Amsterdam Student Film Festival (AmsFF) celebrated its fourth edition(May 29th-31) with exciting programming! The festival is what Amsterdam’s young film festival scene was missing – a meaningful gathering around international DIY movies that situate discussions in a contemporary landscape. 

Started by six AUC (Amsterdam University College) students in 2022, the passion project for creative space for non-commercial avant-garde aspiring filmmakers is becoming one of the Amsterdam highlights in the film world. Four years later, the festival brought together 33 movies across 15 different countries across 5 venues in Amsterdam: Het Documentaire Paviljoen, Lab111, De  Uitkijk, Droog, and FC Hyena. Every film screening is followed by 30 minutes of Q&A. 

The opening night started at De Uitkijk on May 29 at 18:30 with the program section of “Farewell to the Moving Clocks” that includes eight movies that take time apart. Think about absurdist experimentation or essayist narration, this section is focused on dismantling the comfort of homogenous time. 

Moving to May 30 at LAB111 at 14:00 the section of “Five More Hundred Miles” with 9 movies that question what does “to belong” mean? Themes of migration, intergenerational changes and traumas, and mortality of life are at centre. 

Part of the programme included a networking event @droog onMay 30 at 18:30 with a screening later of the third section “Four Turns Right, One Turn Left!” that turns and twists like a kaleidoscope with 8 movies. 

The last day, May 31, at Het Documentaire Paviljoen “Shedding Softeeth” at 13:00 AmsFF showed the last eight movies. This section wrapped around the idea of home-making and place-making practice and how to negotiate reality to find belonging and a place in reality. 

Lastly, FC Hyena showed the “Best of” programme for the hottest highlights on May 31 at 20:00 where industry professionals highlighted the films, done with limited tools. 

On May 23, the festival had an analogue recycle workshop where people were able to try out cameraless filmmaking techniques using 35 mm and 16 mm film rolls.

Look out for the next edition and hope to see you there this weekend!