Spotlight on MASO’s #1 short films

Now it’s time for MASO#1: the eight film projects that will be allowed to take part in this new international and inclusive training programme for filmmakers were recently selected from a total of 131 applications. This means that the two filmmakers behind each project can count on professional support in the development of their film in all phases right through to distribution. MASO was created by IDM Südtirol, the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen – BFFB, the cultural departments of the province of South Tyrol and other partners in order to promote this important film art form.

There was huge interest in MASO. Applications came in from all over the world, including from distant countries such as Nigeria, India, China, Brazil, Mexico and the USA. A total of 262 filmmakers with 131 short film projects wanted to be selected for the new programme, which aims to reach people from underrepresented social groups and minorities in particular. The idea behind the programme is to make the film and television world more inclusive, colourful and diverse. The focus is on a genre that is particularly important for young talent: ‘Short films not only enrich the industry as an independent art form, they also fulfil a fundamental role, especially for young talent,’ says Vera Leonardelli, Director of Business Development at IDM. ‘They provide a good introduction to the industry. At the same time, they give young talents – also from South Tyrol – visibility through industry attention at the important short film festivals.’ This is why IDM has been focussing on short film for several years now, for example by bringing the summer edition of the short film conference TSFM – Talents and Short Film Market here in 2023.

Partner institutions from home and abroad are involved in this new initiative. The Österreichische Fachverband der Film- und Musikindustrie (FAMA), together with the Austrian Ministry of Art and Culture, supports the participation of the Von Sinnen project. The film tells the story of Aria, a black Austrian woman and new mother with a white partner, who wants to find her place in society. The project was presented by screenwriter Anouk Shad, who has already worked closely with Netflix, Universal and Warner Bros, and producer Melody Micmacher, who has years of experience in prestigious production companies.

The Audiovisual Fund Ciclic Centre-Val de Loire, from France, supports Lifescore. The film is set in a future where human value is determined algorithmically. When Bamidele participates in a care programme for his sick wife, he is confronted with the true cost of survival. The short film is written and directed by Zorana Mušikić, a multidisciplinary artist who has worked on internationally acclaimed short films. Lifescore is produced by Laure Dahout, whose films have already been nominated for Oscars and Césars in 2022.

On Parting is the name of the project supported by Hessen Film & Medien GmbH. The protagonists are Linda and Kleo, whose friendship falls apart because during one evening each of them reacts differently to a threat. The story was written by Angela Regius, director and author, whose films have been presented at international festivals. The short film is produced by Felix Bausch, a self-taught producer and director.

Howl is the project supported by the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Audiovisual Fund. In it, Nina realises her sick father’s dream: she ventures alone into the forest to record the howling of wolves. The screenplay is by Margherita Panizon, whose first short film was selected for the Venice Film Festival’s International Critics’ Week in 2022. Panizon also directed Howl . Sarah Pennacchi, who has led the production company TICO film for several years, is the producer.

The project from Norway is called Bunk Bunk and is accompanied by the Nordnorsk Filmsenter, the film centre of northern Norway. It tells the story of single queer Maren-Kristine, who inherits a bunker in the woods and discovers a lost family history there. Bunk Bunk is made by writer-director Ane-Martha Tamnes Hansgård, founder of a production company and herself queer, and Rain Laurent, a producer with a strong background in visual storytelling.

The three Cultural Departments of the Province of Bolzano support the project Anita cannot sleep. In this surreal short film, the end of the world is near and is experienced from the point of view of young Anita, who is in search of comfort. Behind the project are Bolzano screenwriter Giulia Palaia, whose short film Due Madri premiered at this year’s BFFB, and producer Luca Bedini with production company Taiga Films. The project includes a co-production with the local production company Frabiatofilm.

Two international projects were also selected. In Freezer, a corpse freezer becomes the bizarre centre of life in a remote Nepalese village. The idea is by Suraj Paudel, a well-known Nepalese author, director and editor, who also directs the film. His editing work on the short film Lori earned him a special jury mention at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The producer is Abinash Bikram Shah, a Nepalese writer and director who won a national award. His short films have participated in numerous international festivals.

In the short film Firebird, however, a seductive Slavic phoenix guides the audience through the hidden queer world of a small Ukrainian town. The author and director is Anastazja Naumenko, whose first film was presented at 25 festivals and won several awards. The producer is Maks Piłasiewicz. For over ten years he has been working in various areas of the film industry, including film development and production at one of Poland’s leading animation studios.

Now, the 16 selected professionals will develop their short films in two workshops and several mentoring sessions under the guidance of internationally renowned experts, and will make them through to distribution. The first workshop will be held in November 2024 at FilmCamp Norway in Øverbygd, Norway, and the second in April 2025 during BFFB in South Tyrol. The project participants will also be accompanied in the premiere presentation of their films at renowned A-list festivals. The films will also be presented at the BFFB, thus receiving maximum attention from the industry.