Go Short’s fifteenth edition takes place from 31 March until 10 April 2023 in LUX and various spots in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. On this page, you’ll find an overview of many different programs. Ticket sales have started. Because Go Short is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, you can purchase an anniversary pass for €30, which gives you access to the entire regular festival program!
*All films are shown in English or with English subtitles.
Films in Competition
From over 2000 submissions, Go Short selected the best films from Europe. These short films are available to watch in three main competitions: the European Competition, the Dutch Competition and the New Arrivals Competition. On top of that, you’ll see the best music videos of last year in the Music Video Competition up on the big screen and the films competing in the Junior Competition are the best shorts of the youngest filmmakers.
Get blown away by the biggest ideas of new and recurring talented filmmakers and watch the shorts together with their makers. Who will win the prestigious Go Short Award? And which film should win the audience award if you have a say in it?
In the spotlight this year
Join our yearly popular film walk through Nijmegen called Off the Walls, which will also be the kickoff of the festival. Attend screenings of our Filmmaker in Focus Charlie Shackleton or watch the film programs that are focused on Dutch Caribbean. Visual artist Kevin Osepa will create two film programs with shorts that were filmed in the region or that revolve around the region.
In Focus: A Spark of Hope
Go Short wants to be a beacon of hope for visitors. A place where the light repels the dark, where you can escape from the harsh reality of real life outside the cinema. To do this, filmmakers, film professionals and film enthusiasts from all over the world were selected to create film programs themselves. Get to know them in advance.
Happiness, hares and harmonies
A number of film programs are always a guarantee for a great Go Short experience with the most enthusiastic Go Short fans. For example, you know for certain you’re going to get a laugh when you visit Comedy Shorts, a yearly recurring program at Go Short. Because this year’s edition is during Easter, you’ll also see Easter Shorts, a film program that revolves around Easter eggs, salvation and hares. And do you want to set free your inner Mamma Mia, Sound of Music or La La Land? Bless your ears with unctuous harmonies and bombastic music productions at Musical Shorts.
Go Short the entire family
Let the young ones run wild during the Family Shorts and get them acquainted with shorts. Fun, playful films. The short length of these films guarantees you that these little rascals won’t lose their attention. In addition, Go Short and LUX are collaborating on a monthly film program to offer the youngest film lovers their very first movie experience. With dimmed lights and a lower sound volume, Go Short x LUX Mini 2+ provides an enjoyable cinema experience for the smallest children aged 2 to 6, and of course their parents, grandparents and grandparents.
Late Night
Go Short goes around the clock. We don’t stop, because also late at night there are plenty of films to be watched up on the big screen. Get haunted by the horror shorts at Hooked on Horror, let your darkest desires run wild at Erotic Shorts and get mind-blown by the freakiest animation shorts of all time during film program Weird Animation.
Talent development
Young filmmakers are chock-full of ambitions and big ideas. Go Short offers this talent the chance to show themselves to an international audience on an international festival. In context of talent development, the Gelderland Film Pitch was launched. Here, young filmmakers from the region of Nijmegen get the chance to produce and make a short film. Get to see more shorts of regional talent at Homegrown. At Go Ahead, you’ll see the best films of students attending film schools in The Netherlands. Finally, Project Showcase is a stage for self-taught filmmakers, who make films with small budgets and few resources that go outside the box.
Exclusively at Go Short
What you see is what you get at the Audience Favorites and Jury Favorites. Here, you’ll see the films with the highest ratings of both the audience and the jury. During the International Highlights, you can watch highly anticipated films, films that have proved their worth at various international film festivals. The European Audience Favorites is a film program where you see films that were selected as favorites by the European Short Film Audience at 10 different film festivals. Discover the personal favorites of our festival team that, for whatever reason, just didn’t make the cut in the regular programming at film program Kill Your Darlings.
Out of Competition
In addition to the films in the European, Dutch and New Arrivals Competitions, Go Short offers many more. These film programs Out of Competition each have their own theme or perspective. A few programs are highlighted below.
Radboud Reflects: Modern Masculinity
What does it mean to be a man? It used to be pretty clear: the man is a strong, emotionally unattainable breadwinner. And above all: the boss. After three feminist waves, this classic idea of masculinity is not universally seen as positive. On the contrary: many people would now describe a hyper-independent, emotionless womanizer as “toxic. But what does a positive ideal of masculinity look like anno 2023? Why do emotions around changing masculinity run so high? And how will the category of “man” move into the future? We explore the answers to these questions in collaboration with Radboud Reflects.
The Memory of Water
Water is life. It flows relentlessly, carrying with it memories of the past and premonitions of the future. As the climate changes, (the absence or abundance of) water becomes increasingly important to the preservation of living things, or their destruction. How can we deal with the aftermath of our changing environments?
Ammodo Docs
Ready for a new perspective? In fifteen-minute films by leading Dutch filmmakers days, you’ll be challenged to dive into the world of pioneers in art and science. The protagonists find solutions to contemporary challenges, and leading Dutch documentary filmmakers film this in an intriguing way. Look through their eyes and discover how they are moving society forward.
Analog Imagination 1 + 2
The “School Friedl Kubelka for Independent Film” is a unique place for people of different backgrounds, social backgrounds and ages to learn more about the art form of analog film. The school has existed for 17 years and is the driving force behind an entire generation of analog filmmakers. In Analog Imagination, we feature the best analog films from these creative creators.
Oscar Shorts – Live-action
Every year the Academy Awards ceremony takes place in Hollywood and the Oscars are awarded to the best films, actors, directors, screenplay, costume design, etc. The most grandiose Oscars to win, as far as we are concerned, are of course those in the short film categories. Haven’t seen these short films yet? We got you! During Go Short we screen all the nominated films for the Oscar for best animation and best live action.
Artificial Intelligence In Art
In this program we look at the use of AI tools in short film, music and visual art. AI is the latest of the latest, the newest development that could rock the media landscape. Following the trend of film, television and streaming, there has been much ado and skepticism about the rise of AI-created media. In short films, we already see a trend of experimental use of AI tools in scripting, audio, video and subjects. From theoretical approaches to a future dictated by AI, to the usability (and inherent craziness) of AI-generated text and video. Most of these short films were created in whole or in part with AI tools.
Following the program, there will be a conversation with Jeroen van der Most. Van der Most is a Dutch artist who has been working with data, algorithms and AI since 2010.
15 years of Go Short
Over the past 15 years, Go Short has highlighted films that push the boundaries of short film. During the film program 15 Years Go Short, you’ll get to see some of the very best short films from 15 years of Go Short, chosen by festival director and founder Kirsten Ruber. We are also always exploring new, exciting forms for experiencing films. Virtual Reality has played a central role in this, as it significantly changes the relationship between the audience and the screen. As a new medium, VR offers a lot of room for experimentation. We celebrate our 15th edition by once again showing the best VR films of the past in the film program VR – Best of 15 Years Go Short. In this special program, you can revisit old favorites or catch up on missed VR films and immerse yourself completely in the wonderful world of VR.
Go Short @ The Wolfskuil
During its 15th festival edition, Go Short heads to the distinctive Wolfskuil for a special program for and by neighborhood residents. Go Short films will be combined with music, films, talks and other input from residents of the Kuul. The two free programs on offer will focus not only on art, culture and other entertainment, but also on the neighborhood and its history. In this way Go Short hopes to introduce a new audience to short film, and the rest of Nijmegen to this beautiful neighborhood.
RAW CINEMA – SUNDAY 2 APRIL – 4 P.M.
In search of the wolf in the Wijkfabriek
Between 16:00 and 20:00, the Wijkfabriek is dedicated to one short film: NAYA by director Sebastian Mulder. The film, which will be shown several times, tells the story of wolf NAYA. She walked unseen from Germany, through the Netherlands, to Belgium to settle there – as the first wolf since the early 20th century. During RAW CINEMA, the film’s raw ingredients will be highlighted, ‘making of’ footage will be shown and the audience can talk to the film’s creator. Of course, the wolf is inextricably intertwined with the history of the Wolf Pit. In the reading room you can therefore enjoy strong stories about the wolf in the Kuul. Furthermore, there is a craft corner for children on the theme of wolf and nature, there are more films to watch and you can enjoy live music.
OFF THE WALLS – TUESDAY, MARCH 4 – 8:15 P.M.
During this film walk, outlined with Leo Woudstra, walls and objects transform into movie screens at night. With a projector in hand, we will walk from Wijkcentrum Titus Brandsma to various locations in the Wolfskuil to watch films. Residents of the Wolfskuil provide introductions at the various locations.