“MASO” is born: the short film support program of IDM Film Commission Südtirol and Bolzano Film Festival Bozen

The short film at the heart of the new training program MASO, launched during the Industry Days of the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen and aimed at cinema professionals from all over the world. The initiative is created by IDM Film Commission Südtirolfrom the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen BFFBgive it Cultural Offices of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano thanks also to the support of some partners national and foreign.

The premise on which the MASO program is based is that short films are a field of experimentation for directors and training for young talents.

“With their particular style and characteristics, they constitute an independent genre that can enrich the film industry. This cinematic art form is particularly important for the new generations, as it provides good access to the industry and also offers visibility to young South Tyrolean talents and to South Tyrol as a film location” is the thought of Vera Leonardelli, Business Development Director Of IDM Alto Adige which concludes: “LMASO’s main objective is to offer a space dedicated to the creation of films. In all phases of their project participants are professionally supported, can exchange ideas and network with other professionals. This facilitates creative exchange, supports the next generation of international professionals and will lead to short films and short series that will attract the interest of the film industry.”

IDM Film Commission Südtirol for years it has paid particular attention to the support and promotion of this cinematographic genre by including a specific line dedicated to short films in the Regional Fund to support cinematographic and television productions. From today the support will also be strengthened with MASO, the training program aimed at emerging talents and professionals.

The concept: creative teams of two people, made up of an author or director on one side and a producer on the other, can present aproject idea for a short film. Particular attention is paid to trying to reach creatives belonging to under-represented social groups and minorities and encouraging them to participate, creating a more inclusive and diverse programme.

They will be selected 8 projects among those presented for a total of 16 professionals who can develop the short films, make them and then work on the distribution phase. The program will be divided into 2 workshops And several mentoring sessions conducted by international experts. The first workshop will be held in November 2024 at FilmCamp Norway in Øverbygd, Norwaywhile the second to aApril 2025 during the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen, in Alto Adige. The 8 selected projects will be supported even in the process of financing And distribution. The funded projects will be selected with the support of an advisory committee made up of experts in the field of short films. Once filming has taken place, the participating projects will be accompanied in the presentation phase at one of the major festivals in the sector and will also be shown in the 2025 edition of the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen.

“MASO is a new initiative with an absolutely international scope, born from the fruitful collaboration between the BFFB and the IDM Film Commission – he claims Vincenzo Bugno, artistic director of the Bolzano Film Festival Bozen. – It is precisely this international aspect, this going beyond borders, that I find particularly interesting, because it allows us to network, exchange experiences and learn from each other. I firmly believe that internationalization is a great opportunity, especially for smaller film locations, such as Alto Adige“.

“The short film is an art form in its own right. It is real cinema and, over the years, the sector has evolved a lot in various aspects. Today there are many more productions, but at the same time there are also more festivals and online platforms dedicated exclusively to short films” he underlines Enrico Vannucciprogrammer for the selection of short films at the Locarno Film Festival e content manager for MASO #1.