Short Film Competition (N/C 18+)

Samizdat presents a unique and vibrant collection of 17 films entered into our Short Film Competition. Out of the 1100+ submissions we received this year, our curators have carefully selected some of the finest contemporary shorts from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, spanning from Estonia to Kyrgyzstan. For this screening, we have chosen seven of these films, each highlighting the variety and diversity of voices from the region.

This block of shorts includes a dark romantic comedy from Ukraine, an exploration of Kazakhstan’s search for a new national identity, and a Moldovan film about intersex people and the stigma they are exposed to. These films offer a hard-hitting glimpse into the most pressing social, political and cultural issues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia today.