International Short Film Competition “Glimpses of Europe”
About the Competition
The international short film competition “Glimpses of Europe” of the European Film Festival SCANORAMA is dedicated to emerging filmmakers who have not yet made their feature-length debut. The programme reflects the trends, themes, and concerns of short-form cinema.
Its primary aim is to discover new talent by creating a European competitive platform and offering opportunities for international exposure. The selected films stand out for their originality and for articulating clear positions on political, social, and cultural issues relevant to contemporary Europe.
The programme places particular emphasis on the Baltic dimension and on the future of Lithuanian cinema; therefore, works by Lithuanian filmmakers are presented more extensively and are additionally recognised through a separate award.
History
The short film competition programme has been organised by SCANORAMA since 2008. Initially, it was dedicated to filmmakers from the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) who had not yet made their feature-length debut. In 2019, the competition expanded to include all countries of the Baltic Sea region, incorporating Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Poland. Since 2022, the programme has broadened its scope to encompass the whole of Europe.
Among the notable winners of the competition is Mark Gerstorfer, whose film Invisible Border was awarded Best Short Film at SCANORAMA in 2022 and, alongside other recognitions, received a Student Academy Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
In 2021, the award for Best Lithuanian Short Film was given to Saulius Baradinskas for Techno Mama. The film had its official world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and went on to receive 35 awards and special mentions, including a nomination for Best Short Film at the European Film Awards.
For many Lithuanian directors, the short film competition marked the beginning of their creative careers. Its participants and laureates include filmmakers who are now recognised both nationally and internationally, presenting feature films at major film festivals, among them Karolis Kaupinis, Andrius Blaževičius, Laurynas Bareiša, Jurgis Matulevičius, Marija Kavtaradzė, Aistė Žegulytė, Dovilė Šarutytė, and Marija Stonytė.
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