Pisa Celebrates 18th Edition of Short Universe Film Festival
Pisa, italy – The city of Pisa will once again become a hub for cinematic innovation as the 18th edition of Short Universe, the international short film festival, unfolds from today through Sunday.Hosted at the Sant’Anna High School of Pisa in collaboration with student and alumni associations, the festival offers free admission to a diverse programme of screenings, debates, and cultural events.
This year’s festival showcases award-winning and critically acclaimed short films from prestigious events like the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes, and Clermont-Ferrand.Founded by the Young People Cultural Club, Short Universe remains dedicated to its core mission: providing a platform for new audiovisual languages, supporting emerging filmmakers, and fostering dialog between cinema, society, politics, and human rights.
Leading the festival is president roberto Faenza, a renowned filmmaker who champions this original vision. This year’s jury is headed by Tunisian-Canadian filmmaker Meryam Joobeur, celebrated for her award-winning short film “Brotherhood.”
Festival manager Francesco Monceri highlights the festival’s growing cultural and social impact, particularly with the increased involvement of the Sant’Anna School, creating a space for reflection on both cinema and society.
The four-day program includes screenings, author Q&As, book presentations, and three thematic debates exploring crucial contemporary issues: Rethinking the Human between war, politics and law, Artificial intelligence and human conversion, and human being and non-human animals, between dialogue and misunderstandings.The festival kicks off today at 3:30 PM with “The invisible player” by Stefano Alpini.
Local leaders express strong support for the festival. Giuseppe Turchetti, Vice-Rector of the Sant’Anna School, emphasizes the synergy between artistic expression and academic research. Deputy Mayor filippo Bedini notes the relevance of the short film format in today’s media landscape, praising its potential for experimentation, concise communication, and conveying cultural identity.
“We are happy to support a festival designed for a young and university audience, but capable of speaking to everyone, which year after year is taking on an increasingly international flavor and which consolidates Pisa’s role as the ideal place to welcome and promote short films and new forms of language,” Bedini concludes.
