The successor states of the Soviet Union are extremely diverse and have developed in very different ways since the fall of the Iron Curtain. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has catalysed efforts towards emancipation. Questions of identity, political independence and culture are in the air. For this reason, the 23rd edition of goEast was dedicated to the theme “Decolonizing the Post-Soviet Screen”. The films of this year’s programme extend this focus, as they vie for the RheinMain Short Film Award, endowed with prize money in the amount of 2,500 euros. The filmmakers will all be on hand in Wiesbaden for the competition screenings. Following the festival, the programme will tour the cinemas of the Rhine-Main region.

Each year, the goEast team comes together to create a selection of idiosyncratic, anarchic short films. What started as a way for our interns to get their feet wet when it comes to programming has unexpectedly developed into one of the festival’s most popular formats. Come see what the fuss is about – and have your mind blown!