Six weeks before the festival start, the VIS – Vienna Independent Shorts is already stretching out its tentacles. During the Poolinale Talks at the Vienna Music Film Festival Poolinale, the VIS introduced a new award that will be bestowed for the first time at the International Short Film Festival on the 1st of June: The Austrian Music Video Award. Among the bands of the 14 nominated music videos are familiar names like Kreisky, Parov Stelar, Fuzzman and Koenig Leopold, but also newcomers such as Nana D. or Julian & der Fux. The prize will be awarded by the VIS together with Screensessions, Poolinale and mica – music austria and includes prize money of 500 euros (sponsored by GORILLAB Beer).
The comeback of the Screensessions, over many years a successful combination of music videos and live concerts, will take place on this occasion on the 1st of June with the title “expanded” in the Viennese venue brut Künstlerhaus and heralds the start of the VIS’s 10th birthday celebrations. The program includes screenings of the nominated videos as well as international highlights, with a special show of the music video forerunner Scopitones, two musical acts, the awards ceremony and the birthday party, all on a fabulously long Saturday night. Starting from 10pm, VIS will also present live shows of two competition representatives with Koenig Leopold and Julian & der Fux, who will be afterwards followed by the DJs of Bebop Rodeo.
The fact that the screens will be hanging from the ceiling in the music video screenings is part of the “Expanded Cinema” concept – for years the VIS has been exploring new forms of presentation for movies outside the cinema. Those who have become friends of the VIS lounger cinemas will love the new screen sessions!
A Youth Jury Will Present Their Own Award
In addition to the Austrian Music Video Award, the VIS Vienna Independent Shorts is pleased to announce another new prize: For the first time a Youth Jury will present their own film award to the director of the best short film in Austria.
For four weeks 20 students of the Bundesgymnasium (federal grammar school) in Vienna’s 19th district will deal with the question of how (short) films can be judged. As part of the project, a first pre-selection of award-worthy films will be made. A main jury of especially dedicated students will take care of the final selection and present the decision of the Youth Jury at the VIS festival. This project is organized by filmvermittlung.at
Call for Cat Video Festival Submissions
Call for Cat Video Festival SubmissionsAnother premiere: For the first time in Europe, the VIS Vienna Independent Shorts will bring the Cat Video Festival to Vienna, which was first launched in 2012 by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Not even two weeks after the end of the short film festival, the VIS, in cooperation with the Walker Art Center and the Volxkino (St. Balbach Film Productions), will be dedicated to the rampant viral cat videos on the big screen.
The open-air screening will take place on Friday, the 14th of June 2013 (or in case of bad weather on June 15) with free admission in Vienna – the exact location will be announced. Since the program also presents the best “Local Cats” next to highlights from Minneapolis and curated programs, VIS has called for submissions on their Facebook page. Cat lovers now have the opportunity to upload their own personal videos of their brawling, purring, chatty, funny, heartbreaking kitties online until the 7th of May. The funniest and most bizarre cats will be part of the first Cat Video Festival Vienna.
Nominees for the Austrian Music Video Awards 2013
MeTube: August sings Carmen ‚Habanera’ (Music: August Schram)
Director: Daniel Moshel, AT 2013
Wir sprengen Krokodile (Kommando Elefant)
Anna Kitzmüller, Stefan Tiefengraber, AT 2012
Lose Against You (Nana D.)
Max von Lux, AT 2012
The Wheel (S O H N)
Devin Yuceil, Suze Olbrich, Nathaniel Rodriguez, UK 2012
The Princess (Parov Stelar)
System Jaquelinde, AT 2012
Speckbrot (Julian & der Fux)
Clemens Kogler, AT 2012
Countably Infinite (A.G. Trio feat. M.Zahradnicek)
Luzi Katamay, AT 2012
chaosmos (Kangding Ray)
Gerhard Roza, AT 2013
Tekno Cabaret (Tekniker)
Peter Hutter, AT 2011
Scheiße, Schauspieler (Kreisky)
Jenseide, AT 2011
Then I’ll Go And Earn Some Money (G7)
Christoph Schwarz, AT 2012
Kohlhauser (Koenig Leopold)
Andreas Harrer, Leo Riegler, AT 2012
My Hometown (Love&Fist)
Peter Sihorsch, AT 2013