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FESTIVAL 2007
In 2007 The festival broke its attendance record once again (9 000 visitors) and with 356 shorts spread over 140 screenings, it was the largest edition in the festival’s history. The increase in films was largely due to the VAF Wildcards, a national students films competition, that was added to the festival program. The VAF Wildcards with a value of 240 000 euro represent the most prestigious film prize of the country. All selected films, live action and documentaries (74 in total), were screened once, winners were awarded by a separate Wildcards Jury (selected by the Film Fund). Next to the Humo Award, again a new competitive section was added to the festival programme: in co operation with Nokia, the ISFFL set up a competition for mobile films. Ten young film makers were given a Nokia 95 mobile on which they shot and edited a short film. The films were streamed on-line and the surfing audience selected their winner. As a consequence, there were 13 prizes to be awarded.
In the international selection the festival focused on Swedish short films, with Jens Jonsson as ‘special guest’, who came to introduce his films for two sold out screenings. Other successful programs where again the comedy shorts, a selection of Pixar shorts and the European Competition that was getting more popular by the year.
FACTS
Dates: December 1st -8th
Visitors: 9 088
National competition:
Live action Audience Award: Tanguy’s Unifying Theory of Life (Pim Algoed), Jury Award: FAL (Hans Van Nuffel), Award for Best Newcomer: Ou Quoi (Cecilia Verheyden), Animated Shorts Audience Award: Terzo Mundo (Tom van Gestel), Best Music Video Jury Award: Back From the Grave (Toon Aerts), HUMO Award: Pere Total (Raf Roosens), Mobile Film Award: Domino (Sandy Claes)
European Competition (only live action):
Audience Award: Tripes and Onions (HU, Márton Szirmai), Jury Award: Blood Sisters (SE, Louise N.D. Friedberg)
Jury Members: Jan Eelen (BE, director), Ben Van Alboom (BE, film journalist), Pieter Van Hees (BE, director), An Miller (BE, actress), Carl Joos (BE, scenarist), Matt Lloyd (UK, Edinburgh Film Festival), Tina Santomauro (US, buyer Atom Films)
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FESTIVAL 2008
In 2008 the financial crisis hit the festival’s budget: sponsors cancelled or postponed their deals for at least one year, the sales of the Selected Shorts DVD’s didn’t go as well as hoped. Guest care, personnel, promotion and production were cut back, but had no effect on the general organization of the festival. On the contrary, the level of visitors was maintained and the festival managed to double the number of international jury members and set up an international conference, due to smart co-operations with partners in the field. The number of films selected for the European competition was raised again to 40 films in total. That year an absolute record of 2100 films (!) were submitted for selection, which confirms the growing international esteem of the festival. This was also reflected in the speakers during the festival’s industry days (now a multiple days event) and the jury members the festival has attracted: representatives from the Raindance Film Festival, Nordisk Panorama as well as the Tribeca Film Festival. However, for the first time in years, the total festival’s audience attendance stagnated. Unsurprising, given the cut backs made on the promotional budget, but also the nationally reduced school’s budget fell hard on the festival’s school screening. However, despite the production and promotion budget cut backs, the festival managed to gain more paying visitors than ever before, which indicates that the interest of the general public for short films still, after all these years, increases.
FACTS
Dates: November 29th - December 6th 2008
Visitors: 9 018
National competition:
Live action Audience Award & Jury Award: Plan B (Robin Pront), Award for Best Newcomer: Stilleven (Wim De Moor) Animated Shorts Audience Award: De Zwemles (Danny De Vent), Best Music Video Jury Award: Eternal Woman (Tom Barman), HUMO Award: Rudi 35 (Joris Vanden Berk)
European Competition (only live action):
Audience Award: Ripple (UK, Paul Gowers), Jury Award: Love You More (UK, Sam Taylor-Wood)
Jury Members: Erik Kloeck (BE, scenarist), Rik D’Hiet (BE, scenarist), Robby Cleiren (BE, actor), Chris Craps (BE, film journalist), Stefan Frank (BE, film lecturer), Lisa Nyed (SE, Nordisk Panorama), Maggie Kim (USA, Tribeca Film Festival), Suzanne Ballantyne (UK, Raindance Film Festival), Lisa ter Berg (NL, Go Short!)
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