Dear friends of short films,

You take 1,500 submissions from 75 countries, reduce them with many film enthusiasts over months until the essence of 215 films from 37 countries remains, divide them into 57 events and combine them into six festival days: this recipe of the Landshut Short Film Festival, which takes place for the 23rd time this year, can only succeed if great personal commitment and a huge portion of passion are added to the ingredients.

The non-profit association Dynamo Kurzfilm e.V. was awarded with the cultural prize of the district of Lower Bavaria in 2021 for this extraordinary commitment. The organizers around artistic director Michael Orth and managing director Birgit Horn prove every year what people can move together when they are enthusiastic about a cause. This is how the Landshut Short Film Festival could develop into a cultural highlight of the city of Landshut and all Lower Bavaria, which is known far beyond the borders of Bavaria and attracts thousands of guests from Germany and abroad every year.

The other important ingredient is the adaptability of the organizers, who have not had it easy in recent years. In 2020, the festival had to be cancelled altogether, in 2021 it was held online, then hybrid in 2022. And this year, what a joy, it can once again take place as a presence event at the three venues. In addition, there will be a new competition, called “Lokalrunde”, in which the participating films must have a connection to Lower Bavaria.

I wish all viewers, filmmakers, film enthusiasts and the organizers much success, beautiful film experiences, enriching encounters, and interesting conversations during these six days.