The Bristol based short film festival has partnered with Swiss Films and Swiss short film festival International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur for this year’s edition.

The 2013 Encounters Film Festival will have a Swiss focus, thanks to a partnership with Swiss Films and International Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, with backing from the Swiss Embassy, the Swiss Cultural Fund in Britain and Helvetic Airways.

The short film festival, which runs September 17-22 in Bristol, will showcase works from upcoming Swiss filmmakers and animators as well as hosting a live music event, an artist’s installation, a filmmakers focus and a pop-up Cine Chalet.

A special strand - ‘God You’re So Square’ - curated by Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur - aims to “break down conventional image of the Swiss psyche (efficient, boring, predictable) by exploring dysfunctional males who are struggling to find their place in society.”

The selection includes The Living Also Cry by upcoming filmmaker Basil da Cunha, whose first feature Ate ver la Luz screened in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight this year.

Franz Treichler, founder of Swiss band The Young Gods, will perform a specially designed soundtrack for an overview of experimental films of the 20th century. He will also sit on the festival’s International Jury.

The festival’s Filmmaker Focus will be on Marie-Elsa Sgualdo, whose short film You Can’t Do Everything At Once, But You Can Leave Everything At Once, inspired by the work of Spanish filmmaker José-Luis Guerin, also screened in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.

Meanwhile, Swiss artist Yves Netzhammer will be creating an installation of his short film trilogy.

Encounters managing director Liz Harkman said; “We’re delighted to be working with our international partners for this programme, which will delve into the current artistic and cultural output of Switzerland in order to show the many contemporary faces of this nation”.