Dear short film fans,

Welcome to the 26th Landshut Short Film Festival! With its impressive variety of films, numerous
enthusiastic guests, and a carefully curated supporting program, the festival has long since established itself as a fixture in the Bavarian festival scene. Year after year, its influence extends far beyond Landshut, providing important cultural impetus.

In 2026, we can once again look forward to an exciting, diverse, and bold program showcasing the full spectrum of short film: from experimental narrative forms to the distinctive, creative styles of
young talents, offering audiences new and surprising perspectives and whetting their appetite for the unexpected.

The Landshut Short Film Festival has always been an important platform for emerging filmmakers. As the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (Bavarian Film and Television Fund), it is a central concern of ours to support talent early on, accompany them on their path to professionalism, and contribute to their visibility. For us, supporting talent means more than financial assistance: it means trusting new voices, providing space for artistic experimentation, and offering opportunities for development through interaction with audiences and the industry. Especially in times of change, strong platforms are needed that offer film talents guidance, networking opportunities, and encouragement.

Film festivals like the Landshut Short Film Festival make an indispensable contribution to this. They are places of encounter, dialogue, and inspiration, and thus essential for a vibrant and diverse film culture.

My heartfelt thanks go to the entire festival team, led by Michael Orth and Birgit Horn, for their
tremendous commitment, passion, and continuous work for short films and emerging talent. I wish the festival a successful 26th edition, curious audiences, and many inspiring cinematic discoveries.