This year, we are focusing on togetherness - in the home, on the street, across borders. Who are our neighbors and how do we meet them?

We are all part of neighborhoods in which we observe our fellow human beings, seek contact or consciously keep our distance. Sometimes we rub up against each other, sometimes a fruitful exchange takes place. But what actually makes up this community around us? BILDRAUSCH deals with the multi-layered topic of 'hello neighbor' and explores living together in all its facets. Whether within our own four walls, along the same street or within national borders - neighborhoods are structured by a complex network of rules, walls and often invisible borders. This lively coexistence manifests itself on a large and small scale and raises fundamental questions: How do we encounter the 'other'? Do we approach them with curiosity and openness or do we react with rejection and prejudice? Do we choose the path of acceptance and understanding or do we close ourselves off in ignorance? Our film and supporting program are an invitation to exchange ideas and meet others - a stimulus to enter into conversation with our neighbors.

FILM PROGRAM
At the heart of this section are films that impress with artistic self-confidence, stylistic daring and a successful voice of their own. They provide fascinating insights into the realities of other people's lives and create bold visions of cinematic expression. The examination of possible neighborly relationships runs as a common thread through the program and encourages discovery. How do we experience the foreign and the familiar? Where does the familiar reality end? What influence do politics, architecture and social structures have on our identity? After the screenings, Q&As with the filmmakers invite you to exchange ideas. The jury will honor one film with the Peter Liechti Award, while the audience will vote for their favorite.

FOCUS
What is a successful neighborhood for you? What is particularly important to you? In the movies, we experience the contradictions of different values from a safe distance. Real coexistence arises in direct contact - from friendly help to conflicts, and in extreme cases to unbridgeable rifts and wars. Neighborhoods offer the opportunity to move from thinking to acting and to actively shape our coexistence.

British filmmaker Marc Isaacs masters this direct contact in a special way. We are presenting a selection of his works in a tribute. His documentaries surprise us with their immediacy and the closeness to his protagonists, which he finds in everyday places. Often filming alone, Isaacs remains present in the scenes as a person. Paired with subtle humor, these encounters create a magical intimacy that directly involves the audience.

SHORTS
The short film program captures the essence of the 'hello neighbour' theme. In a nutshell, we delve into the possibilities of living together, living side by side and living together. Eight films from the programs 'Invisible Neighbours' and 'Beloved Neighbours' will be awarded the short film prize by a jury.


Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.