First Things First: From Spark to Fire

“First Things First” aims to showcase the creative process behind the production of diverse debut short films from the inception of the idea to the first festival screening. Guests are invited to informally share their experiences: on their way from one venue to another, or while smoking a cigarette during the break between two screenings.

In this first episode, we talk to Yaela Gottlieb about her short film IN ANOTHER PALESTINE, which was part of Vienna Shorts’ FIDO competition.

Developed as part of the European Workshop on Film Criticism #9, hosted by the European Network for Film Discourse (The END) and Talking Shorts, this industry-focused podcast explores the behind-the-scenes of short film festivals from underrepresented perspectives.

This podcast was produced by workshop participants Oana-Miruna Balaci and Andy Stoeva during the 2026 editions of Filmfest Dresden and Vienna Shorts. With special thanks to the mentorship of Indiefilmtalk’s Susanne Braun and Yugen Yah, and the financial support of the Creative Europe MEDIA programme.