Final Report-age

Final Report-age 2018 (colour, wide screen version)

These few days passed so fast and we already saying farewell, year after year when the BuSho is over. In the beginning we planned for 5-years intervals, just like our comrades back in the day – and if we stick to this method, we looking to close the 3rd term as such. But if we calculate according to astrology and numerology, it was the second 7-year cycle. Though we keep our feet on the ground and proudly announce that we put a successful festival on the table in 2018, despite the numbers. But since it is supposed to be a summarizing report, we cannot leave the numbers out. Seeing the reviews, feedbacks we can say that our success is on the growth and it can be measured on the number of visitors. There were a lot. In fact, the most of all time. Years of hard work made its fruit for harvest by the Student jury brought back to live for instance. Despite they are film students, so far showed little interest towards the festival, but since they are given tasks and are active participants, they are all happy and thankful at the end. Then when they return to school, hopefully will spread the words of BuSho. Then the international guests, who are astonished by the well selected thematic programs. I think it was a bright idea to give up on half of the online registration platforms, and put the focus on what’s left. I keep saying that although mega festivals, like Clermont where 5000 films are mass-competing, we can make a good show even only out of a 1000. Perhaps because our pre-selector jury make an effort, and watching the films, rather than just selecting some of them. One year we received almost 2000 entries, which makes up to over 600 hours of films. Well… a week is 168 hours… so you can do the math what it means for the pre-jury. I say festival-factories only do one show for the show, where they invite thousands of the industry, who then just pass each other by in the event, like ex-lovers do.

We ought to mention the sponsorship topic as well. After a few years of absence, luckily our biggest ever sponsor, the Visegrad Fund found its way back to doing business with us. Their contribution is more than the others combined, which shows exactly how terribly we stand in the question of supporting a decade-and-a-half old short film festival here, in Hungary. So we cannot lay back with confidence, it is a fight year after year. We had three attempts on Media Program for support, and we got the same answer every time: “We are truly sorry…” (sounded like the doctors around your bed where you are about to die…) So we sent a message to Brussels. So they replied back with promising words, which means we may not have to use European tenders in the future. I remember the time when Hungarian media institutions asked permission to use our 150-page English application as a template of An Application as it should be. But let’s bury the past, because we may just stay in homeland for supporters, even if it is a dark and uncertain area. Another dip of joy was the return of the National Cultural Fund, who were permanently sponsoring cultural events, except film related ones. They rather took part in gastro events, where animals blood fill the screen and people eat all possible body parts of a pig, while rolling their moustache with pride. That was very cultural, more cultural, most cultural.

But hey, we never let these things stop us, why would we do now? This year is to be remembered by the many guests from home and abroad, the personally received main prize, the outstanding visitors in number, the exciting jury consultations, the gigs, the Italian Institute who hosted screenings all week long for the first time, the trips together, the success of the brilliant Hungarian shorts of which we can start the around-the-world presentation. The rapid poll made among the BuSho team we decided to hold the next event at the end of August. Until then, have fun and prepare yourself for 2019. ---tami---