Short Film Programme: New Voices from Central Asia

Over the last years a multitude of grassroots initiatives, new film schools and artists collectives have come out of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, producing interesting films, and shedding light on life in a region with a very young and dynamic population. Influenced and inspired by things ranging from ancient cultural traditions to K-pop, a new generation of filmmakers is looking for new forms of audiovisual expression, while also focusing on social issues. They would like to see more of these filmmakers in Western Europe, both at festivals and on TV.

The short films will be broadcasted during a special edition of ARTE Kurzschluss Magazin in 2025 (broadcast date tbd) on TV and/or online.

Eligibility Criteria

• The film has not been previously broadcasted on TV in Germany or France, and has not been shown online. Once selected, it will not be broadcasted in Germany or France, or be shown online before the end of 2025.
• The film’s director has the nationality of, or is a permanent resident in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.
• All genres (fiction, animation, hybrid, documentary, experimental) are welcome.
• Submission is free of charge via eventival or FilmFreeway
• Please fill out the submission form and provide them with a password protected online link of the film.

Conditions

• goEast is organized by DFF – Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (Schaumainkai 41, 60596 Frankfurt).
• The 24th goEast Film Festival will take place in Wiesbaden, Germany, from April 24th–30th, 2024.
• A selection committee chooses films for the program. The selection process will not be public and there is no legal right to enter the competition.
• Once the rights-holders have agreed to participate in the program, the premiere status of the competing film may not change. A contract will be made between the rights-holder, goEast and ZDF/ARTE.
• Films will only be screened in original language with English subtitles. The festival and ZDF/ARTE reserve the right to translate the selected films into German and French.
• The film has not been previously broadcasted on TV in Germany or France, and has not been shown online. Once selected, it will not be broadcasted in Germany or France, or be shown online before the end of 2025.
• A print of the film and further deliverables are to be sent only after an official invitation has been received. The film print must arrive at least 10 days before the festival starts. (April 14, 2024).
• Screening copies are preferably sent digitally. In case the DCP is send on a hard disk or similar medium or the screening print is a 35mm copy, participants have to cover the costs for transport, insurance and customs, unless negotiated otherwise.
• The festival covers the insurance of the film prints while they are on location in Wiesbaden, from their arrival until they are given back to the shipper.
• Only the rights holder or his representative can enter a film. With your film’s registration, you confirm to hold the rights and/or have permission to represent the rights holder.
• The festival is allowed to archive a digital version of the film and to upload the file to the online media library, which usage is limited to accredited guests only, during the festival week.
• For the purposes of PR and communication (marketing and press) the submitters provide the festival and ARTE with texts and images that can be used in the festival catalogue, the festival flyer, the festival website as well as in further advertising activities. Additionally, the festival and ZDF/ARTE are allowed to use trailers and excerpts of the films for marketing and press reasons. With the submission of these materials the submitters confirm that they hold the rights to use these materials, and may forward them to third parties.
• Entering a film means the acceptance of the festival’s terms & conditions as stated on the website, and on eventival.
• The festival’s legal domicile is Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

For more information, visit DFF.