The 5th edition of HIVE unfolded across a full weekend at Flutgraben, three days of film, conversation, and music that pushed at the edges of what a short film festival can be.

The weekend opened on Friday with a film selection that set the tone for what was to come, an opening into the theme before the night gave way to music. A DJ set rounded off the evening, bringing the first wave of the HIVE community together.

‍Saturday was the heart of this year's edition, built entirely around the theme of Madness. Three dedicated film selections moved through the day and into the night, each approaching the theme from a different angle, from intimate personal disorientation to the vast, systemic unraveling of societies.Madness, as the theme asked us to consider, is rarely loud. It emerges in quiet shifts, in fragile boundaries, in the space between reason and its unraveling. The films held that tension throughout. A DJ set closed the night, carrying the energy of the screenings into something looser and more alive.

‍Sunday brought the weekend to a close with two final film selections, a quieter, more reflective end to three days of bold storytelling.

We are grateful to every filmmaker, artist, and guest who made this edition what it was. See you at the 6th edition of HIVE!