FRIDAY 17/10 | 20:00
Being John Smith
27’, 2024
United Kingdom
Documentary
Synopsis
After enduring decades of discomfort, the filmmaker finally admits that possessing the commonest name in the English-speaking world has had a profound impact on his sense of self. An unpredictable journey that reveals just how important a name can be.
Credits
Directing, Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, Production: John Smith | Production Company: John Smith Films
Director's Bio
John Smith (1952, London) studied Film at the Royal College of Art. Inspired in his formative years by conceptual art and structural film, he also became fascinated by the immersive power of narrative and the spoken word, forming the foundation for the diverse body of work that he has developed over the past five decades. Often rooted in everyday life and personal experience, his film, video, and installation works have been shown in independent cinemas, museums and art galleries around the world. Retrospectives of his films have been presented at international festivals in 16 countries.
Selected Filmography
2024 Being John Smith
2021 Record
2020 Covid Messages
2020 Citadel
2019 A State of Grace
2017 Song for Europe
2016 Who Are We?
2015 Steve Hates Fish
2014 White Hole
2012 Dad’s Stick
2011 Unusual Red Cardigan
2010 Flag Mountain
Awards
- Nominated for European Short Film Award 2026, Tampere Film Festival, Finland, 2025.
- Golden Dove for Best Short Documentary, DOK Leipzig, Germany, 2024.
- Best International Film, Hamburg Short Film Festival, Germany, 2025.
- Audience Prize for Best Film, Hamburg Short Film Festival, Germany, 2025.
- Best Documentary, Curtas Vila do Conde Festival, Portugal, 2025.
- Best Short Film, Signs of the Night Festival, Urbino, Italy, 2025.
Trailer
Along the beautiful Danube An der schönen Donau
1’, 2024
Austria, Germany
Documentary, Experimental
Synopsis
“Fucking cathedral. Fucking opera. Fucking film museum. I’ve rarely had my feelings about this city reflected so directly. These shit-representative piles of stone against the human finger, made of flesh and blood, the one against the other.”
Credits
Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Production: Jan Soldat
Director's Bio
Jan Soldat was born in 1984 in Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz), former GDR. His over 100 mostly documentary works to date deal with the depiction of diverse sexual practices and preferences.
Filmography
2025 Venus 2000
2025 Friedhofsspaziergang / Cemetery Walk
2025 15 Jahres Urlaub / 15 Years of Vacation
2025 Zwangsouting / Forced Outing
2025 Siegfried
2025 Open House
2025 Zimmer S401 / Room S401
2025 Afterparty
Noi
15’, 2025
Greece
Fiction
Synopsis
Revenge murmurs in his ear: At what temperature does blood boil in the snow? When the older brother is killed by his favourite horse, the younger one has to decide – through nightmares and visions, whether to avenge the blood or forgive.
Credits
Directed by: Neritan Zinxhiria | Screenplay: Neritan Zinxhiria | Cinematography: Christina Moumouri GSC | Editing: Christos Giannakopoulos GFE | Art Direction: Sofia Vaso | Costume Design: Matina Mavraganni | Music: Apostolis Koutsogiannis | Sound Design: Leandros Ntounis | Cast: Yorgos Vadevoulis, Dimitris Xanthopoulos, Meni Konstantinidou, Apostolis Varsanis, Theodora Tetsiou | Producer: Kiriaki Virou | Production Company: AbFab Productions | Co-producers: Efijeni Kokedhima, Neritan Zinxhiria, Reconstructing Memories
Director's Bio
Neritan Zinxhiria was born in 1989 in Albania. Director of Chamomile, The Time of a Young Man About to Kill, A Country of Two; having as a centre of inspiration the themes of loss and death, he continues to explore how the latter shapes our memory and culture. His short film, Light of Light, a Slamdance Grand Prix winner, was nominated for a Tiger Award, and had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Filmography
2025 Noi
2023 Light of Light
2016 A Country of Two
2015 The Time of a Young Man About to Kill
2012 Chamomile
2008 The Best Bride
Awards
- Golden Dionysus for Best Film Award, Drama International Short Film Festival, Greece, 2025.
Trailer
The Fight
8’, 2025
United Kingdom, Cyprus
Fiction
Synopsis
In a North London boxing gym, an 11-year-old girl moves with quiet intensity. When she takes a bold, unexpected step, it feels like a plea for belonging, but it reveals something far deeper: a silent act of love and loss.
Credits
Directed by: Antony Petrou | Screenplay: Aviana Bella, Antony Petrou | Cinematography: Oliver Colins | Editing: John Smith (ACE) | Production Design: Antony Petrou | Art Direction: Aenea Kubrick Petrou | Costume Design: Anjelika Kapanidi-Petrou | Music: Christopher Barnet | Sound Design: Jack Buckner | Cast: Aviana Bella, Anjelika Kapanidi-Petrou, Sean Thomas Murphy, Tom Cash, Tommy Lee Smith | Producers: Antony Petrou, Anjelika Kapanidi-Petrou | Production Company: Watermelon Films | Co-producers: Tonia Mishiali, Bark Like A Cat Films, 11 Little Films
Director's Bio
Antony Petrou is a Cypriot filmmaker known for bold storytelling and distinctive visual style. A graduate of Central Saint Martins and the New York Film Academy, his debut feature We Are Monster premiered to critical acclaim and was acquired by Netflix. His work explores themes of identity, violence, and resilience, drawing from real events. His films have screened at major festivals and are praised for their emotional depth and authenticity. Currently in post-production on animated short Cinema Rialto, he is developing his next feature while preparing to shoot another short, called Paint Me a Lie.
Filmography
2025 The Fight
2022 Roots Of Our Fathers
2021 Exhusted
2021 A Girls
2018 A.B
2018 The Sound
2014 We Are Monster
Trailer
Birds of Paradise
Rajskie Ptaki
9’, 2025
Poland, France
Animation
Synopsis
Bird droppings. To most, a nuisance. But for a remarkable flock of flightless birds, they are the foundation of life itself. There is a delicate harmony in their hidden world – until one day, a mysterious object washes up on shore. What begins as curiosity sparks a profound shift, leading the flock into a new era of cultural and technological change.
Credits
Directed by: Tomek Ducki | Screenplay: Tomek Ducki | Animation: Tomek Ducki | Editing: Tomek Ducki | Music: Jean-Marc Petsas | Sound Design: Jean-Marc Petsas | Producers: Ewelina Gordziejuk, Helene Mitjavile, Lukasz Hendzel | Production Companies: EGoFILM, Melocoton Films, Paris+ Hendzel Co.
Director's Bio
Tomek Ducki (aka dr. Tamás János Ducki) is a Hungarian-Polish animation director and designer born in Budapest. He studied Animation at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Hungary and at the National Film and Television School in the UK. He is based in Poland, where he works and collaborates with local artists and studios. His most well-known works are his multi-award-winning short films, Life Line and Baths, and music videos for artists such as Basement Jaxx, Zhu or Bipolar Sunshine.
Filmography
2025 Birds of Paradise / Rajskie Ptaki
2020 Plantarium
2013 Baths
2010 Silent Touch
2007 Life Line
What If They Bomb Here Tonight?
16’, 2025
Lebanon
Fiction
Synopsis
A Lebanese couple spends a sleepless night, fearing an Israeli airstrike could shatter their glass walls. With children nearby, they face the impossible choice to stay or flee their life.
Credits
Directed by: Samir Syriani | Screenplay: Samir Syriani, Nadine Chalhoub Syriani | Cinematography: Pierre Mouarkech | Editing: Desirée Abou Jaoude | Music: Cedric Kayem | Cast: Samir Syriani, Nadine Chalhoub Syriani | Producer: Nicolas Khabbaz
Director's Bio
Samir Syriani (b. 1989) is a Lebanese film director and screenwriter known for his striking visuals and insightful storytelling. He first gained recognition with his award-winning student film To Baalbek, which was screened at over 15 festivals. He has earned multiple Best Music Video awards and has created TV campaigns for global brands. In 2019, his Master's short film Contact premiered at the 49th Tampere Film Festival, winning multiple awards. In 2024, he completed What If They Bomb Here Tonight?, which premiered at the 47th Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. Beyond filmmaking, Samir is a university professor, a mentor, and a devoted father of two daughters.
Filmography
2025 What If They Bomb Here Tonight?
2019 Contact
Awards
- Jury Award, Regard Festival International de Court Métrage au Saguenay, Canada, 2025.
- Audience Award, Young Jury Award & Critics Jury Award, Bref International Short Film Festival, Italy, 2025.
Trailer
I'm Glad You're Dead Now
13’, 2025
Greece, France, Palestine
Fiction
Synopsis
Two brothers return to the island of their childhood, where buried secrets and heavy tensions force them to confront a dark past that connects them.
Credits
Directed by: Tawfeek Barhom | Screenplay: Tawfeek Barhom | Cinematography: Giorgos Valsamis | Editing: Lambis Charalambidis | Costume Design: Evelyna Darzenta, Anna Zotou | Music: Andy Shortwave | Sound Design: Stavros Avramidis | Cast: Tawfeek Barhom, Ashraf Barhom | Producers: Tawfeek Barhom, Alexandre Perrier | Production Company: KIDAM | Co-producers: Akis Polizos, Stylianos Kotionis, Foss Productions
Director's Bio
Tawfeek Barhom is an emerging Palestinian actor and director. As an actor, he has been noticed in films such as The Cairo Conspiracy (2022), in which he played the title role, and The Ghosts (2024), for which he was selected as one of the Revelations of the César Awards 2025. That same year, he directed his first short film, I’m Glad You’re Dead Now.
Filmography
2025 I'm Glad You're Dead Now
Awards
-Palme d'Or – Best Short Film, Cannes Film Festival, France, 2025.