kortfilm

Kortfilm is a film of relatively short duration, shorter than a feature-length work. In many contexts, a kortfilm is defined as 40 minutes or less, a threshold used by major awards such as the Academy Awards. Some festivals use different cutoffs, but the core idea is a concise cinematic work that stands apart from feature films.

Kortfilmer can be fiction, documentary, animation, or experimental in form. They are often produced with smaller budgets and crews than features, and they frequently serve as calling cards for emerging filmmakers or as artistic statements in their own right. The shorter format can encourage experimentation with narrative structures, pacing, and visual style.

Historically, short cinema has been central since the early days of film, when most releases were short reels. Over time, short formats persisted across genres and media. Notable short works include La Jetée (1962), a transformative science-fiction piece, Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon) (1956), which won an Academy Award for Best Short Film, and Logorama (2009), which won the Oscar for Best Animated Short.

Distribution and exhibition for kortfilmer commonly occur at film festivals, national and international, where dedicated short-film programs provide visibility and opportunities for co-productions. They are also widely distributed online through platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo, and may appear on television or in streaming services as standalone programs or as part of compilation blocks. The format remains a vital stage in the careers of many filmmakers and a durable form for concise storytelling.