Hamburg International Short Film Festival 2008
I’ve just returned from the Hamburg International Film Festival where I was made obscenely welcome as a member of the International Jury, alongside more esteemed colleagues in the shape of Netalie Braun, Jens Eder, Miranda Pennell and Holger Tepe.
Not only was the experience of watching a squillion short films both humbling and ego-puffing in equal measure (bowing to the audience as we arrived to take our seats), but the simple pleasure of being able to RIDE A BIKE without being hunted, Duel-style, by the fat frontage of the no. 86 bus along Upper Chorlton Road, stapled a stupid grin across my face that I haven’t been able to wipe off all week.
The winner of the International Jury award went to Puppet Boy (Johannes Nyholm, Sweden) for his frankly nightmarish docu-drama of a puppeteer more than a little closely involved with his repugnant creation. The Francois Ode award was awarded to Josh (Govinda van Maele) and a deserved special mention to the startling and insidiously creepy Mumbler (Marc Roels und Wim Reygaert, Belgium). Follow the links below for a flavour of each...
It’s going to be a difficult experience to top, while my friends behind the lo-fi, city-meets-cinematic projection tour A Wall is a Screen attracted a crowd of over 1,000 on home turf, with people carrying sofas as we walked the streets after dark. Hamburg is a handsome, chiseled jaw of a city, but if there are any other festivals out there who want to furnish me with a pair of rollerboots and a butt-cushion in return for my critical faculties I’d be more than happy to oblige!