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"Simplicity is the way to go if you have to get a message across."

That's the belief of Lena von Dohren, German director, illustrator and short film jury member at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival. In a conversation with CGTN's Zhang Meng, she spoke about why she finds short films so appealing – the spontaneity, the room for risk-taking and the way a simple idea can linger long after the credits roll.

Her latest short, "Bats and Bugs," which will have its Chinese premiere in Shanghai, carries a subtle message about light pollution. "My goal is not to point a finger – just in a subtle way, to teach something that children don't even realize they're learning." On her first visit to Shanghai, von Dohren said she's letting herself be surprised by the city and the films she'll judge alongside colleagues from different cinematic backgrounds.

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SIFF 2026: Lena von Dohren on the power of simplicity in short films