Experiencing Interruptions?

Go To Hell Goliath

David is rejected by the Academy of Arts before he can even begin. But instead of leaving, he infiltrates, becoming a ghost in the institution. He launches his resistance by plastering posters reading 'Go To Hell Goliath'. His true opponent is not just bureaucracy, but the dean herself – Ms. Goliath, the face of institutional power.

  • Andrij Smirnov
    Director
  • Luis Janßen
    Director
  • Andrij Smirnov
    Writer
  • Luis Janßen
    Writer
  • Andrij Smirnov
    Producer
  • Luis Janßen
    Producer
  • Andrij Smirnov
    Key Cast
    "David"
  • Alma Stoye
    Key Cast
    "Johanna"
  • Lena Heinze
    Key Cast
    "Receptionist"
  • Heidi Jürgens
    Key Cast
    "Prof. Goliath"
  • Kazu Moin
    Key Cast
    "Kazuhiro Sakamoto"
  • René Schack
    Key Cast
    "Prof. Saul"
  • Markus Walthert
    Key Cast
    "Prof. Samuel"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes 49 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 6, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    900 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    English, German, Japanese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Hochschule für Künste Bremen
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Andrij Smirnov, Luis Janßen

Andrij Smirnov and Luis Janßen, both graduates of the University of Arts Bremen (Germany), are primarily commercial directors and producers. Their expertise extends to graphic design and electronic music, reflecting their broad creative passions. Drawing inspiration from their university days, they combined their diverse skills to craft their first short film "Go To Hell Goliath", a vivid homage to their shared experiences in art school.

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Director Statement

With Go To Hell Goliath, we wanted to capture the strange poetry of institutional spaces – especially those that claim to foster creativity while quietly suppressing it. This film emerged from our own contradictions as students: the excitement of discovery colliding with the absurdity of bureaucracy.

We shaped the narrative as a patchwork of satirical vignettes, where everyday moments spiral into something surreal and symbolic. The visual world is intentionally layered – a viewer can follow the story through its aesthetics and references alone. Much like the art school experience, meaning emerges in fragments: from overheard conversations, cryptic posters, shared frustrations, and silent acts of resistance.

Visually and thematically, we drew inspiration from classic art and biblical allegory, reimagined through our own lens. The mise-en-scènes are built with a strong sense of theatricality – the camera remains static, with everything in focus, as if the audience is watching a play unfold on a stage. We don’t dictate where the viewer should look; multiple actions and details happen simultaneously, encouraging a more personal, observational experience. It creates a strange, compelling sense of reality inside a clearly constructed world. At times, the composition and color palettes reflect the inner worlds of the characters, hinting at their isolation, defiance, or quiet rebellion.

It’s not just about art school – it’s about any system where rules begin to replace purpose.