20minmax International Short Film Festival

The short film festival 20minmax literally stands by its name: films of multiple genres – so long as they are no longer than 20 minutes.

Seeking quality through wealth of genres

As we do not set any limits with regard to film genres, our festival offers a holistic overview of the current short film scene. The diversity of the genre shall be underlined by showing blocks of films; this allows the spectator to both compare and understand the ways in which short films can be designed, which topics they can address, and the fashion in which these topics can be approached. Screening the films in this manner should, on the one hand, create awareness of the fact that short films ought not to be written off as mere support for full-length movies; and, on the other hand, emphasize the selection process itself as well as the dramaturgical order of the program, which are of the utmost importance at times where we have seemingly limitless access to videos of any kind at our disposal.

We would like to offer an independent, manifold, unusual yet still coherent program choice which might question, train, amuse, or simply satisfy the spectator and his visual perception of film.

Festival history

In October 2005, Peter Rein, artistic director of the Theater Ingolstadt, and Michael Klarner, former managing director of Ingolstadt’s television station INTV (until the end of 2008), came up with the idea of establishing a film festival in Ingolstadt. For one night, short films by filmmakers from Ingolstadt were screened at the Theater Ingolstadt, hence giving local filmmakers a platform for their work. The idea formed the foundation for Ingolstadt’s own film festival, 20min|max, which first took place on May 12th, 2006.

The first festival in 2006 was a one-day event at the Theater Ingolstadt, celebrated as a ‘Long Night of Short Films.’ Yet, the festival was extended the following year to a second day and expanded to a larger venue – the Audi Repertory Cinema. The success was remarkable: 20minmax sparked interest not only throughout Germany, but throughout Europe as well. One dared to extend the festival to four days in 2008: three days at the Audi Repertory Cinema and the final day, including the award ceremony, at Theater Ingolstadt. The festival enjoyed great popularity during its third year in 2008 and was sold out each day. For this reason, beginning in 2010, the festival became a 5-day event. Since 2013, it has been a 7-day event which it remains today.

Success follows Ingolstadt

As soon as 2006, it became evident that the festival would have an impact far beyond regional scope, as films were handed in not only from Ingolstadt and the surrounding area, but also from other parts of Germany, Austria or Switzerland. With each passing year, moviemakers from Europe and around the world have become increasingly aware of 20minmax. However, the regional aspect is still of paramount importance: just as in former years, we will be proud to feature films from the “South” (Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg) since 2016. We wish to facilitate an exchange between local creative professionals and like-minded persons, broadening the opportunities for all.

Translated by inlingua Ingolstadt