Why is it necessary to claim that the short is cinema?

Belén Herrera de la Osa, director, producer and member of New Directors Platform (PNR), reflects on the short film and its role in the Spanish audiovisual ecosystem.

The short is cinema is a statement that almost everyone agrees with. So why is a claim? Simply because you have to do something more than just affirm it: you have to convince and put all necessary means to make it happen.

We start from of unique moments. Firstly, the Spanish short film is from a incalculable quality. Recognized and acclaimed internationally at festivals, forums and markets. We have some of the world records, such as the most awarded short or the most viewed short on the internet. Not to mention the nine nominations for the Hollywood Oscars, won last year by Alberto Mielgo, with The windshield wiper. This year, in shortlist from the Hollywood Academy, from the 15 short films from around the world, four of them were Spanish. Eduardo Chapero-Jackson won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival with the short film Delivery. Juanjo Jiménez won the Palme d'Or at Cannes with Timecode, as well as the award for best short film from the European Film Academy.

On the other hand, we are living in the historical era with more audiovisual consumption, and this is mostly short duration. There are even faster playback tools to make these contents even shorter. Therefore, time is money.

Paradoxes between needs and threats

It is then paradoxical that the short film, which has proven that its quality is of a very high level, let's not also turn it into gold. It has been quite the opposite: has always been threatened. It is the first one that can be remove public aid when there is an economic crisis, and the first to move from the Goya ceremony when it needs to be shortened. But the short film professionals we have always been there, we have continued working, we have continued providing quality and we have shown that short films are cinema, and good cinema.

When a few years ago we went to Congress of Deputies to explain why the aid for the short film was necessary, we already said that it was stupid don't take advantage of this potential to make industry.

When a few years ago we went to the Congress of Deputies to explain why aid for the short film was necessary, we already said that It was foolish not to take advantage of this potential to create an industry. Because the short film is not only for people who are starting out, nor is it a minor format, nor is it a place to live off of favors. Every story takes time to be told. and that is essential to create good products. If we refer to written art, we can assimilate it to the story and the novel, or is one essay better than another because of its number of pages?

Today we are almost the same. With more laurels and more production, but without ensuring that the majority of institutions take advantage of the talent.

It is true that the ICAA has considerably increased its support for short films doing support work that had not been done in many years. But much more is needed. You need a structure around the short film that promotes quality production. You need a place that shares, distributes and displays. You need a institution that collaborates and works hand in hand with its European counterparts to be able to compete on equal terms. A job well done is needed so that at international festivals and awards we go hand in hand with who knows and do not feel like we are in no man's land. And those who invest need to know that the short film is just as worthy as the feature film, has the same needs and can give society back money, better professionals, education and encourage new viewers of Spanish cinema. And all this cannot be done by the ICAA alone.

The golden opportunity

The short film must be converted into affair of state so that this awareness and those means are real. It is not a fashion, it is an obligation. We are not asking for something idyllic. Other countries around us have it. Why not us? Why, if we can compete with them in quality, can't we do so under the same conditions? I repeat again: we are missing a golden opportunity.

We are not asking for something idyllic. Others countries around us They have it.

The short is cinema, we all know it. It is time to also know that The short is industry, the short is work, the short is investment, the short is profitable, the short is time, the short is talent, the short is education y the short is professionalism.

For all this, there are plenty of reasons to ask for a Short Film Agency with sufficient structure and resources. And demand from televisions and platforms that at least 1% of your investment in cinema falls on the format short film.

The short film associations (the New Directors Platform, the Short Film Coordinator and the Short Film Agency) have made themselves heard with a rally at the doors of the Ministry of Culture and with an action at the recent edition of the Goya awards. Now it's time, everyone, get to work. #YOVOYDECORTO #ELCORTOESCINE