Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, dear film fans,

The NEISSE NYSA NISA FILM FESTIVAL serves as a mirror for our border triangle. It shows us what is happening in our regions, what shapes our lives, what keeps us grounded, and how we, too, are changing along with our regions. Every year, we have the chance to realign ourselves—thanks to the stories we tell each other and the ones we see. This year, we look forward to the thematic focus series “Transformations.” The experience of temporality is arguably one of the most idiosyncratic aspects of being human. In current debates, we observe how the diverse experience of transformation shapes people’s self-perception. For some, the upheavals of the 1990s are a quiet background noise. For others, they define the daily soundtrack of life. What was a promise of the future for some feels like nothing but loss to others. For all these experiences and perspectives, the NEISSE NYSA NISA FILM FESTIVAL offers the ideal setting in this unique border triangle for these stories to be told through feature films, documentaries, and short films. As the overwhelming number of 1,200 submissions shows, the theme of transformation is far from exhausted. Quite the contrary. It will continue to accompany us. And if it teaches us to listen to one another and to accept the coexistence of different perspectives and life stories, then what we so awkwardly call “transformation” will make us mentally agile, attentive, open to one another, and indeed, hopeful. Last year, there was a change in leadership on the festival’s management team. Clemens Meyer is taking over from Ola Staszel. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to Ola Staszel for her passionate work and her deep conviction in the idea and significance of the festival! I wish the new leadership team, led by Clemens Meyer, joy and success in this wonderful endeavor. And I wish the audience many memorable cinematic experiences.

Michael Kretschmer
Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony