Relaxing into Forty with Ease and Innovation
by Marinell Haegelin

Spanning the gap this year between the hole-in-the-wall streetside and inside perimeters of the Post/DHL complex on Kaltenkirchen Platz was a brand-new metal bridge. Bedecked with flowers in upright wooden sections and strung with tiny fairy lights, its greeting was clear: let’s celebrate Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg’s (KFF) milestone fortieth birthday. Guests mingled and moseyed the mammoth depths of the “Playground” to uncover 2024’s surprises, and tantalizing treats, e.g., CharTea’s cocktails, and—wait for it—cotton candy. People’s perplexity at a “pop-up” cinema, where the vittles are usually served, were gratified and satisfied to discover trays of grilled wurst (including vegan sausages) circulating in the out-of-doors play area. Everyone was enjoying the naturally warm, friendly atmosphere created by the incredible threesome: KFF, Mo&Friese Junges Kurzfilm Festival (Mo&Friese), and KurzFilmAgentur (KFA)—even the weather participated by keeping rain clouds at bay.

From small beginnings come great things: “trash as artistic expression, i.e. “Trash Night” begat the No Budget Kurzfilmfestival, now an important section within KFF. Early-on supporters were Hamburg’s dedicated Cultural Department, the Metropolis Cinema (since 1984), and countless short film fans. Following restructuring in the early 1990s until its current configuration, KFF has evolved, changed, grown. Staatsrätin Jana Schiedek, Ministry of Culture and Media, acknowledged short films’ importance as an art form during the opening speeches, and referred to how many presentations were in English this year because so many foreign guests were in attendance, “The fact we’re speaking English today shows how wide their (KFF) audience is.” Ms. Schiedek ended with a quote from Maya Angelou, the American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist.

In wonderfully choreographed presentations, Alexandra Gramatke, KFA Managing Director, and the twenty-six years and counting Mo&Friese’s Lina Paulsen, director/curator spoke. Then Maike Mia Höhne and Sven Schwarz, KFF’s co-directors, launched into opening remarks that named innumerable individuals intricately involved in its beginnings. Each one’s recollections/story was laced with nostalgia, affection, and memorable quips, e.g., “always had our backs” and “partners in crime,” to “how could she say no” and “happy coincidences!” Moving along, the co-directors thanked their 151 team members, and Höhne referenced circles and the festival’s political positions exponential growth, “That’s just fine, since we are not supposed to go to sleep in democracy.” Schwarz talked about their plans going forward and involvement in making the Festival-center-POST at Kaltenkircher Platz the Cultural Center of West Hamburg—what a magnificent idea!

Steering us into the special Sudanese exhibit, “Fragile Traces: Archives in Times of Conflict” was introduced. War rages in the northeastern African country, and archives are being destroyed. The exhibit consisted of the Goethe-Institut Sudan’s SIKKA project, a multimedia online platform creating a living archive, together with works by five Sudanese artists about the status quo there and peaceful revolution. During the festival, Yulia Serdyukova, Ukrainian producer-curator and film collective Freefilmers member, was in attendance to present VOICES 1: Mariupol That No Longer Exists, by Freefilmers. It’s a video diary reflecting on the ultimate cruelties of war, as well as announcing the film festival—Filma. Feminist Film Festival (Ukraine)—was just around the corner from, November 23–December 8, 2024.

NEOZOON chose to interpret the KFF 2024 motto, “Cloudy,” literally. They supported their festival trailer by writing, “From a threatening situation, there emerges an opportunity to join forces and strike off in a new direction.” Consequently, its dull trailer falls short of being inspirational in regard to their statement. Had they interpreted “Cloudy” figuratively, think of the creative vistas that would have opened, and new interpretations on “I can’t see a thing.”

The festival’s schedule is chock-a-block full, day and night: there are three competitive programs and five thematically special programs re: the Gegenwart (present); the POST playground vibrations including disco music plus Lampenlager screenings, special industry screenings, Industry Day, and Mo&Friese’s daily screenings at the POST—some free. Guided tours of the exhibition, round table discussions and panels, and “Open Air” movies indoors—first time, yet better than freezing outdoors. The “shortfilm slam” comprised of eight short films, the Wildcard program, forums, and Cloudy Clouds curated by artistic director Höhne breathe life into this year’s motto. As well there’s “A Wall is a Screen,” and the workshops by Analogfilmwerke e. V. on filming/hand-processing for filmmakers at all levels, and Harvard graduate Jennifer Lyon Bell’s combining hot explicit sex, arthouse cinema, and film set’s having safe spaces. Plus, ARTE, KFF’s longtime partner, hosting a “Petit Déjeuner.” These are but a few of KFFs offerings!

It was announced three filmmakers made the ultimate sacrifice to stand with the “Strike German” in solidarity with the Palestinians: EVER SINCE, I HAVE BEEN FLYING by Aylin Gökmen, NEO NAHDA by May Ziadé and WE NEED NEW NAMES by Onyeka Igwe. “We very much hope that we will have the chance to show their works in the future.”

Whenever the festival is in residence the thrumming of fun, films, friendships is inescapable at the POST. The festival’s fidelity to that, and its program’s bilingualism make it easily navigable for everyone. Undeniably, the warm atmosphere punches holes in any cloudy, cool Hamburg weather. Mark its date in your calendars: June 3–8, 2025, it will be the forty-first edition of Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg!