Even though in the 20th and 21st centuries short film evolved in so many diverse directions that it is hard to treat it as a homogenous medium, we still consider it to be the crucial source of cinema revival and a space for experiments in the art of navigating through the infinity of pictures.

We showcase cinema that is aware of legacy of great predecessors, but simultaneously it’s constantly seeking and leading to the destination point: a multidimensional film art that operates on all possible levels. It’s always good to draw from the works of other visionaries; but only in order to find one’s self, one’s own ideas and individual film language.

Cinema is primarily the eyes, gesture, thought, motion and light.

Such a combination itself creates the magic world of cinematography. Perceiving cinema merely through the lens of stories reduces it to the role of visual prose. Cinema is more than literature, storytelling, and actors. It cannot be expressed in words, because it is an experience, or sometimes even a mystery.

Directors often say that what matters most to them is human being. We assume that what matters most in cinema is a film itself and being fair with oneself and the audience.

The festival serves as a meeting point on several levels. First of all, it is a space of interaction around films between the audience, filmmakers and critics. Secondly, the festival can make a stage for filmmakers who take the risk and speak boldly in their works. Thirdly, the festival aims at creating space for dialogue between the history and the future of film; a space in which all sorts of various cinema traditions meet the most innovative and bold propositions.

We believe that life and cinema in all its forms are inseparable as a result of the combination of time, experience and attitude. Pointing at imagination as the key source of consciousness, we believe in cinema as a way to expand individual perception of the world.

The core of the festival consists of two international competitions, aimed at finding and promoting emerging talents who have a distinctive character and extraordinary creative vision.

Cineverso is designed for directors of short fiction films that bring life to existing patterns of fiction film or sometimes even create new ones.

In Cine Sin Fine we want to showcase fiction-documentary hybrids, essays, experimental and avant-garde films.

It may seem that films included in each of these sections have nothing in common. However, in our opinion fiction and experimental films are inextricably intertwined with each other.

Non-competition sections of the festival shall include among others: best films from a given country or film school, the curator’s section from another film festival, a mini short film retrospective of a chosen author and a special screening of a feature film.

In the future, the festival shall crown an all-year program, as the project is designed to cover the whole spectrum of activities, from publishing to education, distribution, creation and popularization as well as social interaction and promotion of culture.

Life and its imagery are constantly changing: film production has become more elaborate, watching films is now a more diversified experience, and the world is gaining pace and diversity.

Short film is a perfect means to bring art cinema to the young people and keep their attention.

Our planned future activities go beyond screening and include cooperation with schools to involve participants in inspiring film experiments and provide them with tools they can use to enjoy, understand, create, discover and share cinema in all its forms.

Bartosz Reetz

Born in Grudziadz, currently based in Warsaw.

A graduate of Film and TV Production Organization at the Lodz Film School and law at the Faculty of Law and Administration at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun.

In 2015 he co-produced Turkish-Polish short film "Unmade bed" by Eytan Ipeker, premiered at the 52nd International Antalya Film Festival.

His directorial debut "The Stop" has been presented at many international film festivals, including Fajr International Film Festival, Filmfest Dresden, FEST - New Directors/New Film Festival and CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival. The film has been awarded with Cine Libre Award at the Cinemistica Film Festival in Spain.

His second short film "Tramway" premiered at the 69th Martovski Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival in March 2022. So far, the film has been presented at over 30 international film festivals, winning over a dozen awards.

Participant of the Visegrád in Short(s) program at Filmfest Dresden and Fest Pro during FEST - New Directors/New Film Festival in Portugal.

Free listener at the Film Essay Studio in Visual Narratives Laboratory of the Lodz Film School.

He is preparing to make more short films and a full-length feature debut.

Founder and artistic director of Tramway Film Festival.