Shorts Without Borders

Eight stories, eight perspectives on the border as a place of encounter, transformation, and shared future.

Eight stories that narrate the "absence of the border", in which Europe Square—a symbolic place of unity and overcoming divisions—is a constant at the beginning and at the end of each narrative. Eight subjects, animated by different inspirations and languages, united by the challenge of capturing forever, through cinema, the stories, emotions, and magic of a place that throughout 2025 takes center stage with European Capital of Culture 2025 Nova Gorica - Gorizia, leaving behind a cultural legacy that goes beyond the Capital itself.

These are the eight short films, unique and original works, winners of the call Corti senza confine, strongly supported by the Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia – Directorate for Culture in collaboration with FVG Film Commission – PromoTurismoFVG.

"Through Corti senza confine—stated Vice President and Regional Councillor for Culture and Sport Mario Anzil—we give voice to the most authentic soul of what we call border culture, where the border is no longer a barrier or a limit but a living space of encounter, creativity, and development. Eight perspectives that engage with GO! 2025 and fix on screen stories, memories, and emotions destined to last well beyond the year of the European Capital of Culture. The world premiere screening within the Giornate FICE—Incontri del Cinema d’Essai, and later their journey to international festivals, represents a prestigious showcase that strengthens the project and its young talents. In this context, cinema, with its universal language, helps us make communities and generations dialogue and promotes Friuli Venezia Giulia as a small compendium of the universe."

The works will be screened in world premiere at the opening and closing of the 25th edition of the Giornate FICE – Incontri del Cinema d’Essai FVG: on Friday, 3 October, at 19:30 in the evocative Europe Square, in an event that further strengthens the symbolic value of the project. Both evenings are free of charge.

The programme includes:

• Il ponte, directorial debut by Giacomo Bendotti (Amarena Film), exploring the theme of migrations and the permeability of the border through time and history;
• Cos’ te costa by Davide Del Degan, written by Alessandro Biamonti (Galaxia), investigating physical and metaphysical borders as distortions of human reality;
• La battaglia delle spazzole (The Battle of the Brushes) by Lorenzo Fabbro (Staragara I.T.), a sparkling comedy that turns the nightly routine of two street sweeper operators into a battle of invisible borders and unexpected feelings;
• Confini, canti by Simone Massi (Rumore), the only animated work of the project, which closed the International Critics’ Week at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival;
• Meja – Frontiera by Emma Jaay (Tucker Film), a modern fairytale offering a poetic reflection on human connection beyond geographical divisions;
• Vivere (To Live) by Chiara Cremaschi (La Scontrosa), a powerful and visually intense road-movie tale;
• L’estate che verrà by Mauro Lodi (Groenlandia), a moving story of deep friendship between an Italian and a Slovenian, who grew up in the culturally cohesive environment of Gorizia’s Staatsgymnasium;
• L’osservatore dell’est by Alberto Fasulo (Neferti Film), a skillful blend of comedy and drama and a tribute to Sergio Leone’s westerns.

These works are signed by directors and production houses already established on the national and international scene, capable of attracting renowned performers known to the wider public such as Ksenija Rappoport, Lucia Mascino, and Giorgio Colangeli.

With a total running time of 144 minutes, the short films compose a mosaic of languages and visions: an invitation to overcome real or symbolic barriers.