“Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival” is an annual thematic Film Festival that takes place in a different Balkan city each year. It celebrates Balkan diversity and engages audience and creators to reflect on pressing contemporary issues through the medium of short film. The festival is framed by other cultural events like photo exhibitions, visual art events, master classes, live bands, networking events.
The 11th edition of Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival gets and gives inspiration from the topic: contrUst: It is U who makes the difference. BBB urges young directors to dig deep in social, economic, religious, environmental and everyday contrasts in order to surpass the troubling surface and find trust: trust to make the difference!
We invite young filmmakers to get inspired by this year’s topic and send their film until the 1st of June. We accept all film genres (fiction, animation, experimental and documentary shorts, as well as digital arts) with duration up to 30 minutes. Eligible submissions are a) those from filmmakers up to 35 years old or older than 35 under the condition that their submitted film is their debut b) with their origin from a Balkan country or/and their film to be a Balkan production and c) connected to the festival’s topic. All submissions will go through our Preselection Committee which consists of young professionals from the film industry ensuring that finalists meet all eligibility criteria. The final Jury Team consisted of well known professionals from the film industry in the Balkans will select the BBB BEST FILM which will get the first prize and 1000 euros. The other Prizes are BBB FIRST ENTRY, Special Mentions and the BBB AUDIENCE AWARD.
BBB gives the opportunity to the next generation of film makers to create, share and present their films, meet and collaborate. The main objective of BBB is to motivate young people to make use of their creativity in order to reflect on issues of concern in their region.
2020 Destination
Since 2010 the Festival has taken place in 10 cities (Belgrade, Tirana, Athens, Bucharest, Sarajevo, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Brussels, Novi Sad and again Athens), featuring over 380 Balkan and over 200 non-Balkan short films. In every Festival we invite participating directors, guest speakers, BBB Ambassadors and local partners in order to create a hub for productive networking and cooperation among the region’s stakeholders. It is all about a growing community of artists, researchers, journalists, and partners. Next Festival destination is Izmir, Turkey, hosting a great history and culture, a vibrant sea-front city that became the center of dynamic life, free thought, and art.
Best Film Prize
Audience Prize
New Entry Prize