5pm Seaside | Big Short Films 2023

On his 40th birthday, Nikos is sitting and waiting in his van at the edge of a remote beach. Like every year, his mother calls and tells him of his birth. The weather is harsh. In the distance, Nikos finally sees Christos approaching, his old friend from the army. It is the first time they have met again in many years. Today, Christos will fulfill Nikos’ dangerous wish.

Two people leave the safe space of their self-imposed isolation to meet each other, consciously approaching a conflict with life and death. Between violence and utter tenderness, they experience a moment of liberation that redefines everything.

Directed by Valentin Stejskal

Screenplay: Valentin Stejskal, Glykeria Patramani

Producers: Alisa Frischholz, Ioanna Petinaraki, Valentin Stejskal, Samir Ljuma

Director of Photography: Samir Ljuma MSC

Editing: Martin Ivanov

Creative Supervisor: Ferdinand Waas

Production Design & Costumes: Dimitra Sourlantzi

Sound: Stelios Koupetoris

Sound Design & Re-Recording Mixer: Fabio Schurischuster

Production Management: Polymnia Papadopoulou Sardeli

Production Assistants: Vangelis Panagiotopoulos, Kostis Evgenitakis

Assistant Director: Olia Verriopoulou

Script: Angeliki Arvaniti

1st Camera Assistant: Nikolaus Unger

2nd Camera Assistant / DIΤ: Valentin Bürgschwendtner

Gaffer: Manuel Prett

Boom Operator: Panagiotis Mylonas

Assistant Set & Costumes Designer: Flora Hogrefe

Makeup: Vasiliki Kita

Color Grading: Andi Winter

VFX: Markus Seereiter

Post Production: Henx, Nils Kaltschmidt, Vincent Seidl, Die Mischerei, Namen

Poster Design: Ferdinand Waas, Hannah Schleifer

Translation & Subtitles: Authorwave

Making Of: Jonathan Arnould

Choreography: Nikos Ioannidis

Catering: Anja Stejskal, Vasiliki Kyriakouli

Underwater Shooting: Marios Zervas

Supported by BMKÖS | Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, öffentlichen Dienst und Sport, CINE ART, Stadt Wien Kultur, FAMA | Fachverband der Film- und Musikwirtschaft, Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, Österreichische Botschaft Athen, ÖH – Sonderprojekt

Cast: Antonis Tsiotsiopoulos, Kimonas Kouris, Elena Tzortzi

Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, 2022, France, International Premiere

Diagonale International Film Festival, 2022, Austria: Best Short Film Award

Palm Springs Shortfest, 2022, USA

Hollyshorts International Short Film Festival, 2022, USA

28th Sarajevo Film Festival, 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina

45th Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF), 2022, Greece (National Competition), Greek Premiere: “Golden Dionysus” Best Film Award & Best Male Performance Award

28th Athens International Film Festival (AIFF), 2022, Greece: “Golden Athena” Best Short Film Award & Best Male Performance Award

MiniKino Film Week, Indonesia

Festival of Aspiring German Filmmakers

FIRE!! Barcelona LGBT Film Festival, Spain

Dot Dot Dot, Austria

Tirana International Film Festival, Albania

First Steps Awards, Germany

Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival (TiSFF), Greece

Positively Different Short Film Festival, Greece

Cinema on the Bayou, USA

Psarokokkalo International Short Film Festival, 2023, Greece: Best Greek Short Film Award

In the Palace International Short Film Festival, Bulgaria

Valentin Stejskal was born in Vienna and grew up in the countryside of Styria, Austria. He holds a degree in Film & Media from Graz, Austria. With a diverse background in film and festival production, he has also directed several short fiction films. Since 2019, he has lived in Athens, where he shot his latest short film, “5pm Seaside.” The film had its international premiere at the 2022 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and was awarded the First Steps Award in Germany, as well as the first prize at the Austrian film festival Diagonale and the Drama International Short Film Festival.