Our media partner Dread Central has already tweeted it, so now we want to officially announce what has long been an integral part of our program: our short films! In two varied blocks, we show you genre short films from all over the world with the aim of entertaining you in every conceivable way. Sometimes it's creepy, sometimes cheesy, sometimes hard as nails and sometimes super soft. As always, there's something for every taste. This year we are putting out 17 short films, 11 of which will be in the running for the Méliès D'Argent, the jury award presented by all member festivals of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF). Our winner will then be sent to Sitges for the final round. You can find more information about our jury below.
You can also look forward to 7 international highlights that are not taking part in the competition. But they are all also vying for your favor, because every entry can become the winner of hearts and dust off our Audience Award, the "Silver Razor Blade". Here is our short film program!
SHORT & HOART 1 | Fri, 11.04.2024 | 11:00 pm
- LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE (USA 2024 | Aaaron Cassara)
- ELEVATION (Italy 2024 | Matteo Macaluso) - In Competition
- BARE HANDS (Bolivia 2024 | José Velasco)
- DE LEIDER KOMT (Belgium 2024 | Michiel Geluykens, Manuel Janssens) - In Competition
- POCKET PRINCESS (Canada 2024 | Olivia Loccisano)
- THE PROCEDURE (Portugal 2024 | Chico Noras) - In Competition
- MU (Spain 2024 | Javier Méndez Cañada) - In Competition
- LONE WOLVES (Great Britain 2024 | Oliver Cane) - In Competition
- COSMIC CRASH (Germany, 2025 | James Smith) - In Competition
In this short film block you will see nine films from nine countries, including seven German premieres and two international premieres. Guests will also be present.
SHORT & HOART 2 | Sat, 12.04.2024 | 11:00 pm
- 12 CORS (France 2024 | Cédric Chambin) - In Competition
- BODY WORN VIDEO (Great Britain 2024 | Tony Hipwell) - In Competition
- HOLY HEAVINESS (Iran 2024 | Farnoosh Abedi)
- MASKS (USA 2024 | Andre LeBlanc)
- NAIMS ESEL (Germany 2025 | Ron Vodovozov) - In Competition
- DAUGHTER (Belgium 2024 | Jorge Sermini) - In Competition
- IN THE NAME OF... (Mexico 2024 | Marcos Muñoz Flores)
- IMAGO (Spain 2024 | Rafa Dengrá Oliver) - In Competition
In this short film block you will see eight films from eight countries, including four German premieres, one European premiere and one world premiere. Guests have already registered here too.
THE JURY
Verena Gräfe-Höft
Initially Verena initially worked as an author and dramaturge. She studied at the Hamburg Media School, where she now also works as a cessor today. In 2009, Verena founded her own production company "Junafilm", with which she produced Katrin Gebbe's first film TORE TANZT produced. From 2018, there was a clear shift towards the horror genre: PELIKANBLUT, SCHLAF and SPIRIT IN THE BLOOD are all productions that must be familiar to genre fans. In When it comes to "elvated horror", it is the top address in this country.
Tino Hahn
As a walking Bollywood encyclopedia the Internet knows him immediately, but Masalakraut is so much more so much more than just Bollywood. The selection for the film event requires connoisseurship in film. And Tino certainly has that. His CV includes format titles such as Kino.de, GIGA and Kino+. Most regularly you will certainly hear him on his podcast "Genre Geschehen", which he publishes together with André Hecker and Daniel Schröckert. Together they report on the latest news from the genre, about festivals and highlights of the rather unconventional film.
Aislinn Clarke
On Friday evenings the young Aislinn regularly set out to rent videos and endure a night of horror. Escapism was a driving force for the filmmaker, who grew up in Northern Ireland. The horror genre she turned to the horror genre with passion 2013. Five years later came the first feature-length horror film from Ireland. Shortly afterwards, she received a scholarship from the Academy for outstanding female directing talent. That she is above this status status with FRÉWAKA, which can be seen at the festival.
Michael Orth
Why interfere when there are absolute professionals? As founder and co-organizer of the short film festival in Landshut, he has proven expertise. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes clear that a real genre freak is at work here. With the Shock Blocks and the Deadline Award, the Landshut festival is an address in itself. Michael Orth programs the short film blocks for us!
