Minimalen is an annual, independent short film event, covering new productions from Norway, the Nordic Countries and worldwide, as well as focus programmes and retrospectives.
Based in the attractive old town of Trondheim, Norway, Minimalen came to life in 1988. Trondheim is the main city in Trøndelag, the central part of Norway by latitude, and the country's first capital back in the good old Viking days.
Over the years Minimalen has refined its main objective into finding new ways to use the film as a medium. This often means independent productions with a free spirit attitude to filmmaking and an emphasis on images and film language more than words. The ideal filmmaker should be on a constant quest to find the right form for each story. Not that they necessarily need to tell a story, but basically, each film should have its own fingerprint, a uniqueness which goes far beyond the constant re-telling of the same storyline as in the contemporary film industry. The small gems of short fiction, documentary or animation told by experimental means. Not always artistically ground breaking or technically perfect, but with a consistency of form and contents. These are the films that Minimalen are looking for, and this is what sets us a apart from many festivals.
International Competition:
* Best Film: EUR 1000 + Trophy + Diploma
* Audience Award: EUR 500 + Diploma
Nordic Competition:
* Best Nordic Film: EUR 1000 + Trophy + Diploma
* Best Norwegian Film: NOK 5000 + Trophy + Diploma
* Best Nordic Fiction, Documentary, Art or Animation: Diplomas (one or more films chosen complementary to the category of the film chosen as 'Best Film')
International & Nordic Competition combined:
* The Raskin Spirit Festival Award: Established to celebrate the unique qualities of a compact, poetic short film that make use of the visual and auditive possibilities in an imaginative way, and do not follow the traditional feature film dramaturgy. Selected by the festival team.