
FIRST CROSSINGS
Short films from the First Crossings section will take off for the sixth time as part of the Tribute to Vision cross-border film festival. The festival aims to present fresh, innovative and eclectic short films from a wide variety of genres, which aim to discover new film rumors. These are author's works in various forms, animation, video essays, art and music videos, video poetry, and other experimental forms of short films.
M O R E S T O R I E S, L E S S B O R D E R S !
PROGRAMME
Official Competition
Films in Competition for a Jury Award
Kinemax, Kulturni dom Nova Gorica
The sixth edition of the First Crossing section is finally merging completely with our mother festival Tribute to A Vision IFF. This year was marked by many transforming changes, one of which is that the competitive section no longer has a thematic approach, but instead focuses on films that push boundaries with both visual and storytelling impact. Not only that I was faced with the difficult decision of choosing 12 films out of 150 submissions, but this year I had no topic to guide my programming vision. Burdened with this challenge I was torn between two dilemmas. Choosing high-end films, and educating audiences or giving a stage to new unestablished authors and staying faithful to our motto. If choosing the first I would contribute to the growing, but yet undeveloped trend of short film festivals, which is a tough industry in the region and in order for this market to grow, we need good films. Unfortunately, for us (being a small festival) good films sometimes stand for: films that premiered in Locarno, Venice, Sundance or Annecy, because they are a hook for journalists and cinema-goers. On the other hand if I would give spotlight to new, unheard voices who are experimenting with form and language and desperately need a stage for exercising their skill, I would truly integrate the festival manifesto in the program. Then again, sometimes the border between these two points gets muddled, because films are stretching their configuration in such new interesting ways nowadays. Unconventional films aren’t limited to being innovative in terms of form or content only. Sometimes a protagonist gets so incarnated in the film that he becomes an inherent cinematic characteristic. Sometimes the same thing is embodied through the film rhythm, non-linear storytelling or treatment. Oscillating amongst these two fronts, I diplomatically headed towards balance and harmony in order to reach an unbiased, fair, decent playground supportive of the films competing for a jury award. Furthermore we enlarged the programme with several other uncompetitive sections, to support local filmmakers and encourage young talents in their never-ending search of new languages. Pleased with these intricate decision makings, I realized that sometimes we mimic the openness of the films we see, so I conclude with this thought hoping that the selection itself will shine with the generosity of these remarkable films.
War : Air, Earth, Water (Erik Sémashkin, Ukraine, 2023)
How I Got my Wrinkles (Claude Delafosse, France, 2023)
Human Resources (Trinidad Plass Caussade, Titouan Tillier, Isaac Wenzek, France, 2023)
Electra (Daria Kashcheeva, Czech Republic, 2023)
Naglodane kosti (Nika Karner, Slovenia, 2023)
At Little Wheelie Three Days Ago
(Andrew Stephen Lee, USA, 2023)
Ko plešem, zemlja trepeta (Otto Lazić-Reuschel, Italija, Nemčija)
The Silence of The Banana Trees (Eneos Çarka, Hungary, 2023)
L’estate e finita (Laura Samani, Italy, 2023, 15’)
Before After (Filip Bojarski, Poland, 2023)
The Fruit Tree (Isabelle Tollenaere, Belgium, 2023)
Kalitev (Ivana Vogrinc Vidali, Czech Republic, 2023)
Eclectic Cinema: Life or Death
Films In Competition For An Audience Award
Gallery Tir
First Crossings presents an additional slot to this year’s rich programing menu entitled: “Life or death”. This ever-intriguing opposition, floating on the borderline of our reality encapsulates six films of different types and genres all of which carry a melancholic dramatic impulse. Introducing existential topics based on the polarity of our lives, but also on the supernatural forces that govern it, this new segment will shine on the big screen on the opening festival day (Monday 16.10) at the gallery in Mostovna to warm us up for the upcoming festival days. The audience plays an integral part in this unit, with each individual spectator who will cast a determining vote for the award-winning film. To audiences and filmmakers, to life and death, to past and future, we celebrate these films as they remind us of our own delicacy and transience.
Ghosts (Teboho Edkins, South Africa, 2023)
Summer 96' (Mathilde Bédouet, France)
My Childhood Friend (Maïté Lottin, France, 2023)
Shadow of the Butterflies (Sofia El Khyari, Morocco)
Miracasas (Raphaëlle Stolz, Augusto Zanovello, Switzerland)
The Hollow (Jean-Jacques Martinod, Bretta C. Walker, USA)
Beneath the customs officer's window
A selection of experimental films
Carinarnica
First Crossings shall transform the former building of the customs office, which now serves as a unified cultural hub, into a hybrid cinema space, open to the public during the entire festival period (16-22 October). Ten incredible films revolving around the topic of discrimination, police brutality, political/societal systems, money, happiness, freedom, colonization and so much more are to be shown on loop exclusively on the margin between Slovenia and Italy. What better place to display radical contemporary films that strive to show the complexity of our world in a nutshell? What better audience than the armed policemen who guard us from “intruders” on a regular basis in the glaring light of high noon?
We introduce this slot to support and encourage authors who are the brave voices of today’s activist cinema, but also to bring film closer to audiences outside of the conventional movie theaters and back on the street. For film shouldn’t be exclusive, but film ought to be for anyone and everyone. So, although this slot is out of competition, the value it carries might cause a greater stimulating impact than the competition selection projected at the house of films. We warmly invite you to visit this window of opportunity on its inaugurating day (Monday 16.10) or any other festival day.