My entrance to the Babylon was as always, a historic and nostalgic experience. I don’t come to the Babylon often, but every time I enter into this legendary cinema, I feel as if I’m traveling back in time. The location and façade of the Babylon evoke greatness and history, while the interior design preserves the classy style of its era.
“Every time I enter into this legendary cinema, I feel as if I’m traveling back in time.”
The foyer of the Babylon feels simple yet thoughtfully designed. Its black-and-white sunburst patterned floor invites you to take a seat and wait for your movie to begin. Once I collected my ticket, grabbed a bag of salty popcorn (which I accidentally threw on the floor, sorry Babylon staff!), and entered the theater, I immediately noticed the mixed audience. Filmmakers and actors from all over the world had gathered for the festival, and many of the films were world premieres. Director Bruce Evans of the short film “Go!” had traveled all the way from L.A. to attend the Friday screening of his film.
After sitting down, I noticed a group of Germans who seemed particularly excited. Their energy was contagious, I was getting excited too and couldn’t wait for the event to start (especially since I was already finishing what was left of my popcorn, haha). The Berlin Short Film Festival has attracted filmmakers and audiences from around the world for 15 years and is held twice a year. More than 60 countries have been represented, and over 100 films have been screened during this time. Babylon has hosted the Berlin Short Film Festival since 2012. The next edition of the festival will take place on 16 and 17 July.
I attended the Friday’s session, where the festival’s director Claudine Biswas-MacKenzie opened the night and introduced the theme, which focused mainly on short films revolving around Berlin. Claudine has been active as an actress and producer since the 90s. She founded the Berlin Shorts Film Festival and has been the running director ever since. She also founded the Berlin Independent Film Festival.
The shorts were screened continuously, one after the other. The program opened with the nostalgic and existential short “What Else is There,” which explored life’s desires, rebellion, and freedom. I was personally drawn in by the music, as it made the experience deeply emotional. The soundtrack is still playing in my head! Next came “Storied Bodies an experimental piece featuring dancing bodies covered in paint, which felt like a visual representation of how we all carry scars.
“The music made the experience deeply emotional, the soundtrack is still playing in my head.”
After a smooth start, “The Void” presented what a dystopian world of master and creator looks like. It left me with many concepts to consider. Then came “Echo Frequency,” an intriguing mystery that explored the play of unconscious thoughts controlling a person’s life without their awareness. Afterwards, “Go!”, set between Seattle and Berlin, offered a funny and awkward reflection on the everyday decisions we subconsciously make. “Never My Love” followed; a dark short based on the Berlin techno scene, portraying the emotional emptiness of a struggling individual who, which after an odd encounter, begins to feel a sense of acceptance.
Last but not least, my personal favorite was “Will this still work” (“Wird das noch was…?”). This short portrayed repetitive days and lonely after the loss of a loved one. A sadness we many of us have felt or will eventually experience. The film was quite detailed, with memories triggered through music. Funny, slightly cheesy, but emotionally engaging, it kept me waiting until the very end. I personally felt all range of emotions while watching it and I highly recommend it, especially for its stron performance by German actors. Interestingly, one of the actors, actress Carina Wiese turned out to be part of the excited group of Germans I had noticed in the beginning. No wonder why they were so thrilled!
Overall, the Berlin Short Film Festival felt real and authentic. Just filmmakers expressing genuine thoughts through short films, without pretentiousness. One of the most enjoyable aspects of festivals like this is appreciating the effort and creativity behind every short.
“Just filmmakers expressing genuine thoughts through short films, without pretentiousness.”
The international jury of industry professionals will recognize the year’s best shorts in the following categories:
– Best Short Film
– Best Documentary Short
– Best Sci-Fi Short
– Best Horror Short
– Best LGBT Short
– Best Experimental Short
– Best Student Short
– Best Short Feature
– Best Animated Short
– Best Short Short
– Best Music Video
Winners will receive IMDb credits and industry recognition. The results will be posted on the Berlin Short Film Festival website next week.
Claudine Biswas-MacKenzie imDb I BSFF Official Website I BSFF Facebook I BSFF FilmFreeway
Featured photo, photos 1-2 by Yamil Paniagua
Photo 3 by Claudine Biswas-MacKenzie
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