Winter Slaap (Hibernation)

"We wanted to craft a type of film that hadn't really been seen in South Africa before. Our country has a fascinating, complex history deeply shaped by conflict — not just along racial lines, but across deeply fractured cultural ones as well."

Marking their first Afrikaans film, 'Winter Slaap' (Hibernation) from writer/directors Leandros Braounos & Daniel Howells sees a pair of sisters living a precarious life in the valley of oblivion search for any sign of salvation during a never-ending winter. In our interview, we dive into the mounting challenges which derailed the production's well-planned logistics and taught them that the most striking moments on screen can often come once you surrender to the environment.

10 Unforgettable Short Films DN Spotted at Sarajevo Film Festival 2026

The Sarajevo Film Festival returned this month with a wide-ranging shorts programme that moves effortlessly between animation, documentary and live action, bringing together established voices, festival discoveries and exciting new talent. We’ve picked 10 shorts from the festival that stood out to us as shining examples of bringing fresh voices and unexpected stories to screen.

Hyodo's Paradise

"This wasn't something I noticed until we started showing the film to others, but this film really let me open up about my own sexuality. While I don't share the same fantasies or worldview as Hyodo, I certainly can recognize elements of him and his house in myself. I think all of us can to some degree."

Director Jacque Rabie joins us to discuss why he wanted to take viewers inside Japan's Yashio Hihokan - an adult museum of sex dolls - to meet the man behind this unusual collection who calls the museum home.

Galapagos

"I was always open to whatever those two characters might say, but I could never come up with something that didn’t feel anti-climactic. This particular teacher and student - theirs is a silent relationship. It happens in glances and gestures. It’s never something they would verbally acknowledge to each other, or anyone else."

Filmmaker Kyle Sims joins us on Directors Notes to discuss why dialogue was never part of his process when making unsettling short 'Galapagos', how he worked with Catherine Curtin and Trace Talbot to develop their strange and shifting relationship and why he always wanted to return to his childhood school to make a film.

Dish Pit

"As I get older, it just becomes clearer and clearer that there will always be a certain degree of uncertainty plaguing you at all times, and so appreciating unexpected human connection, and a simple pleasure like eating something delicious, can give us a few fleeting moments of relief."

A restaurant after hours looks very different from the chaos we usually see on screen. In Anna Hopkins’ 'Dish Pit', the noise of service is gone, leaving two restaurant workers alone with their thoughts, disappointments and ambitions. We speak to Anna about using her experiences on and off set to build a film around stillness rather than service.