perspective and truth are anything but simple.
