Beyond the Festival Circuit: Pathways for the Circulation of Short Films

Many would argue that festivals remain the primary meeting point between short films and audiences, yet a film’s life does not end with its festival screening. This panel explores alternative spaces of exhibition - from museums and cinematheques to digital platforms - and examines whether these new contexts are transforming the visibility and accessibility of short films within today’s media landscape. As part of the European Short Film Network’s broader international programme ‘Film Festivals and Their New Realities’, the panel considers how filmmakers and industry professionals navigate the balance between festival exposure, more open digital circulation, and reaching audiences beyond traditional festival channels.

With: Vanja Andrijević (producer, distributor Bonobostudio, HR), Jurij Meden (Head of Film Program, Filmmuseum Wien, AT), Mathieu Janssen (Artistic leader of the Go Short Festival, NL), Ulrich Ziemons (Head of Forum Expanded, Berlinale)