Night of Passage
Directed by Reza Rasouli, 2024
Night of Passage follows three young refugees stranded near the Austrian border, forced to spend a night in hiding while deciding whether to continue, wait, or risk everything. The film gives space to people who are often reduced to numbers in news coverage.
The camera stays close throughout, prioritizing presence over spectacle. The film unfolds in long takes, keeping the focus consistently on the protagonists.
Shot in remote locations in Slovakia, the visual approach required a handheld look, sometimes moving at high speed through the forest at night. To maintain control under these conditions, the camera was carried by two grips and operated remotely, with a gyroscopic shoulder rig emulating the feel of a handheld camera.
Working in near-total darkness was a central challenge. The action had to remain visible while staying true to the situation: characters trying not to be seen. Visibility and concealment became the defining tension of the film's visual language.
The film received the Audience Award at the Max Ophüls Preis, screened at numerous international festivals, and is currently among four films nominated for the Austrian Film Prize.
Awards & Prizes
“Max Ophüls Audience Award: Best Short Film” (Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 2025, Germany)
First Steps Award: Best Short Film (First Steps 2025, Germany)
“Best Short Film” (Trieste Film Festival 2025, Italy)
“Diagonale Award: Best Short Film” (Diagonale 2025, Austria)
Overall Festival Winner & Winner in the Social Category (Cinema Talks 2025, Austria)
Festival Screenings
Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis, January 2025 (Germany)
Trieste Film Festival, January 2025 (Italy)
Diagonale – Festival of Austrian Film, March 2025 (Austria)
Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival, April 2025 (Germany)
Brussels Short Film Festival, April 2025 (Belgium)
Cinema Talks, May 2025 (Austria)
Festival Internacional de Cine de Lanzarote, May 2025 (Spain)
Zlín Film Festival, May 2025 (Czech Republic)
Vienna Shorts, May/June 2025 (Austria)
Shortynale, August 2025 (Austria)
Fünf Seen Filmfestival, September 2025 (Germany)
Landshuter Kurzfilmfestival, March 2026 (Germany)
