HARD:LINE Film Festival Announces Its 2023 Short Film Line-Up
Mary Beth McAndrews
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Deeply rooted within the subcultural scene of the City of Regensburg, the HARD:LINE Film Festival manages to contradict the beauty of the city with its love of all things macabre. From April 6 to April 9, 2023 HARD:LINE is welcoming thousands of attendees, inviting guests from all over the world, and presenting German, European, International, and even World premieres. But the festival is still what it was on the very first day: A meetup of genre lovers who want to drink beer with a bunch of friends at a (now bigger) local cinema on a bit more than a weekend.
The tenth HARD:LINE Film Festival is going to be back in the cinemas. The full experience of an in-person film festival is back! 16 short films will play alongside 13 feature films, guests from all over the world are coming, and the festival had revived its centerpiece, the “Directors Spotlights”. Purchase your tickets here.
MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT COMPETITION
Named after the pioneer of fantastic film in the silent film era, the Méliès Awards are given to the best European fantastic feature and short film at all member festivals. Since its inception in 1995, “the Méliès” has been awarded to films from all parts of Europe, reflecting the cultural wealth and variety of European fantastic cinema. The first Méliès d’Or was awarded in 1996. The Méliès is a cycle of competitions that takes place throughout the year.
Eight festivals across Europe present a Méliès D’Argent to the best European feature film and the best European short film. Another eleven festivals award a Méliès D’Argent for short films only. Out of these Méliès D’Argent feature film winners and short film winners, a jury chooses a Méliès d’Or, for the best European fantastic film of the year. The Méliès d’Or is presented annually at the Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in Sitges.
THE MÉLIÈS JURY
We are always searching for a diverse jury that can judge films from different perspectives, but also create a friendly atmosphere of disagreement. In other words: It’s fun but serious stuff.
Our judges are:
- Chiara Kamnik, Festival Directress at Fright Nights Film Festival (Pasching, Austria)
- Manuel Magno, Journalist and podcaster at Deadline Magazin, Filmfressen and Cine:viel
- Nandita Solomon, Producer and Scriptwriter of INTERCHANGE and BLOOD FLOWER
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHORT FILMS
The HARD:LINE Film Festival selects 16 short films from all over the world. Ten of the selected titles are competing for the Méliès D’Argent, the award for the best European fantastic short. Six films from outside Europe are chosen to represent the finest blend of the international genre circuit. HARD:LINE wraps up two short film blocks with eight shorts in every block. Both blocks will be presented a 10:15 pm at the famous Ostentor Cinema, right before the parties start and when the festival center is packed.
Check out the full line-up of short films below:
BORDER
Director: Mai Nakanishi
Finally a cozy evening: Off to the couch, because in just 10 minutes the most beautiful series in the world begins. Of course, everything is the same as always. With roses and promises, the hero wins the heart of the lady. Everything you expect, love, and want to see. But wait, is it supposed to be like this? A glitch in the picture blurs all boundaries. Everything between love and violence, between should and is, between here and there. Surely this can’t be true. She just can’t get rid of the feeling that she’s no longer alone.
CASCADA
Director: Marcos Muñoz Flores
The phone rings until finally, a familiar voice rises on the other end. He’s done it again: Gerardo got drunk and lost his head. But this time everything is different. She wants to get away from him and never return. She must leave this torment behind forever. When the jealous hunk with the crazy look forcibly gains access to what should be a redemptive elevator, she sees red… She must get away from him… and if she can’t, he must get away from her. Forever.
EL MONSTRUO
Director: Gerard Nogueira
Aarón lives with his son Isaac far away from any civilization in the depths of the forest. And like any good father, Aarón provides his son with everything he needs. In Isaac’s case, however, it is mainly ointments and gauze bandages. For Isaac is not like the others. When night falls, he can no longer stop it, the transformation.
FAMILY NIGHT
Director: Alan Dunne
Time together at last! Together as a family, you’ve decided to spend an evening together eating, playing games, and just watching a movie. Father, mother, two children—that’s how it should be. That’s the way it should be. Work just gets closed away for a day. But for some reason, no one enjoys family night. The kids can’t bring a smile to their lips, the mom is sweating like a pig while playing charades. What the hell is going on with this ungrateful bunch?
IT DAWNS THE LONGEST NIGHT
Director: Carlos Fernández de Vigo, Lorena Ares Lago
Since the dawn of mankind, they have pulled the strings of human destiny. Over the millennia, they achieved a fine balance between life and death that has lasted for ages. But Death has grown weak… Together with his comrades-in-arms Hunger, Pestilence, and War, he calls for a final meeting in which he pleads to free humanity from its torments. It quickly becomes clear, however, that the four horsemen of the apocalypse have different views of what that means.
LA NUEVA
Director: Ivan Villamel Sanchez
“Have fun with these demons,” wishes the old woman at the entrance to the denominational school, and she couldn’t have put it more aptly. The class Monja is to take over is pure hell, and in it sit slavering beasts. After only a few moments she’s pushed over the edge and takes flight. In the process, she runs over a removal man from the school in need of renovation… and gets her hands on an ancient artifact. She quickly realizes God will not protect her here.
LOST IN THE SKY
Director: Simon Öster
Somewhere in space, the little robot follows its destiny and searches for surviving humans. Along for the ride are his steerable escape pods, which he can dock to errant spaceships. But somehow, it seems, his heroic story does not want to come true, because intact ships in the dark and beautiful eternity of space are a rare fortune. Digital effects are not to be found here. Simon Öster’s directorial debut is a completely handmade space adventure to marvel at!
OLDMEN RULE
Director: Alexander Gavrilov
In a not-too-distant society, digital shelf-life indicators are commonplace. But the luminous little helpers are not only used for goods as indicators that their time has passed. When Mark finally visits his grandmother again, he tries to persuade her to go to the doctor. After all, her bracelet is already suspiciously red; and in general, she doesn’t seem to be able to remember anything anymore. But the old woman vehemently denies it. Time for Mark to dig a little deeper into his bag of tricks.
PHANTASMAGORIA
Director: Alejandro Mathé
Mourning overshadows the house since the grandfather died. Stories of guilt and atonement fill the conversations until three heavy knocks on the door shattered the silence. A soldier stands outside asking for work, shelter, and something to eat. Christa and her grandmother let the stranger into the house. But something is wrong. With him, dark thoughts enter the house, impure thoughts that bore into Christa’s head like maggots into the flesh of sin.
STOP DEAD
Director: Emily Greenwood
Horror movies have already taught us quite a few things and the inclined fan knows about the rules of conduct of the genre. But sometimes there is still something to learn. Because what the two policemen Samantha and Nick must painfully realize here on the deserted country road to nowhere, you have not seen coming so. And when you finally see it coming, the motto is: keep moving!!!
THE CLOSET
Director: Matteo Macaluso
Seven ghosts, says the rhyme, are in the closet. Sinister and with sharp teeth; staring at my bed… Well, of course, repeating this poem endlessly helps you fall asleep when you’re already afraid of the dark. What great ideas Mathilda’s mother ] has. Yet Mathilda’s nocturnal panic is quite justified. Because when the light goes out, sinister shadows flit through the children’s room and things move. And isn’t there a figure? One’s company, two’s a crowd…
THE CRADLE
Director: Massimo Meo
Children’s laughter comes through the window, while a woman thoughtfully sets the table. A scream interrupts the game and one of the children rushes into the apartment, upset. Outside, a mob rages to hunt down an alleged witch… Brevity is the spice! In just three minutes Massimo Meo manages to conjure up an atmosphere that makes you want more and comes up with fabulous effects. Meo can be found in the VFX department of many blockbusters. We, on the other hand, hope he stays true to the genre!
THE SPRAYER
Director: Farnoosh Abedi
The dystopian world of the sprayers has its own laws. Anyone who dares to possess plants in this gray nightmare scenario is punished in the harshest way. But soon one of the soldiers learns what great power and hope lie in these delicate creatures. Farnoosh Abedi (MALAKOUT) returns to us with his new animated film.
THRESHOLD
Director: Javier Carneros Lorenzo
What the hell is that? Is there a neglected individual lying in the stairwell wrapped in blankets and taking a nap? Oskar and Mery disagree about what to do next. Should they just leave it there or call social services? Maybe it just wants a cup of tea? Oh, what’s the point of all this chatter? Oskar must get to work and gets over it. And Mery? Should she just leave it? What if you feel that way yourself? Would you like a cup of tea then?
TIGRE MISTICO
Director: Marc Martínez Jordán
After a mysterious accident, a nameless protagonist struggles with the consequences of his severe head injury. Physically and mentally at the end of his rope, the man struggles through the day until he is finally confronted with a remarkable new ability: he can cross space and time! But is everything here actually legal? Could it be that someone is playing tricks on him? The solution to all this is just a mindfuck away…
VORTEX
Director: Guilherme Branquinho
What a shitty day! Again. Life is like a hamster wheel for Paolo. Work is lousy, as usual. Of course, he comes home late again. No question that Teresa also calls and is not happy about all of that. And then there’s that cursed city. Like every evening, there is simply no damn parking space. Round and round Paolo goes, until suddenly this bastard cuts him off with his car and tears him out of the perpetual cycle… Again.
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