Secret Life
FEKK NO. 8: IN SEARCH OF SECRET PERSPECTIVES
When a goal was set in 2015 to prepare a regular relevant short film festival, we had no idea about the velocity that would change the short film landscape and the overall social reality in the coming years. In recent times, we have reached many important milestones which challenged the established views on local and global scene. On the one hand, we have witnessed an immense popularity of short form in Slovenia, the until recently unimaginable international success of Slovenian short films, and annual increase in festival submissions. On the other hand, we have, in just a few years, experienced global pandemics, further political degradation, and the rise and establishment of authoritarian, divisive politics at home and abroad. Then there is also the expansionistic war in the middle of Europe and the brutal recognition of the dimensions of the anthropogenic climate change with its impending consequences. Thus, it seems as if eight years ago the festival was created in the era of some carefree naivety, in which its imperative was (shorts aside) dictated by a large amount of goofing around. But in stride with the times, FeKK, too, has matured and increasingly internalised the responsibility brought about by its development and expansion. Bearing that in mind, we have, among other things, initiated festival themes that encourage and prompt responsiveness and reflection of the present.
Particularly the latter influenced this year’s choice of theme. Less fatalistic than the past #katastrofekk, it calls for a break from anthropocentric film narratives and directs the viewers’ attention to the secret and marginal perspectives. The main role of the specially curated programmes belongs to nature and its multitude of dimensions, but also to the more emphatic and wholesome understanding of the world around us, past the dictatorship of the capital and ideologies. The films are going to acquaint us with the secret life of flora, fauna, omnia and nonhuman agents. The theme will be additionally reinforced by the exhibition Nature is Healing, prepared by last year’s FeKK Grand Prix winner Sara Bezovšek. We have also pledged to make the festival even greener and more sustainable in the long term.
No fear in terms of pledges, though. FeKK still remains sworn to that goofy imperative, since obviously it would be ridiculous if we took ourselves too seriously. Yet, these turbulent times give rise to distinct realisation that we need to redirect ourselves from exposing problems to finding solutions and alternatives – all of which are often born right in the haven of art and humour.
Peter Cerovšek, Matevž Jerman