The German short film scene is very diverse and therefore very
hard to categorize or put into certain slots. Its refreshing variety and heterogeneity is
also the greatest drawback. To be frank, the German funding and distribution system does
not meet the needs of contemporary filmmaking.
For example only 4% of the total public film funding goes towards short film projects -
from a total of 800 short films produced in Germany each year. Because of its federal
structure which leaves each of its 16 states sovereignty in its cultural matters there is
a strong emphasis in regional funding. (In addition the once cultural funding has long
decreased in favor of economical funding. Which means that the total subsidy has to be
spent in the funding state). As a result almost half of all the short film projects are
financed privately - leading the filmmakers into disastrous financial situations.
Next to these production problems there is a general prejudice on comprehending the
essence of shortfilms. Most people , even experts , believe that short films are a first
step towards so called full length feature or documentary films. The independence of short
films as an art standing by itself is often denied. For experimental short films the
situation is even more absurd. Experimental films or video-art are mistaken as suppliers
towards the advertising and music-video industry- the original artistic intention is
dismissed and the work is measured on its chances to be placed on the economic market.
A very narrow minded view if you keep in mind that short films can be considered as the
most suitable way to express the national cultural characteristic features.
Germany has a stronghold within its documentary and experimental tradition. So where as to
the begin of the 1980's the Germanys major short film festival the Oberhausener
Kurzfilmtage did not present a single German fiction film, today as
everywhere in the world there is a flood of short fictions. The reason is quite simple :
encouraged by the filmshools students have grown interested producing films which will fit
into the cinema and television market.
But there still is a great variety of the filmgeneres in Germany. Especially the
experimental films are of a very high standard and also the German animation scene for the
past years has grown recognition - although the German Federal Republic has not those
great tradition as some of the eastern European nations as Russia, the Czech Republic of
Hungary.
Right up to the 1970's the animated films in Germany lived a life in shadow and even
contemporary filmmakers nave to struggle with the image of producing entirely children's
films or are compared to Walt Disney. The German television channels contributed strongly
towards this view on animated films. Animation as technique is omnipresent in all media -
but as an art form is barely persafied by society.
There is a tendency towards a positive development since the beginning of this decade. The
growth of Europe's film business - never before that many Academy Awards have been granted
to European based filmproductions and at the same time the output of animated films has
surely reached a peak level - has also influenced the German animation scene.
The best examples of the past years are the Oscar awarded films "Balance" by the
Lauenstein brothers (1990) and " Quest" by Thomas Stellmach (1997).
There are attempts in Germany to adapt production and funding structures for animated
shorts from neighboring nations. The examples are various :
The French animation film festival in Annecy was founded in the 1960's and is one of the major events for the animation scene. The Netherlands in comparison to its size has the most and varied film funding institions and England has developed a system where the British Film Institute cooperates with television stations as the BBC or the independent Channel 4 in funding short film projects.
At least the broadcasting of animated film has increased by more than half ... and the
outlooks are that it will carry on like this. The funding institutions of the states and
federal government have increased there dedication towards supporting animated films. The
animation departments of the leading art schools in Berlin, Hamburg, Kassel and Stuttgart
are centers of fresh impetus towards these developments. And festival -wise the
International Stuttgart Animation Film Festival the meeting point for everyone interested
and involved with animation film.
Although there is sporadic success the situation is far from being ideal. The broadcasting
market and its slots for short films, due to the increase of new independent television
channels, has grown by a high rate, whereas the animation films still are
underrepresented. On the big screen it is just the same : The attempts of the Hamburg
based Short Film Agencies to distribute short films in cinemas have constantly been
torpedoed by the economically orientated majors.
Short films have a purpose and are not just l'art pour l'art : For one of the major
elements of cinema in general is the presentation in front of a big audience. But economic
interests often stand it the way and short films are measured with possible financial
profits. In country as Germany which thinks of itself as being innovative in cultural and
media affairs this can not be the decisive criterion.
This Web site was created by: Elizabeta VELEVSKA & Aleksandar MEMCA