Engaging films from across Europe sparked lively discussions at TUS.
The European Short Shorts Festival 2024, organized by EUNIC Ireland, was showcasing a diverse selection of short films from various European countries at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Moylish Campus, in the Millenium Theatre on October 17.
The audience had the opportunity to watch contemporary short films and were invited to vote for their favourite one.
The festival is designed to promote European culture and international collaboration.
Future screenings are scheduled in Galway, Cork, and Dublin throughout the October and November period.
The Millenium Theatre did not seem overly busy, with no signs or banners to promote the event as mainly students, attended the screening. Cameras were pointed at the stage as the event was officially announced. Many of the seats were still empty during the short shorts screening.
While the audience initially held back, the room became lively during the screening of the short films.
There was a wide variety of styles and topics, ranging from animation to documentary-style short films. Portugal’s short submission, “Blood Brothers” was completely black and white, without any spoken text. Many animation movies worked with different noises, including Hugary’s computer-animated film ‘Maestro’, as the short depictics the minute before the main character goes on stage to perform. Meanwhile, the Austrian submission ‘Me, Myself, and I’ consisted of an audio script with animated pictures. Most shorts with spoken language worked with subtitles as they were not recorded in English.
While some submissions portrayed a clear message, others were rather abstract, allowing the audience to perceive the film in their own way. Reoccurring topics included ideas such as gender roles and identity.
The impact of the films could be easily read by the audience´s reaction. Audible wonder and irritation were displayed in abstract short films like “Graziano and his Giraffe” as we watched the protagonist form a ´unique´ bond with a giraffe, exploring themes of loneliness and companionship.
The German short shorts submission “Treasures” was met with an audible gasp, as the explosion sound echoed through the lecture hall and the screen went black.
Whispers whistled through the theatre as the audience discussed each film and its separate meaning, comparing the themes of each short. Every submission highlighted a different style of film.
The voting in Limerick Millenium Theatre was won by the German short film, ‘Treasure’ as it captivated the live audience with its powerful visuals and performances, leaving viewers engaged and contemplative. Its impactful storytelling contributed to its success in winning the competition, highlighting its emotional depth.