Minimalen is an annual, independent short film event, covering new productions from all over the world, as well as focus programmes and retrospectives.

Based in the attractive old town of Trondheim, Norway, Minimalen came to life in 1988. Trondheim is the main city in Trøndelag, the central part of Norway by latitude, and the country's first capital back in the good old Viking days.

Over the years Minimalen has refined its main objective into finding new ways to use the film as a medium. This often means independent productions with a free spirit attitude to filmmaking and an emphasis on images and film language more than words. The ideal filmmaker should be on a constant quest to find the right form for each story. Not that they necessarily need to tell a story, but basically, each film should have its own fingerprint, a uniqueness which goes far beyond the constant re-telling of the same storyline as in the contemporary film industry. The small gems of short fiction, documentary or animation told by experimental means. Not always artistically ground breaking or technically perfect, but with a consistency of form and contents. These are the films that Minimalen are looking for, and this is what sets us a apart from many festivals.

Awards & Prizes

International Competition:
* Best Film: EUR 1000 + Trophy + Diploma
* Audience Award: EUR 500 + Diploma

Nordic Competition:
* Best Nordic Film: EUR 1000 + Trophy + Diploma
* Best Norwegian Film: NOK 5000 + Trophy + Diploma + Qualifies for Amanda Award Nomination
* Best Nordic Fiction*, Documentary*, Animation* and Art Film*
(* Except the category of which the Best Nordic Film belongs to)

International & Nordic Competition combined:
* The Raskin Spirit Festival Award: Established to celebrate the unique qualities of a compact, poetic short film that make use of the visual and auditive possibilities in an imaginative way, and do not follow the traditional feature film dramaturgy. Selected by the festival team.

Dance Film competitions - info & submission here: https://filmfreeway.com/MultiplieDanceFilm

Rules & Terms

* Production year: 2023 or 2024.
* Running time: Max 30 minutes.
* Types: All categories of film can participate, except commercials.
* Origin (i.e. main country of production OR Director citizenship):
a) International Competition:
For short films from all over the world, except the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, refer to the Nordic Competition).
b) Nordic Competition:
For short films from the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden).

12 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Grant Sissons

    Thank you, Minimalen Festival for selecting The Empathy Machine. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of this fantastic event!

    February 2024
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  • Mailuki Films

    Una de las sorpresas más bonitas del año en el circuito de festivales.

    February 2024
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  • C.S. Nicholson

    Such a friendly, helpful and communicative team! As a filmmaker I was made to feel very welcome by the staff, and was put up in a very nice hotel.

    The programme included all sorts of genres. The downside is that Minimalen lacks an artistic profile; the upside is that it’s highly inclusive.

    I saw no instances of promotional ads for any of the events, online or in town, and locals seemed unaware that there even was a festival on. I invited non-industry audience members to screenings, but confusion ensued as nobody from the festival or main cinema seemed to know where or how to get tickets. This was resolved, but it is indicative of the priorities. Accreditation for professionals was never a problem.

    Top-tier industry seminars and workshops with decision makers run concurrently with the festival. These are highly valuable for filmmakers keen to establish careers in film, especially if they are based in Norway. (Although visiting distributors and festival programmers from the likes of Sundance and Tribeca certainly made it valuable to filmmakers from anywhere in the world.) The festival also arranged Q&As and social events that promoted networking among filmmakers, producers, festival programmers, etc.

    In conclusion, Minimalen is an industry event, not a festival aimed at audiences. Profession over passion.

    April 2023
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  • Vlad Ilicevici

    Awesome festival in an awesome city. Loved everything about it, the selection, the team, the gatherings the extra activities & the Nordic competition was my personal highlight.

    January 2023
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  • Daniel Aguirre

    Great communication, very helpful. Unfortunately last minute i couldnt assist.

    January 2022
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