This year, the 64th edition of the festival will be held. In the largest and the oldest competition at the festival – the international section – one film made in Poland will be shown – the animated film "Oh God" by Betina Bożek.
The reality presented in the film "Oh God" might be described using such terms as inertia or chaos. The characters feature lack of willingness to take any action,they are passive and indifferent, unable to create their own reality. The author presents a world that loses its original shapes, loses its identity. Groaning “oh God” as a main theme combines it all: grimace, sigh and a quiet whisper of despair over our own impotence.
The festival Oberhausen, held continuously since 1954, has been one of the leading events dedicated exclusively to short film from its very beginnings. It was in Oberhausen where, during the sixth edition of the festival in 1960, the legendary Oberhausen Manifesto was born. The film-makers who made their debuts at the festival with their short films include, among others, Roman Polański, François Truffaut and Wim Wenders. Every year in Oberhausen one can see the most diverse selection of short films – beginning with feature film forms, documentary and animated films, through video art and film essays, to genre hybrids. Over 1100 accredited guests takes part in Oberhausen festival.
This year's edition of the festival is held from May 3-8 and there is a total of almost 500 films in all sections.
The full selection of competition films is available on the festival's official website.