Berlinale Shorts 2025 Unveils 20 Films from 18 Countries

Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)

Germany

The Berlinale Shorts 2025 will present an extraordinary selection of 20 films representing 18 production countries. Among these, 15 are world premieres, highlighting the festival’s commitment to showcasing groundbreaking works from around the globe. The diverse program blends classic narrative styles with surreal elements, innovative animation, and experimental documentary forms.

The films collectively explore the complexities of human existence and the environments shaping them. Many works delve into themes such as the lingering impact of historical events (e.g., "Rückblickend Betrachtet (In Retrospect)" and "Koki, Ciao") and the collective trauma of war ("After Colossus" and "Prekid vatre (Ceasefire)"). Other entries reflect on the pervasive influence of digital technology, such as "Their Eyes" and "Dar band (Citizen-Inmate)".

Personal stories also take center stage, portraying the intricate dynamics of family, youth, and emotional resilience. Films like "Mother’s Child", "Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts", and "Ke wai huo dong (Extracurricular Activity)" explore maternal relationships, while "Children’s Day" and "Casa chica" shed light on the challenges young girls face in adult-dominated worlds. Emotional journeys involving love, longing, pain, and anger are depicted in works such as "Casi septiembre (Close to September)", "Anba dlo", and "Comment ça va? (How Are You?).

Reflecting on this year’s lineup, Berlinale Shorts head Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck stated, “This edition is rich in portraits of varying kinds, both in the documentary works and in the fiction and animated films. We encounter individuals who will stay with us for a long time.”

75th Anniversary Highlights

As part of the Berlinale’s 75th-anniversary celebrations, the section will screen “You and I Are Not Alone - Berlinale Shorts Revisited”. This special program features six distinguished films from the festival archives. Notable entries include "Happy Doom" by experimental filmmaker Billy Roisz, Akihito Izuhara’s animated "Vita Lakamaya", and Frieder Schlaich’s "Three Stones for Jean Genet". Also featured is the Park brothers’ Golden Bear-winning "Paranmanjang (Night Fishing)" and Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel’s "Tant qu’il nous reste des fusils à pompe (As long as shotguns remain)".

The directing duo Poggi and Vinel return to the competition this year with their latest film, "Comment ça va? (How Are You?), marking their fifth Berlinale appearance.

To deepen audience engagement, the Berlinale Shorts blog will feature exclusive interviews and insights from the filmmakers, further celebrating the creativity and ingenuity of short films.

Berlinale Shorts 2025 Film List:

1. "Rückblickend Betrachtet (In Retrospect)"
2. "Koki, Ciao"
3. "After Colossus"
4. "Prekid vatre (Ceasefire)"
5. "Lloyd Wong, Unfinished"
6. "Their Eyes"
7. "Dar band (Citizen-Inmate)"
8. "Mother’s Child"
9. "Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts"
10. "Ke wai huo dong (Extracurricular Activity)"
11. "Because of (U)"
12. "Élő kövek (Living Stones)"
13. "Children’s Day"
14. "Casa chica"
15. "Through Your Eyes"
16. "Futsu no seikatsu (Ordinary Life)"
17. "Anba dlo"
18. "Comment ça va? (How Are You?)"
19. "Kámen Osudu (Stone of Destiny)"
20. "Casi septiembre (Close to September)"

The Berlinale Shorts remains an essential platform for filmmakers to experiment, innovate, and connect audiences with compelling stories from around the world.