Batumi International Film Festival ()

Фестиваль начинается: 22 Сентябрь 2025      Фестиваль заканчивается: 28 Сентябрь 2025

Batumi International Art-House Film Festival (BIAFF) was established in 2006. The founder and organizer is “Batumi Art-house ARGANI". BIAFF is an annual event held in second half of September in Batumi (Georgia).

Festival is focusing on art-house cinema. BIAFF festival’s major sections include - International Competition (Feature, Doc and Short sections), Retrospectives, Meet the Jury, Master Collection etc. Beside film screenings, festival program includes various workshops, master classes and industry events.

BIAFF International competition awards:

- Feature film competition - Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Male Actor, Best Female Actor, Jury Special mention

- Short Films Competition - Grand Prix , Jury Special mention

Prize - Golden plated Seahorse Statue; Certificate / Diploma

General Regulation

Article 1
Batumi International Film Festival will be held every year at the beginning of September in Batumi,Georgia to develop cultural exchange, popularization of cinematography, mutual understanding between nations and collaboration of filmmakers.


Festival Organization

Article 2
Tthe organizer of Batumi International Film Festival is Batumi Art House Argani, hereinafter Directorate of Batumi International Film Festival which appoints Festival Director, planning the program for all films whether in competition or not, selects honorable guests and works out the Festival Policy.

Festival Program

Article 3
Festival Program consists of following sections:

Feature competition
Shorts Competition
Meet the Jury
Retrospective screening
Silk Road Countries Films
Master collection


Article 4
It is necessary to communicate your desire to participate to the Directorate of Batumi International Film Festival before the 1 August in order to take part in the Festival. All films will be selected by the Program Directors of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival and the selection process will be finalized by 10 August. The films, which didn’t have public screening in Georgia, may participate in the Festival Program (except retrospective screening and Georgian Films Program). The films screening program shall be determined by the Directorate of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival. Every film can be presented not more than 3 times on the festival, including screening for Media.


Article 5
The films completed maximum within 2 years prior to film festival can participate in the Festival competition (both main and young film makers section). The competition program gives preference to International or Caucasus premiers. There are 10 feature and 8 documentary films participating in Main Competition of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival.


In Short film competition participate 25 films, which should fit the following requirements:

- length of film up to 35 minutes
- Age of film maker up to 35 years
- Genre short feature, doc, animation, experimental
- Format of screenings DCP, Blue-ray, DVD

The films included in main competition can be screened on - DCP, Blue0ray and films for short films section on Blue-ray, DVD etc.



Article 6
All conditions and dates are strongly followed, if not, the Directorate of Batumi International Film Festival reserves the right to exclude the film from the Festival Program.


Documentation

Article 7
The completed entry-form and film copy shoudl be presented to the Management of Batumi International Film Festival before 1 August.
The following documents have to be attached to the application: english subtitles, advertising and media materials, materials for catalogue (information about the film authors, their photos and the photo of the producer).

Films Transportation and Insurance

Article 8
Expenses occurred by transportation of the films for competition shall be under the responsibility of the Directorate of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival. The Directorate of Batumi Batumi International Art-House Festival is responsible for insuring and safe storage of the films copies.


Guests

Article 9
The Directorate of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival decides the conditions and time of inviting guests to the Festival. The maximum two representatives of the films in competition will be invited on the Festival. The Directorate of Batumi International Art-House Film Festival shall take responsibility to cover transportation and accommodation expenses for one representative of the film in competition section of the Festival. Other guests' travel expenses can be covered based on decision of the Directorate of the Festival.


Jury

Article 10
The International Jury is assigned to three sections International Feature competition, International Doc competition and International Yong Filmmakers short films competition sections. Each of Jury consists of 5 persons from which only one can be from Georgia.

The expenses related to the participation of each jury member (transportation, accommodation) shall be responsibility of the Directorate of Batumi International Film Festival. No person, in any way involved in the production and/or commercial renting of films included in competition section, may be a part of the jury.

awards

Article 11
The jury will give awards for films in main competition section in the following nominations:

International Feature Competition
1. Grand Prix
2. Best Film director
4. Best actor
5. Best actress
6. Jury Special prize



Short film competition
1. Best film
2. Jury special prize

Festival administration has also the following additional awards:

- Lifetime achievement award in cinematography (Georgian cinematography)
- Lifetime achievement award in cinematography (Foreign cinematography)
- Special prize of festival directorate


Closing article

Article 12
The term of participation in festival is to follow all requirements covered by this regulations

Contact information
Festival web-site: http://www.biaff.org
Festival e-mail: info@biaff.org
Tel: +995 599 482181; +995 597 998272