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We are once again very proud of the program for the festival – OFF20 will amaze you, shock you, thrill you and all in all move you!

We have embraced the obsticales and challanges the difficult, worldwide situation has brought, and we can’t wait to show you the results of our creative thinking. As usual we will have a physical festival in the heart of Odense, where filmlovers from all over can enjoy brilliant short films, talks and new experiences.

Because of the global pandemic our venues must only be filled to half capacity, and to avoid ques and overbooked venues a ticket costs 20 DKK pr. ticket.

We promise you, that this year is no different in terms of great experiences – in fact we have a whole new experience, we are proud to present: Our very own streamingservice, OFFstream.dk!

For 89 DKK you can buy online access to all films in competition from 24 of August until spetember 6th. The platform launches in the beginning of august and covers Denmark.

Vi can’t wait to see you here in Odense or at OFFstream.dk – take a look at our spectacular program HERE

Dear festival guest

OFF – Odense International Film Festival takes all employees and guests’ health and safety very seriously, and we wish for you to feel safe in case you pay us a visit in week 35. We of course adhere to the health authorities’ guidelines with regard to Covid-19, and we take all necessary precautions regarding good hygiene and safety.

This means that your visit at the festival will be a little different compared to previous years. As for the big silver screen, however, you can expect a great experience like always.

Furthermore, as a new initiative this year, we have created a digital platform so that no matter your health situation or geographical whereabouts, you will be able to get access to OFF’s amazing films. Check it out here

In order for festival guests to be able to keep appropriate social distance at the screening venues, only every second seat will be sold, which means that there will be fewer tickets than usual available for the screenings, and hence the programmes might sell out faster.

In case the government raises the current limit for the ban on large events and gatherings, more tickets will become available. In case the limit is lowered, guests will be accommodated within the guidelines according to date of ticket booking.

Extra actions this year:

• Valid tickets are mandatory for all programmes at the festival.

• All of our big outdoor events, receptions and parties have been cancelled.

• All venues will be cleaned continuously throughout the week, and hand sanitizer will be available at all relevant spots.

• Only every other seat is sold – and all of our screenings comply with the social distancing guidelines. Read more about the booking procedures above.

We encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with the health authorities’ guidelines, and naturally we ask you to stay home in case you experience any symptoms whatsoever.

The festival will of course adapt to comply with the authorities’ guidelines, should there be any changes. In that case, you can find updates here on our website filmfestival.dk/en

Take care of yourself and each other – and have a great festival!

Keep your distance
Keep your hands clean
Keep a cool head
And a warm heart <3

129 amazing short films from all over the world have been selected for this years OFF20!

See the full list of films here

See the full competition programme here

Submission for this year’s competition programme has ended.
Notification date is May 26th. Please note that selection results will be sent from filmfreeway.com at 3pm Pacific Time and will therefore arrive in your inboxes around the world at different times during the 26th and the 27th.

Danish and international filmmakers, aspiring as well as established, who hope to be part of the competition programme of OFF – Odense International Film Festival 2020, can now take a big step towards reaching this particular goal. As of Friday the 15th of November, 2019 it’s possible to submit your short film and secure a slot before the eyes of the OFF pre-jury.

In the spring of 2020, the pre-jury will send a few hundred short films to the OFF selection jury, who will then watch and evaluate the films before deciding which short works of art will be part of the official selection of OFF20.

Submission

Short films in all genres with a maximum duration of 30 minutes are eligible for submission. The production has to be completed in 2019 or 2020. Submission deadline is the 1st of April, 2020 – but there is an early bird-discount for films submitted before the 1st of January, 2020. Read more about submission, deadlines and technical specifications HERE.

In collaboration with Kunstmuseum Brandts in Odense OFF – Odense International Film Festival creates an installation of short films which focuses on belonging. (Danish: “Et Hjem i Verden”)

Belonging

Where do you belong – a place, a family, a community? A sense of belonging is more than locations and relationships, it is also about feeling at home in a movement, a culture or an environment. The film installation “Belonging” adds a new dimension to the current exhibition “Works of Art” at Kunstmuseum Brandts where it challenges our fundamental ideas of belonging in the world.

Festival Director Birgitte Weinberger is excited about the collaboration with the art museum from Odense and the opportunity to expand the thematic surrounding the exhibit. She believes the sense of belonging belongs to all of us:

“Where do we come from, where do we feel at home – and why? Both the exhibition “Works of Art” and the short film installation “Belonging” touches upon a topic that we all consciously and unconsciously face regularly. And a topic that takes up a large part of a person’s identity. I hope, the audience will take home with them, that belonging is more than soft hills, community centers and wedding anniversaries. A home can also be a community, a family or a special case from the other side of the world.”

Soft hills, repetitive potatoes dishes and cityscapes are in fact represented in the five short films the installation is composed of. But the audience will also see 100-year-old rites of passage, culture clashes and a totalitarian state swallowing itself. The five films in the installation will be played in loop and they are as follows:

“Fantasy” (Finland / 2017 / 10 minutes)

“The End of Time” (Cuba / 2017 / minutes)

“Our Fathers’ Sons” (Denmark / 2015 / 7 minutes)

“The Rabbit Hunt” (USA / 2018 / 7 minutes)

“The Reflection of Power” (France / 2015 / 10 minutes)

More information

The installation will be launched with an opening party – designed in collaboration with students from Design School Kolding – on Thursday the 21^st of November 2019 at 17.00 at Kunstmusem Brandts. At the opening there will be speeches, cool drinks and crispy popcorn. Learn more about the event HERE

The Installation “Belonging” can be enjoyed during the regular opening hours of the museum and runs until spring 2020.

The European Film Academy and EFA Productions have announced the nominations for the award category European short film 2019 – and we are over the moon excited!

At OFF, we are proud to be a part of the nomination process, seeing as OFF is an EFA qualifiying festival, along with a group of other great international festivals around the world. Our festival leader at OFF, Birgitte Weinberger, is also a part of the respective international jury at EFA and has voted for her favourite shorts among the selection of qualified shortfilms. Birgitte Weinberger will also be attending the 32. European Film Awards in Berlin on the 7th of December, where the winner of the short film award will be presented (among others).

The participating festivals, including OFF, have nominated the following five short films:

• DOGS BARKING AT BIRDS (Portugal, Fiction)
• RECONSTRUCTION (Czech Republic, Fiction)
• THE CHRISTMAS GIFT (Romania, Spain, Fiction)
• THE MARVELOUS MISADVENTURES OF THE STONE LADY (France, Portugal, Animation)
• WATERMELON JUICE (Spain, Fiction)

Tonight OFF – Odense International Film Festival culminated in a spectacular award show and this year’s winners of four Oscar-qualifying categories, an EFA-nominee and final Robert nominees were found. It has been a wonderful week of film, love and community. Congratulations to all the winners!

Find the list of winning films in all categories below:

• Grand Prix – HCA Award: “Bache Khor” (“Child Eater”) by Mohammad Kart
• OFF Storyteller Award: “Fun Factory” by Lisa Brooke Hansen and Even Hafnor
• OFF Artist Award: “Nursery Rhymes” by Tom Noakes
• OFF Short Film Candidate for the European Film Awards 2019 (EFA): “Oslo” by Shady Srour
• Best Danish Short Film: “Mount Everest” by Rasmus Nyholm Schmidt
• FilmFyn Talent Award: ”Draget” (”Drawn”) by Christian Bengtson
• Børge Ring Award: “Lidérc Úr” (“Mr. Mare”) by Luca Tóth
• Animation Talent Award: “Animals” by Tue Sanggaard
• Best Short Documentary: “Après Le Silence” (“After the Silence”) by Sonam Larcin
• The Soapbox Award: “Where Chaos Reigns” by Braulio Jatar and Anaïs Michel
• Youth Award: “Ingen siger farvel men alle forsvinder” (“We Are All Leaving”) by Jonas Risvig
• Publikumsprisen: “Ikki Illa Meint” by Andrias Høgenni
• Pitch Me Baby, 1. præmie: “First Night” by Darshika Karunahara
• Pitch Me Baby, 2. præmie: “No Family Photo” by Christian Einshøj
• Robert Prisen Shortlist: “Draget” (“Drawn”) by Christian Bengtson, “Ikki Illa Meint” by Andrias Høgenni, ”Knæler” (”Mantis”) by Roberta Reichhardt, ”Savnet” (”Missing”) by Mads Reuther and ”Under bølgerne, over skyerne” (”Below the Waves, Above the Clouds”) by Katrine Brocks

OFF19 might be over, but there is still a chance to watch all the award-winning films as they are screened from morning to evening on Sunday 1/9 in Odense at Cafe biografen. Find the full schedule here.

Join us for four fantastic film screenings when OFF illuminates the big screen at Amfiscenen (Brandts Klædefabrik) with delectable film treats open for all. Pack a blanket and your picnic basket and enjoy a cozy evening under the stars.

’Hamlet’ (1921): Wednesday. 21.00. Amfiscenen

‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’ (2002): Thursday. 21.00. Amfiscenen

‘Mamma Mia!’ (2008): Friday. 21.00. Amfiscenen

‘The Great Gatsby’ (2013): Saturday. 21.00. Amfiscenen