T-Port Blog

We caught up with the Head of Industry from the German-speaking film prize about how they support and champion upcoming filmmakers, as well as what to expect from the 2025 edition of the festival, which starts today (Jan 20th.) Hi Louise! Why – in your opinion – are short films important? We need short films […]
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Ghanaian filmmaker Jennifer Drake moved to Munich for film school where she worked as a producer before directing her first short GOD IS GREY. The short, which explores the taboos around sexuality in her home and adopted countries, had its world premiere at LA Shorts Fest, European premiere at the British Urban Film Festival, and […]
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Szymon Ruczyński’s animated film THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE FOREST has seen its share of festival success around the world, and made the T-Port Lighthouse Selections in 2023. But as the film has travelled, the humanitarian crisis it depicts continues on the border between Belarus and Poland.  We chatted to the animator about what compelled […]
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Victoria Warmerdam’s short comedy-drama I’M NOT A ROBOT has gained accolades and awards across the festival circuit from Sitges to Cannes. But perhaps the pinnacle is yet to come, as the Dutch film has been shortlisted for the ACADEMY AWARD® for Best Live Action Short Film.  We caught up with the filmmaker for an inspirational […]
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Filmmaker Michal Toczek has been busy – four of his films currently appear on T-Port, each with intersecting themes and ideas, and two featuring the same well known Polish comic actor – Sebastian Stankiewicz – in dramatic roles.  In this interview, we chat to Toczek, whose work appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners at […]
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Baltic Pitching Forum alumna Ieva Šakalytė (she/her) was gracious enough to share two of her short films BECOMING ANIMAL (2018) and SPA (2024) with us, so we caught up with the Lithuanian filmmaker to chat about  the production process, the benefits of pitching, and going with the flow.  Hi Ieva, could you introduce yourself in […]
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Filmmaker Gleb Osatinski has been busy since his film OUTSIDERS made the cut for the 2021 T-Port Lighthouse Selections. In this catch up interview, we chat to the Ukrainian-born filmmaker about his current awards run after a lengthy pre production phase, which was held up for 5 years.  There are details below about upcoming screenings […]
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Sven Pötting is the Curator and Programme Coordinator with our partners at Filmfest Dresden. In this interview he shares his genuine love of cinema, the festival’s celebration of not only the short film format, but animation, and the current threats to cultural funding.  Hi Sven, what makes a great film and how do you separate […]
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Paula Milena Weise and Finn Ole Weigt insist that they became filmmakers by accident, which matches the spontaneity inherent in their filmmaking style.  But there’s no accident in their intuitive storytelling style – which bought them a Goldener Reiter prize at this year’s Filmfest Dresden.  We caught up with the pair to find out about […]
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Natan Castay, a filmmaker from Brussels, shares insights into his debut film HUMAN, NOT HUMAN (En Attendant les Robots). In this candid interview, the filmmaker, who is affiliated with the Centre de l’audiovisuel a Bruxelles – which is represented on T-Port via our partners at Wallonie Bruxelles, he discusses his inspiration, creative process, and the […]
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Kasia Karwan, guest curator for the 2024/5 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, is the founder of Moonshot and a curator for the Cannes Film Festival’s short film committee. In this interview she shares her journey from cultural anthropology to the world of film. With experience spanning international sales, production, and curation, Kasia has a keen eye for […]
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  What makes a good film unforgettable? Jukka-Pekka Laakso, one of the guest curators for the 2024/5 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, as well as the long-standing festival director of the Tampere Film Festival, reveals what he looks for in standout short films. From spotting hidden gems to curating surprise-packed lineups, Laakso shares his insider knowledge on […]
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We are excited to announce the two guest curators for this year’s T-Port Lighthouse Selections are Kasia Kaarwan and Jukka-Pekka Laakso. Find out more about them below.  If you’re a filmmaker, you have until November 30  to submit your short to T-Port in order to be eligible for selection.  If you’ve independently uploaded your film […]
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Hoda Taheri, born in Tehran, Iran in 1992, is an Iranian Refugee Artist and Filmmaker based in Berlin, Germany. In 2016, she received her bachelor’s degree in visual communication from Limkokwing University in Malaysia. Her short film MOTHER PRAYS ALL DAY LONG was nominated for the German Short Film Award.  The follow up short AS […]
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  Chadi Bennani is a filmmaker from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In this interview the documentarian talks about his cinematic origins, the close and trusting relationship he builds with his subjects and crew, as well as how he uses film to explore personal questions around identity. His film HERE AND THERE appears on T-Port courtesy of […]
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Boris Hadzija’s Lighthouse-selected short YUGOTRANSPORT: WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME BUS draws on the experiences of those around him, having been born in the former Yugoslavia. We talked to the director about what it took to work with non-actors, and how it’s the limitations that make the magic happen.  Yugotransport appears on T-Port courtesy […]
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  Every year, European Film Promotion (EFP) select ten outstanding young directors and screen their films at the Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, following which we are lucky enough to host the films here on T-Port for our Professional Subscribers.  Anna Maria Joakimsdottir-Hutri’s WHO STANDS UP FOR ALVAR is a piece that explores the life of a […]
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Every year, European Film Promotion (EFP) select ten outstanding young directors and screen their films at the Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, following which we are lucky enough to host the films here on T-Port for our Professional Subscribers.  We were lucky to interview two of the directors. First up, Marthe Peters, whose film BALDILOCKS is available […]
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Filmmaker Ido Weisman honed his craft in the world of reality TV, which he credits with helping him discover his role as a documentarian. His documentary short REQUIEM FOR A WHALE is a perfect example of when a filmmaker should trust their instincts.  The film, appearing on T-Port through our partners at Tel Aviv University, […]
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June’s Pride Month calls us to recognise the voices and stories of the lesbian, gay,bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) members of our communities alongside the struggle for equality and acceptance within our wider societies. Year-round we are truly honoured to be able to host the work of filmmakers across the spectrums of gender […]
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  Dara Bratt is a Canadian filmmaker based in New York City, who was recently announced as the winner of the 2023 Claims Conference Filmmaker Contest. We caught up with her to find out about her upcoming project on Holocaust survivors and tattoos. We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help […]
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The film festival circuit hasn’t always been a welcoming place for diverse voices. And, while we mustn’t forget that the fight for rights and recognition of LGBTQIA+ people is an ongoing battle, nowadays there is a thriving festival circuit which specialises in stories by and about LGBTQIA folks all over the world.  If anyone knows […]
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Robert Moniot was in the process of relocating with his family to a new country when he grasped the opportunity to pitch his film, THE ICE CREAM MAN, to the Claims Conference. We caught up with the filmmaker to find out more.  We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help spread […]
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Sabina Vajrača’s winning pitch for the 2021 Claims Conference Grant became her highly acclaimed short film SEVAP/MITZVAH. We caught up with the filmmaker to find out more about what the process of making such a personal film was like.  We are proud to be partnering with the Claims Conference to help spread the word about […]
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Eugenia Bakurin is a filmmaker and media artist, who was born in the Soviet Union and has lived in Germany for over 20-years.  T-Port’s Jess Sweetman caught up with the filmmaker to talk about her Lighthouse Selected found footage film “Long Time No Techno”, and to talk about why Odessa Film Studios are important, how […]
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Yi Xiong’s A TORTOISE’S YEAR OF FATE is a 20-minute portrait of a young man trying to find belonging, set among the machinery of a Chinese factory. It’s universal theme and gorgeous cinematography caught the eye of guest curator Laurence Boyce, making the cut for the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections. We caught up with Yi, […]
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Alex Lawther has been making his name as an actor for quite some time, but his directorial debut, the short film FOR PEOPLE IN TROUBLE, which he also wrote, has already been making a splash on the festival circuit in 2023 and 2024.  T-Port’s Jess Sweetman caught up with the Paris-based Brit, whose work appears […]
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Filmmaker Janina Lutter is the director of the Lighthouse Selected film THE SCHOOL IS ON FIRE AND WE KNOW WHY, which appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners at Hessische Film und Medienakademie (hFMA). In this interview, the sparky Lutter shares the kindness and fighting spirit she brings to her filmmaking, while enlightening us on some […]
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By Jess Sweetman – T-Port Marketing  March 8th is International Women’s Day (IWD), a global holiday celebrated annually to commemorate women’s cultural, political, and social achievements. It is also a focal point in the women’s rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. The film […]
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French director and producer Camille Tricaud is hard at work as a founder of the independent production company Benedetta Films. In this inspiring interview we caught up with her to delve into how she used sound in her Lighthouse Selected-film SLOW DOWN THE FALL (which she co-directed with Franziska Unger), as well as discovering her […]
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Maximilian Bungarten is the director of 2023 Lighthouse Selection THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, a short he shot on film in his home-city of Cologne, Germany. The film, which he independently uploaded to T-Port along with another Lighthouse Selection from his production company, Benedetta films, was picked by guest curator Laurence Boyce.  Hi Maximilian, would you […]
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Anat Eisenberg, director of the Lighthouse-Selected short NOVY GOD, made her film shortly after becoming a mother, especially poignant as the film’s narrative was inspired by the complicated relationship between Eisenberg’s grandmother and the younger woman who cared for her.  We caught up with the director, whose film appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners […]
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Filmmaker Dascha Petuchow was in lockdown when she wrote the script for her 29-minute drama CHEWING GUM. The short, which was inspired by revisiting her own experiences of growing up as the daughter of an immigrant in Germany, was included in the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, picked by curator Laurence Boyce. In this interview, the […]
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This week, we’re focussing on Gunnnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter’s 5-minute short FÁR, which tells the story of a woman’s dilemma when a bird hits the window of the cafe she is in. The film’s icy aesthetic was inspired by the German-Icelandic director’s hometown Reykjavik. FÁR, which appears on T-Port courtesy of our partners at Salaud Morisset, […]
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Singaporean filmmaker Stanley Xu was inspired to make his short A DAY, THAT YEAR, while working through the impact of a chilling childhood memory. The film made it into the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, picked by curator Laurence Boyce. We caught up with the director to find out about his extensive casting process to find […]
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Israeli documentarian Zohar Orian Cohen describes herself as someone who seeks truth and justice, and it was in this spirit she turned the camera upon herself for her student film, created through the School of Audio and Visual Arts, Sapir College (Sderot, IL): SHEMEI KLAMI /  / LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY (LISTEN TO MY VOICE), […]
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The 2023 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival finished recently, where the SCRIPT POOL AWARD of €5000 was awarded to the T-Port talent/filmmaker, Léon Yersin, who pitched the feature film “What Remains” at the PÖFF Script Pool. Yersin was selected to the Script Pool pitching as part of the collaboration between T-Port and PÖFF. We caught […]
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FAIRY TALE by director Shira Yermiyahu, is a short film about 3 teenage girls on summer vacation, who are searching for adventure to relieve the boredom of a typical night in Yavne: A desperate quest for vodka ends in a dark warehouse where the town hunk ruins one of their lives. We caught up with […]
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Anne Gaschütz is a busy woman! Not only is she a co-director of Filmfest Dresden, but she is part of the Selection Committee at the Locarno Film Festival’s Pardi di domani. We caught up with her to find out why she loves short films, what she’s looking for, and to gather her considerable insights into […]
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Vincent Förster is the Programme Manager for Shorts at Berlinale Generation as well as a member of the selection committee for International Competition at Filmfest Dresden. We caught up with him to find out more about what he does, why he loves programming for kids, and to find out his advice for filmmakers. Hi Vincent! […]
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“Simon and Siván are the perfect artsy couple. Everything in their lives is curated, from the way they have sex to their choice of therapist. One night, during another soulless art exhibition, the shiny surface of their relationship starts to crack.” Swedish-Iranian director Arvin Kananian’s short VERNISSAGE is a “playful and elegant” commentary on “a […]
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Lights On Films is a world sales company of quality cinema based in Italy. Their line up includes feature films and shorts from international emerging talents (which can be viewed by professional subscribers on T-Port). Their goal is to be a film’s first promoter – exploiting the potential of a movie until it reaches its […]
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Eric K. Boulianne switched from screenwriting to writing and directing for his short film FAIRE UN ENFANT (MAKING BABIES), and earned the Pardi di domani Best Direction Award BONALUMI Engineering. We chatted to the director about what it felt like to receive such an honour, as well as getting the lowdown on how he made […]
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Our partners at Lithuanian Shorts will host the annual Baltic Pitching Forum starting from October 10th. We were fortunate to chat to Sari Volanen, the Commissioning Editor of Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio (Yle), who presents the Pre-buy Award to one successful pitch at the BPF. Hi Sari, tell us about what you find most inspiring […]
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Filmmaker Lea Bloch’s film LAST NIGHT is a tense drama based around a group of friends unravelling the non-consensual sex that occurred between two of them the previous night. The film won the Pardino d’oro Swiss Life award for the Best Swiss Short Film at Locarno Film Festival in 2023. We caught up with the […]
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Welcome to T-Port’s Industry Interviews, where we chat with people from the short film world about their roles, organisations, and the future of short film. This week we caught up with Sven Schwarz, the Administrative Director of Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg to chat about great films, beautiful festival experiences, and why he loves his job. What […]
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This year’s Locarno Film Festival may be over but here at T-Port we have their catalogue of selected shorts and winners here for professional subscribers to enjoy. Among them is THE GUARD, a film by Iranian filmmaker Amirhossein Shojaei, winner of the Medien Patent Verwaltung AG Award. We caught up with the filmmaker about what […]
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Filmmaker Can Baran has just graduated from Turkey’s Bilkent University school of Communications and Design and his graduation film TENEMENT has made it to the National Student Films final at the Adana Golden Boll International Film Festival. In this interview we caught up with Can to find out more about his late-night inspiration sessions, what […]
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    Tampere Film Festival, Finland is one of the three largest short film festivals that happen annually in Europe – screening around 400 films every year and attracting approximately 30,000 visitors. We chatted to Festival Director Jukka-Pekka Laakso about the festival, their films, and why short films are important. What about your role and […]
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As we ramp up to the closing date of September 15th, for filmmakers to submit their shorts to be eligible for the 2023 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, we wanted to share a bit more about our esteemed curators – as well as finding out what drives them and where they come from. In this interview we […]
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