There has been a pervasive rather uncomplimentary stereotyped idea in the media about the Balkans and South East Europe ever since the Balkans war. The short films in this program aim to challenge this view, guide the audience past the stereotypes and bridge the ever-so deep gap between cultures. Through the prism of a new generation who seeks to break socio- political and cultural barriers and reclaim its place in this new world order both behind and on the camera, various aspects of South Eastern Europe are recontextualized; it offers a glimpse into the past, but also its consequences on the present and perhaps even the future. This is a forward-thinking, open-minded generation that may still be grappling with the aftermath of the Balkans war for some of them, but it is most certainly not one that likes to delve too much into the past – for it is one that seeks to learn from it, interpret it in its own way, and move on. Move on past the past and an unstable present, past stereotypes, past physical and ideological barriers and into a brighter, freer future. Through short documentaries and animated and fiction shorts in which they nimbly and passionately play with new cinematic languages and evocative and innovative storytelling, these fresh new voices from the South East European New Wave take us on a journey of (re)discovery.
–Tara Karajica, SEEfest Shorts Programmer
This program has been curated by SEEfest
