Stepping into the breach: German Short Film Association established
Short film festivals, film schools, and organisations in the fields of film sales and distribution joined forces to work toward improving public awareness of short films. »Our foremost aim«, according to the association's press release, is »to strengthen the standing of German short films and their authors, directors and producers outside of Germany«.
On the 15th of June, just a few weeks after its establishment, the association's newly elected board held its first session. Members of the board include Carsten Spicher from the Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Cristina Marx from the DFFB and Astrid Kühl from the Short Film Agency Hamburg.
It's still much too early to report on measures planned by the nascent association, or to expect any concrete achievements, but the course has been set and a framework for action has been mapped out. Due to the fact that the association's establishment was preceded by a two-year period of preparation, featuring intense discussions and a great many ups and downs, the work at hand for this pressure group is perfectly clear by now to all of those involved, together with the necessity to begin right away to tackle the mountain of especially urgent tasks that need to be addressed in the interest of the short film.
If one is familiar with the German situation, it will be noted that no cross-regional lobby for short film has existed until now. The short film enjoys neither representation nor a voice of any kind in the institutions and committees currently shaping film policy, even though these often make decisions directly concerning short films. Whoever has tried in the past to get involved in promoting the interests of the short film will have had the regularly recurring experience of not being taken seriously in discussions with political decision-makers, since one tends to be seen merely as a petitioner with very particularised interests.
One of the more promising developments heralding better representation of short film interests was the recent restructuring of German federal policy. Formerly, there was no cultural department (minister of culture) at the federal government level, and film was thus dealt with in various departments of the other ministries. Now, the BKM (Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural and Media Affairs) provides a central contact point in the political and administrative arena. A golden opportunity was presented when the minister presently in office, Prof. Dr. Julian Nida-Rümelin, opened an ongoing discussion on the reform of film policy, thereby signalising the need for rethinking the status of the short film as well. At the same time, however, it was made clear "that the interests of 'the short film' can only be taken into consideration if the main protagonists join together in a unified association." (according to Astrid Kühl, recounting a conversation with the office of the Federal Commissioner).
As one of the "main reasons for establishing an association", Astrid Kühl also underlines »the urgently required reform of the representation of German short film interests abroad«.
While filmmakers or producers manage with a considerable exertion of effort to establish contacts with television producers, festivals, distributors and potential purchasers within Germany, pursuing the same kinds of contacts outside of Germany is virtually impossible and can hardly be expected from each individual filmmaker. The result is that the German short film is simply not represented at all on the major film markets or at television trade shows, with the rare exception of occasional special invitations. A professional organisation is needed here that could travel to such events and both promote short film, using correspondingly outfitted booths (marketing materials, demo tapes, catalogues, etc), and also offer advice backed up with the relevant expertise but without seeking its own financial gain. Considering the fine reputation and resounding international acclaim accruing to German short films in recent years, and particularly as they have done far better than German feature films at the international competitions, it's obvious that the time has come to provide more competent representation for the German short film on the international scene. Fulfilling this need is thus one of the top priorities of the AG Kurzfilm. The director of the association's administrative office, Sylke Gottlebe from the Filmfest Dresden, by rights points out international examples for which there is simply no corresponding institution in Germany. For example, the promotion of French short film through a special division of Unifrance, or institutions in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia that, in addition to other genres, devote intense attention to the needs of the short film. These include the short film experts in the Films, TV and Video Department of the British Council, who have, by the way, long come to the conclusion that they can exercise a far greater impact in the short film realm than in the classic feature film arena, which already has the film industry behind it. Or the Filmkontakt Nord in Copenhagen, where within a very brief period of time Kerstin Hagrup and her small team have been able to build up a network fostering the Scandinavian short and documentary film that has managed to effect the rapid, worldwide exposure of Danish, Finnish and Swedish short films.
The AG Kurzfilm is still far away from that goal, but the most important groundwork is already in place in terms of know-how, a readiness for cooperation and above all a solid rooting in the short film scene.
Producing proper working conditions and expanding cooperation
At the present time, the AG Kurzfilm is still busy setting up its administrative office. While the association's headquarters is in the capital city of Berlin, where board member Cristina Marx (dffb) will surely play a key role, the main office is at the Filmfest Dresden and is directed there by Sylke Gottlebe. Sylke Gottlebe defines her expectations thus: "We should be able to quickly set up a workable infrastructure and we need to ensure a very lively exchange of information!" Of course, a solid financial foundation is also of the utmost importance, for which Ms. Gottlebe is counting on an interest taken by the 'European Media Culture City Dresden' in the new institution.
At the same time, the association is busily canvassing for further members. In principle, any association may become a member »that is concerned with safeguarding the interests of emerging filmmakers and the reinforcement of the position of the German short film « (Astrid Kühl). Amongst the founding members are ten German festivals, a fact that will surely exercise an irresistible pull on other short film festivals to follow suit. It may also be expected that, in addition to the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin, other film schools will also wish to join and the AG Kurzfilm would welcome them with open arms. (For contact information, please see below!)
As an umbrella organisation for associations and institutions, which accepts individual persons only in exceptional cases, the AG Kurzfilm e.V. is especially interested in cooperation and partnerships with other umbrella organisations that represent the interests of filmmakers, film event planners and cinema curators.
... Welcome to the Club!
Only when it succeeds in bringing together the multiplicity of the short film scene in order to present a united front will the short film attain a voice in the exclusive club of film policy-makers. The AG Kurzfilm is only too aware of this and hence offers to become »for the time being at least, t h e contact for politics, the film industry and cinemas. It intends to exert an influence on German film policy and is open for discussion of all relevant issues (e.g. short film funding)«, says Carsten Spicher, Chairman of the Board.
The association's success will to a large extent depend on how members representing different positions on core issues of film policy can reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. These controversial issues include the reorganisation of film funding, or details in the promotion guidelines of the FFA. It's perfectly understandable that a film school focusing on long feature films or a film distributor whose work is tied to the cinema system will have other priorities than short film festivals, amongst which in turn there naturally prevails a friendly competition. Another cooperative hurdle, which is not founded upon a discrepancy of interests, is a consequence of Germany's federal structure. Despite the best intentions of those involved, there are unfortunately enough examples of failures to realize joint projects or launch effective cooperation across state boundaries, and thus beyond the purview of any one funding authority. One need only cite the attempt of the Short Film Agency Hamburg to set up a cross-regional distribution structure together with Yildiz-Film, an undertaking that ultimately ran aground due to the blinkered local focus of the promotion agencies.
Before this backdrop, and in the absence of a mediating association in Germany, duties and work focuses have been divided up until now along local lines instead, proliferating pretty much at random. Now these scattered forces must be brought together under one roof and networked together intelligently, necessitating a reduction in scope for some of them. Here the association's members are faced with the difficult task of rising above petty squabbles over "ownership" of the issues. The AG Kurzfilm has already mastered the first such hurdle brilliantly, by securing the participation of representatives of the two major German short film festivals on its board, along with the Short Film Agency Hamburg in its human resources division, and one of the most important film schools. Basing its main office in the eastern part of Germany was likewise a clever choice. Now it's merely a matter of this thoroughly balanced board allowing the administrative office enough leeway to put the association's aims into action. Experience shows that the administrative office usually plays a key role in any association. The staff there not only take on the major share of the work, but they also have an integrative function as the centre for communications. But to the outside world, the administrative office only makes a good, energetic impression when it is backed by a harmoniously acting board. If this combination succeeds, the AG Kurzfilm is capable of becoming not only a political mouthpiece, but of realising the more far-reaching vision of providing a coordination and service centre for short film makers, producers and institutions.
A long-existing gap is finally being filled. We wish the AG Kurzfilm great success in its venture!
Reinhard W. Wolf
Practical information:
AG Kurzfilm Administrative Office
Sylke Gottlebe
Alaunstrasse 62
1099 Dresden
Germany
Tel: +49 (0)351 829470
Fax: +49 (0)351 8294719
Email: info 
ag-kurzfilm.de
The AG Kurzfilm e.V. is a non-profit organisation (in the founding phase) with headquarters in Berlin.
Legal persons as well as associations of persons under public and private law may become members.
The members of the board are:
Carsten Spicher (Chairman), Cristina Marx (Secretary), and Astrid Kühl (Treasurer).
The founding members are:
European Media Art Festival Osnabrück, Filmfest Dresden, Short Cuts Cologne, Interfilm Berlin GmbH, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen gGmbH, Filmfest Weiterstadt, Regensburger Kurzfilmwoche, Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Kurzfilmagentur Hamburg e.V., Kurzfilmtage Bamberg, dffb Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin, Geschäftsstelle AG Kurzfilm Dresden