Join us in celebrating the 20th anniversary of EuroAsia Shorts (EAS) and the 250th anniversary of the DC-based festival's host nation with a mix of favorite short films from the past two decades and new films that represent a bright new horizon.
EuroAsia Shorts (EAS) returns with in-person screenings, discussions, and reception events featuring international short films at Washington, D.C. embassies and cultural centers, all free to the public, from June 5 – 12! Join an international cinematic dialogue that is uniquely Washingtonian as we celebrate 20 years of EAS in 2026. This year, six EAS screening events take place. The first five evenings are dedicated to Partner Nights blending short films from two countries designed as a conversation on this year's central theme, Past/Present/Future. They will be followed by the traditional Closing Night on Friday, June 12. Several events include post-film discussions and complimentary receptions.
You will find detailed information about the festival and films here.
ABOUT EUROASIA SHORTS 2026
The theme for EuroAsia Shorts 2026 is Past/Present/Future. Individuals, communities, cultures, and countries are all constantly journeying from the past, through the present, and into the future. From time to time we pass certain milestones and may reflect on how far we've come—or the unwritten and unimaginable road ahead. Some traditions deserve to be carried forward, while others are best left behind, either for their own sake or to pave the way forward. Regardless, the decisions of today are often driven by our experiences as much as by what we want to become. Touchstones, innovations, nostalgia, trepidation, and aspiration all compete for our fleeting attention. Thus, to balance the past, present, and future without being bound to any one is an eminently human challenge. Explore with us the great variety of international shorts and the directors’ varying approaches to this subject matter.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM 2026
June 5 | Oman and Spain
June 8 | Indonesia and Austria
June 9 | Germany and Japan
June 10 | France and Pakistan
June 11 | Korea and Italy
June 12 | Closing Night with short films from all 10 partner countries
All films are subtitled in English. They are unrated and may contain adult language or themes.
AUSTRIAN SHORT FILMS
We are looking forward to our Partner Night with the Embassy of Indonesia at the Austrian Embassy Washington on June 8, 2026, and to the Austrian short film at this year’s Closing Night at the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC) on June 12, 2026.
Die gemeinen Kleinigkeiten (Nasty little things)
Austria, 2026, 20 min.
Director: Florian Moses Bayer
In the world of sink attachments and Weight Watchers meetings, Josef Hermann feels weighed down by his own weight. His family also pushes him into a box. An encounter with rapper Monobrother and a shared goal with his best friend ultimately help Josef stand up for himself.
Lebenslang (Lifelong)
Austria, 2026, 12 min.
Director: Krystian Kuzański
Lifelong unfolds a dialogue between Auschwitz survivor Hermann Langbein and his grandson, actor Daniel Langbein. The film constructs their presence through time, revealing how layers of history intersect and how the past continues to shape the present.
Challenges of a Solitary Mind
Austria, 2025, 3 min.
Director: Astrid Rothaug
The animated film shows a female protagonist in midst of familiar everyday situations: big family dinners, parties, office work, me-time, romantic love, bonding with a kindred spirit. The sound follows the actions and highlights the mood, ranging from benevolent to exhausting to threatening. The snail's shell either covers her up with a sonorous noise or fans back to reveal her – it all depends on whether the everyday heroine needs protection or is in a state of exaltation. It is her decision as whether to calcify or not.