BIAFF Holds During September 18-24

The 16th Batumi International Art-house Film Festival will be held in Batumi during 18-24 September. Film Screenings will take place at Apollo Cinema and Europe Square. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival will be held in a relatively limited format, in full compliance with the recommendations of current regulations.

Within the framework of the festival, open-air film screenings, workshops, and seminars will be held. The film festival will feature 30 full-length feature and documentary films from 30 countries, as well as 30 short films. Within the framework of 10 Georgian film projects will be presented at BIAFF industrial platform “Alternative Wave”. The trainings/workshops will be held for the project representatives (director, producer) – in terms of script development, directing.

Batumi International Film Festival was established in 2006. The organizer of the film festival is Batumi House of Artists - “Argan”.

BIAFF feature films will be assessed by the following Jury – Lana Ghoghoberidze – Head of Jury, Gogi Gvakharia, Nino Mkheidze, Keti Machavariani, Iryna Gordiichuk (Ukraine). This section also will be evaluated by  Georgian film critics Jury – Theo Khatiashivli, Nino Chimakadze, Dato Turashvili.

1. Bandar Band, Manijeh Hekmat, Iran, 2021; 75 min.
2. Commitment Hasan, Semih Kaplanoglu, Turkey, 2021; 147 min.
3. Evolution, Kornel Mundruzo, Germany/Hungary, 2021; 97 min. 
4. Otar’s Death, Soso Bliadze, Georgia/Germany/Lithuania, 2021; 105 min.
5. Rhino, Oleh Sentsov, Ukraine/Germany/Poland, 2021; 101 min.
6. Ulbolsyn, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Kazakhstan/France, 2020; 71 min.
7. Voiceless, Pascal Rabate, France, 2020, 85 min.
8. What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?, Alexander Koberidze, Georgia/Germany, 2021; 150 min.
9. You Won’t See Winter, Abdolreza Kahani, Canada, 2021; 72 min.

 BIAFF docs films will be assessed by international Jury –  Vakhtang Kuntsev-Gabashvili (Georgia) – Head of Jury, Andrzej Slowicki (Germany), Evgeniya Ostanina, (Russia).

1. 1970, Tomasz Wolski, Poland, 2021; 70 min.
2. Anamnesis, Chris Wright & Stefan Kolbe, Germany, 2021; 111 min.
3. Atlantide, Yuri Ancarani, Italy/France/U.S./Qatar, 2021; 100 min.
4. Balcony Movie, Pawel Lozinski, Poland, 2021; 100 min.
5. Gift, Valentin Sidorenko, Russia, 2020; 51 min.
6. Foundation Pit, Andrey Gryazev , Russia, 2020; 71 min.
7. Saul & Rubys Holocaust Survivor Band, Tod Lending, USA, 2020; 80 min.

Short films will be assessed by jury – Dato Janelidze (head of Jury), Kote Chlaidze, Shota Gujabidze.

1. 10:45, Giorgi Gogichaisvhili, Georgia, 2021; 14 min.
2. Children of Nikozi,  Nino Benashvili, Georgia, 2021; 31 min.
3. Compassion, Zviad Tsikolia, Georgia, 2021; 32 min.
4. Number 26, Gvantsa Mepharishvili,  Georgia, 2021; 20 min.
5. Ormo, Maria Cherniy, Georgia, 2021; 15 min.
6. Preparation, Ilia Asitashvili, Georgia, 2021; 15 min.
7. Sorry for Being Late, Luka Beradze, Georgia/Germany, 2021; 19 min.
8. Aparat, Hasan Najmabadi, Iran, 2021; 15 min.
9. Arzu, Rufat Alizade, Turkey, 2021; 6 min.
10. Batik’s Room, Maria Khalpakhchi, 2021; 25 min.
11. Bicolour, Sarajudin Bayat, Afghanistan, 2021; 10 min.
12. Branka by Ákos K. Kovács, Hungary, 2021; 20 min.
13. Black Sun (Noir-Soleil), Marie Larrivé, France, 2021; 20 min.
14. Dad’s Sneakers, Olha Zhurba, Ukraine, 2021; 18 min.
15. Devek, Uriya Hertz, Israel, 2021; 15 min.
16. Don’t Hesitate to Come for a Visit, Mom Anna Artemyeva, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, Russia 2020; 12 min.
17. Heartbreath, Azer Guliev, Azerbaijan, 2021; 15 min.
18. Homecoming, Raffi Movsesian, Armenia, 2021; 18 min.
19. In the Soil, Casper Kjeldsen, Denmark, 2021; 14 min.
20. Invitation, Yeung Tung, Hao Zhao, China, 2021; 13 min.
21. Leopolis Night, Nikon Romanchenko, Ukraine, 202; 26 min.
22. Like in Mykono, Alessandro Porzio, Italy, 2021; 15 min.
23. Lili Alone, Zou Jing, China, 2021; 22 min.
24. Love, Michał Ciechomski, Poland, 2020; 27 min.
25. North Pole, Marija Apcevska, Macedonia/Serbia, 2021; 15 min.

BIAFF festival besides the competition has several non-competition sections.  Below is the list of films that will be screened at BIAFF 2021 in non-competition sections:

MASTERS COLLECTION  

1. Anette, Leos Carax, France/Gemany/Belgium/Japan/Mexico, 2021; 140 min.
2. Babi Yar, Context, Sergei Loznitsa, Netherlands/Ukraine, 2021; 120 min.
3. Hero, Asghar Farhadi, Iran/France, 2021; 127 min.
4. Memoria, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Colombia/Thailand/UK/Mexico/France, 2021; 136 min.
5. We Are Here We Are Close, Roman Balayan, Ukraine, 2020; 90 min.

ARTDOC FEST Presents

1. Rastorhuev, Evgeniya Ostanina, Russia, 2020; 127 min.
2. Gift, Valentin Sidorenko,  Russia, 2020; 51 min.
3. Foundation Pit, Andrey Gryazev , Russia, 2020; 71 min.
4. Don’t Hesitate to Come for a Visit, Mom Anna Artemyeva, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, Russia 2020; 12 min.

GEORGIAN PANORAMA

1. Dead Souls Vacation, Keko Chelidze, Georgia, 2020; 67 min.
2. Gallery in The Stratosphere, Romanoz & Tornike Mzarelua, Georgia; 2021, 18 min.
3. I will Not Leave, Bidzina Gogiberidze, Germany/Georgia, 2021; 53 min.
4. MSHT-15. Angel Of Happiness, Vakhtang Kuntsev-Gabashvili, Georgia, 2021; 70 min.
5. Mziuri, Keti Machavariani, Georgia, 2021; 61 min.
6. Naïve, Dino Getiashvili, Georgia, 2021; 105 min.
7. Taming The Garden, Salome Jashi, Switzerland/Germany/Georgia, 2020; 91 min.

Festival Supporters are Batumi city hall, Ministry of Culture of Georgia, Georgian National Film Centre, Ministry of Culture of Ajara AR, Batumi Puppet Theatre, Batumi Boulevard, Goethe Institute Georgia, Embassy of Italy, French Institute, ArtDoc Fest.

The event is sponsored by Cinema APOLLO, hotel “Divan Suites Batumi“, Tour company “Wonderland”, “Legal Consulting Centre” LLC,  “GPC”, Gastro pub “KINO”, ART ITALY GROUP.