Short Circuit: Bridging Access in Film Festivals

In this episode of “Short Circuit”, we ask ourselves: how accessible is the film festival ecosystem today? Doris Bauer (Vienna Shorts), filmmaker Julia Mellen, and Djamila Grandits (CineCollective) discuss the barriers, opportunities, and structural changes needed to improve the festival experience for everyone involved.

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 Veronica Buccino, Nathasha Orlando Kappler, Kai Yanson and Deanne 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.