This was #bffbonlyatHOME

The 34th edition of the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen took place this year as an online edition from 13 – 18 April. According to festival director Helene Christanell, the results exceeded all expectations.

“From the numbers and from the numerous positive feedbacks that keep reaching us, we can be more than satisfied. It was also an experiment for us: we had to switch everything to an online-only edition at the last minute, although we would of course have preferred to welcome our audience in the cinema. But it worked: People accepted our offer and watched the films we chose for them.”

During the festival period, the online cinema (the festival’s website) was accessed more than 2000 times a day, and the social media channels also achieved a wide reach. The festival pass, which allowed people to see 40 films for €19.50, was already sold out on the morning of the third day of the festival. The festival events, such as the opening, Nouvelle WAAG Talks and the award ceremony, were viewed on average over 200 times. There were over 7000 viewers who watched films in the online programme every day.

“What pleased us very much,” says Martin Kaufmann, programme director of the festival, “are the compliments for the quality of the selected works, also from the international juries. And that the offer would be so well received was really unforeseen.”

As of 18 April, this 34th edition of the film festival came to an end, but all the talks and film discussions with the directors remain online: On the website and on the YouTube page Filmclub Live.