26.05.2026 – 31.05.2026
It’s that time of year again – the 23rd edition of the VIENNA SHORTS International Short Film Festival is turning Vienna into the centre of the short film world. Under the theme ‘Eyes Wide Open’, this year’s festival explores the multifaceted meanings of attention – as social responsibility, political stance and aesthetic practice. “At a time when our attention has become a contested resource, we want to create spaces where we can look more closely again,” says artistic director Max Bergmann, who is opening his first edition in this role. The focus is on attention as something that is shaped, directed and, increasingly, exploited. How do we reflect on the economies of attention in the age of AI-generated content, brain rot and political disinformation? How does the short film shape our perspective through its forms and narrative styles? And last but not least: how can we remain attentive to one another? Over the course of six festival days, these cinematic explorations will be showcased in around 340 works across the city’s cinemas.
Vienna Shorts 2026
26.05.2026 – 31.05.2026
various locations
www.viennashorts.com
