5.954 minutes, 496 short films, 8 classifiers, 16 weeks of time, on average 35 degrees and not a single breeze. These were the challenges that we were confronted with this year. However, all this was worth it during the hunt for the glitter that is still to be discovered; tomorrow’s big ones which the film world wants to capture. The result: 11 short film programmes which reflect social developments, grapple with political and also brand-new issues, but also touch on the pleasant facets of life. Short films can react much more quickly to daily life, can fuel discussions or make people laugh. A short impulse with a long echo. Yet they have virtually vanished from the cinema scene. And where would Mr Bean be today if we did not have the short film? Driven out by advertising, this art form will have to conquer new platforms. Perhaps this is exactly the very reason why the short film is indispensible for the Braunschweig Film Festival. For we all know: it is not the length that counts!