The Oslo Short Film Festival 2023, taking place on August 31-September 1 at Oslo’s Sentralen, explores human vulnerability and multiple ways one can interact with the world. I talked to Apostolia Katsiantridou, the Head of Program for the OSFF, about what else to expect from the Festival’s official selection.

*Unborn Biru* by Inga Elin Marakatt, Norway. Courtesy of the Oslo Short Film Festival 2023.

Apostolia, thank you very much for taking the time to talk about the Oslo Short Film Festival 2023!

- The pleasure is all mine!

Let’s dive right into it. What is special about this year’s edition compared to the previous four?

- The OSFF has grown so much in the past five years, and a wider audience means that we are indeed building a community of cinephiles here in Oslo - as we hoped we would. We are also expanding together with our audience! This year, for example, we are moving the screenings to one of Sentralen’s bigger halls. We are also excited to have a product sponsor for this edition - Tony’s Chocolonely. So, those of you who are coming to the Festival, don’t forget to take a free bar of chocolate before the screening!

How exciting! Congratulations on these important milestones! And what about the mission of the Festival — has it changed in any way in the past five years?

- Not at all! We are still a part of HFP, and our goals align with theirs: celebrate diversity through the art of filmmaking, highlight the power of independent cinema and the value of the short film form, and showcase filmmakers from all corners of the Earth to local and international audiences. The expansion of the Festival makes us all feel proud of the job that we are doing.

And how has the growth of the Festival affected the selection process for the official program?

- As the OSFF is getting more and more established, we receive a bigger number of submissions. This year, there were over 1,000 submitted films! What is even more exciting about this is the diversity of these films. Both emerging and established filmmakers from more than 50 countries sent their work to us! It was incredibly challenging, but after careful consideration we narrowed the official selection down to 19 films, competing for the “Short Film” and “Short Documentary” categories. These films come from 12 countries and are a part of 4 different thematic programs.

These thematic programs are, in this order: “It’s a family business,” “The communal experience,” “I'm a survivor,” and “Special bonds.” What is to expect from each of them?

- The first program, “It's a family business,” portrays complex relationships and situations rising through the familial space and showcases the unique interactions born in this specific environment. The films of this program explore how one’s family often unconsciously puts them in a spot or a mindset that they are not prepared for and that is difficult to process quickly. In this program, our guests will encounter a competitive mom in a frenzy, a child forced into early maturity, supernatural forces shaking up a family, a fairytale about outcasts, and a trip down memory lane.

“The communal experience” focuses on communities of different types and shapes. Why do we have the need to belong? How far do we go to become a part of a community, and how interactions and a common sharing of beliefs and lives affect us? Is the communal experience something we drift apart from more and more in Western urban societies? With this program, we are giving the audience a chance to learn about communities in different corners of the world and their value to their members, as well as to reflect on their own personal experiences of being a part of a community.

“I'm a survivor!” is a very diverse program, as it aims to explore different stories of resilience and survival under circumstances out of people’s control. From war and nature to social stereotypes and external pressure, the films of this program delve into different situations, where one enters survival mode and strives to get through.

Finally, “Special Bonds”, the closing program of this year’s Festival, is designed to make one reflect on those special bonds that define them throughout their life. Whether that is a first love, a break-up, an unexpected friendship, or a co-dependency, the films of this program portray relationships in a genuine light, where some develop into something positive while others fall apart. Our hope is that our audience will recognize some of their own experiences and think on how strong relations are shaped and the ways this affects them.

What is the common thread that unites all of the films in these four programs?

- A certain tenderness, I would say. Each of the films in the programs exposes people’s vulnerability, as well as how we relate to the world we live in and interact with it - be it through family, community, nature, or society as a whole. What is great about the short film form is that it gives unlimited possibilities for world creation - whether via stylistic choices or narrative - and this year’s selection is a vivid example of such artistic freedom and experimentation, as every film has a unique approach to exploring its subject.

Are there any specific reasons why such themes - surviving, family bonds, vulnerability - are in the center of the OSFF 2023?

- During the pre-selection process, we noticed that these were the recurring themes that many of the filmmakers had explored in very different and unexpected ways. So it seemed only natural to structure this year’s selection this way. Besides, these themes and the way they were approached were a perfect fit for the character of the OSFF and the messages we want to convey as an independent film festival.

How do you feel about curating this particular program in general?

- It wasn’t easy! Our goal was to compose a screening program that feels as whole but each slot is also unique. And I think we did well, as we ended up examining different social issues through the films that delve into personal relationships and explore everyday anxieties.

Sounds incredibly interesting! Is there anything else PRESSET. readers should know about the OSFF 2023?

- Two things, yes! First, we are expecting to have some of the film directors whose films will be screened during the Festival, so you might have a chance to meet them and talk about their work. And second, the admission to the OSFF on both days is free, as it is always the case with our festivals. So make sure to join us on August 31-September 1!

“There is a certain tenderness about this years’ OSFF”