Vienna Shorts

The festival mirrors the status of Vienna as city of the short film, as place of current film production and especially as focus of cultural diversity und global developments in the art of short film. Being the largest Austrian short film festival, VIS is one big festivity for the audience, for dense encounters and creative discoveries.The independence in its name signifies the ambition of being sovereign in all senses of the word: organized by an independent body, the Independent Cinema Association, and with continuously growing self-confidence for the benefit of the creatives of the short film. Though being keen on a thoughtful and representative selection of international short films, VIS is not an annual show of the accepted best. It is a living forum of trying out and experimenting. The unseen is made visible: through the building of new networks and through the public presentation of films with the rarities' very essence. The festival accepts short films (under 30min) in a range of categories - fiction, documentary, experimental, etc. and presents them in five competition sections as well as Spotlights, Retrospectives, Special Programs, and Expanded Cinema. With its Vienna Shorts Agency – founded in 2014 – the festival continues and enhances the promotion of short films year round.