This year, the International Short Film Festival Leuven celebrates its 15th anniversary. A crystal wedding sure enough for this festival dedicated to a type of film which has had a hard time in the commercial distribution scene that's entirely devoted to feature film. During eight days, short films are presented in all its different forms: live action shorts, animated shorts, documentaries, non-narrative video work, viral videos, shorts for kids, music videos and so on. It is the best opportunity to have a taste of Flanders' and Europe's best young film talent. This year over 250 films are shown, combined in close to 50 compilations of 90 minutes.

The Short Film Festival is not only a show case for new talent it's also a talent scouting event. The short film competition for national and European shorts is the heart of the festival, audience and jury select their favourite films and decide who gets to take the trophies home.   

To celebrate the festival anniversary some short film highlights from the past editions can be enjoyed again in one of the Reloaded programs. Four thematic compilations of past jury and audience award winners combined with festival favourites. But the Short Film Festival Leuven always looks ahead as well and is keen on spotting trends in the ever changing creative scene of shorts. Short films wrapped up as feature films, the so-called anthologies are gaining ground in the film industry. Latest addition is New York, I love you, the follow up of Paris, Je t'Aime. The Short Film Festival presents six of these anthologies.

Every year the festival puts a specific short film industry in the spotlights and this year the United States is the guest of honour. It appears that the land of romcoms and action movies has quite an impressive short film production. Other thematic compilations on the elaborate festival program are Short Films for Kids, Animation Nations, LABO and, for the first time this year, an expo on YouTube mashups. Check out the complete program on the festival's website.

More information:
www.kortfilmfestival.be

Image:
Marco Mertens