For the first time this year, the 2018 Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) will welcome a handpicked selection of short films (out of competition) by Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, while a program of virtual reality works selected by the Geneva festival will be offered to the audience in Winterthur.
Over 21 years of existence, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur has undoubtedly become the largest short film festival in Switzerland, while the 24-year-old GIFF has established itself as the most innovative audiovisual event in the country. Every year, the two festivals take place in early November.
By opening the curation of its program to Kurzfilmtage, GIFF aims to provide festivalgoers with the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of the best short film curators in Switzerland. Hence, it will be possible to discover a handpicked selection of short films from the Kurzfilmtage’s program at GIFF, between 2 and 10 November.
In parallel, Kurzfilmtage will once again call upon GIFF’s digital curators to prepare a selection of virtual reality works that will be unveiled at Winterthur’s Virtual Reality Cinema from 6 to 11 November.
“We are delighted with this national-scale partnership,” Kurzfilmtage Artistic Director John Canciani and GIFF General and Artistic Director Emmanuel Cuénod jointly declared. “This collaboration between two festivals in Switzerland who have managed to pool their programs and work closely together delights us in so much as it increases exposure for them both, while also providing an opportunity for audiences in Eastern and Western Switzerland to discover the selection of a festival that has aroused their curiosity and which they may not always be able to attend. This coming together of two festivals which both showcase innovation and unique perspectives seems like a positive sign for authors in Switzerland and beyond.”