Kinematora filmfestival: A History of Innovation

You’ve heard of Cannes and Sundance. You might even know about the Göteborg and Stockholm film festivals. But I bet you haven’t heard of Kinematora—a brand-new festival in Växjö, Sweden, created by the community, for the community.

Kinematora seeks to reignite the passion for filmmaking in the world of festivals, shining a spotlight on up-and-coming directors, student filmmakers, and creators with health conditions or impairments.

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “How did this all happen?” Well, let me tell you a story.

It began way back in 2005. While I was busy sucking my thumb and playing with Legos; Avdi Islami and Daniel Westergren were on a mission to change the world. Their goal was simple: to create a safe space where everyone’s voices could be heard. The result was a non-profit TV channel where the community decides the content—a platform where you and I could speak out and influence the broadcast.

It is a privilege that many countries struggle with to this day, be they Western or not.

But how can such a channel exist?

Well, you see, unlike most broadcasters that rely on commercials or external partners, Öppna Kanalen Kronoberg (Open Channel Kronoberg) is powered by the community. Simply, it exists because the citizens want it to exist.

So, what does this have to do with Kinematora?

Although Avdi and Daniel have moved on to bigger and better things, their vision lives on. In the summer of 2024, ÖKK, in collaboration with another non-profit organization, Globala Kronoberg, decided to create a festival for the community. Enter Kinematora: a festival where filmmakers don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to showcase their work. A festival with free entry for anyone who wishes to attend.

As for the Kinematora Film Festival itself, well.

Let me start with its historic venue.

Palladium, built in the 1920s, has hosted an array of events over the decades—art galleries, theater performances, and a ton of film screenings. Now, Kinematora has partnered with Palladium to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience, filled with films, foods, drinks and a lot of cinephiles.

Honestly I could gush about the venue and the festival for days, but instead, let’s move on to something more pragmatic: the awards.

Our small Växjö film festival has two categories: Live Action and Animation. Both of which are limited to films of 15 minutes or less. Winners of each category will receive:

• An official laurel.
• A printed statement from the judges.
• A one-of-a-kind, locally produced glass trophy.

But here’s the real kicker: whether you win or not, all nominated short films will have the opportunity to be broadcast on TV. Of course, this isn’t mandatory, and we’ll email each nominee after the festival to confirm their interest.

So my question for you is “Are you a cinephile?” “Do you have a short film you’d like to submit?” then feel free to enter it on our FilmFreeway page at (FilmFreeway.com/Kinematora). The regular deadline is March 1st, and the final submission deadline is April 7th.

You don’t make movies? You just watch them? Well, no worries, just make your way to Storgatan 12, 352 31 Växjö on May 31st (that’s a Saturday), and come join us for some of the most creative short films on this side of the world.

There will be food!

/ George Bizhev, george.bizhev@oppnakanalenvaxjo.se