14-09-2023

BIAFF 2023 Batumi Film Festival’s Announces Full Line-up and Jury

    The 18th Batumi International Art-house Film Festival will be held in Batumi during 17-24 September. Batumi International Film Festival was established in 2006. Organizer of the film festival - Batumi Art-house "Argani".

    Film Screenings will take place at Apollo Cinema and Europe Square. The film festival will feature 25 full-length feature as well as 25 short films from more than 30 countries.

    BIAFF festival will open on 17 September, at cinema APOLLO with opening film – “Drawing Lots” by Zaza Khalvashi (film was finished after Zaza passed away).

    This year at BIAFF will be presented also CINEDOC Tbilisi Doc Festival’s competition (Georgian films) and Special section doc films. 

    BIAFF   Feature Films Competition section  - will have following Jury –  Giorgi Ovashvili (Georgia) – head of jury, Andrzej Slowicki (Germany), Mehmet Ali Arslan (Turkey),  Diana Martirosyan (Armenia), Nika Abramishvili (Georgia)

    Ten films will be presented in this section:

    BIAFF Feature Films International Competition

    1. After, Anthony Lapia, France, 2023; 70 min.
    2. Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, Elene Naveriani, Switzerland/Georgia, 2023, 110 min.
    3. Citizen Saint, Tinatin Kajrishvili, Georgia/France/Bulgaria, 2023, 100 min.
    4. Blaga's Lesson, Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria/Germany, 2023, 114 min.
    5. Critical Zone, Ali Ahmadzadej, Iran/German, 2023; 99 min
    6. Hypnosis, Ernst De Geer, Sweden/Norway/France, 2023; 98 min.
    7. Imago, Olga Chajdas, Poland/Netherlands/Czech Republic, 2023; 113 min
    8. Night of the 12th, Dominik Moll, France, Belgium, 2022; 114 min.
    9. Shreds, Beata Dzianowicz, Poland, 2022; 100 min.
    10. Slow, Marija Kavtaradze, Lithuania/Spain/Sweden, 2023, 108 min

    BIAFF  Short Films Competition section  - will have following Jury –  Tamta Bartaia (Georgia) – head of jury, Artur Veeber (Estonia), Rusudan Glurjidze (Georgia).  Twenty Short films will be presented in this section:

    BIAFF Short Films International Competition

    1. Borders, Miranda Namicheishvili, Georgia, 2023; 22 min.
    2. Duck Hunting, Giorgi Kobalia, Georgia, 2023, 20 min.
    3. Don’t Leave home, David Japaridze, Georgia, 2023; 12 min.
    4. The Route of a Swallow, Levan Shubashvili, Georgia, 2023; 27 min.
    5. To Batumi and every single memory, Levan Sikharulidze, Giga Baindurashvili, Georgia, 2023; 7 min.
    6. Giuli - It Was A Dream, Meri Gelagutashvili , Germany, 2023; 14 min.
    7. Ardent Other, Alice Brygo, France, 2022; 16 min.
    8. Dead marriage, Michał Toczek, Poland, 2022; 18 min.
    9. Fairplay, Zoel Aeschbacher, Switzerland/France, 2022; 15 min.
    10. Far, Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter, Iceland, 2023; 5 min.
    11. It Turns Blue, Shadi Karamroudi, Iran, 2023; 15min.
    12. It’s a Date, Ukraine, 2023, 5 min.
    13. Moisture, Turan Haste, Turkey, 2023, 20 min.
    14. Our Males & Females, Ahmad Alyaseer, Jordan, 2023, 11 min.
    15. Please Hold the Line, Tan Ce Ding, Malaysia, 2023; 18 min.
    16. Shreds, Igor Gavva, Ukraine, 2023; 15 min.
    17. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Alvin Lee, Singapore, 2023; 19 min.
    18. Things Unheard Of, Ramazan Kilic, Turkey, 2023; 15 min.
    19. Vinland, Martin Kuba, Czech Republic, 2023, 30 min.
    20. White Ant, Shalini Adnani, UK/India, 2023; 15

    BIAFF non-competition sections include – Masters’ Collection, Georgian Panorama, BIAFF/CINEDOC’s joint program – FOCUS ON UKRAINE   

    BIAFF – Masters’ Collection   

    1. About Dry Grasses, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey/France/Germany/Sweden, 2023, 197 min.
    2. Call of God, Kim Ki-duk, Estonia/ Kyrgyzstan/ Lithuania, 2022; 81 min.
    3. Green Border, Agnieszka Holland, Poland/Germany/France/Czech Republic/Belgium, 2023; 147 min.
    4. Kidnapped, Marco Bellocchio, Italy/France/Germany, 2023, 125 min
    5. Order of Time, Liliana Cavani, Italy, 2023; 113 min.
    6. Perfect Number, Krzysztof Zanussi, Poland/Israel/Italy, 2022; 87 min.

    BIAFF - Georgian Panorama

    1. Beautiful Helen, George Ovashvili, Georgia/Turkey/France, 2022; 100 min.
    2. Drawing Lots, Zaza khalvashi, Georgia, 2023; 84 min.
    3. Cocktail of Love, Ketevan Takidze, Georgia, 2023; 50 min.
    4. Drummer, kote Kalandadze, Georgia, 2022; 84 min.
    5. Inconceivable Light, Anna Sarukhanova, Georgia, 2023; 84 min.
    6. Liza Go On, Nana Janelidze, Georgia/Bulgaria, 2023; 120 min.
    7. The Country of Rustaveli, Erekle Inashvili, Georgia/Germany, 2023; 68 min.
    8. Winter Blues, Tazo Narimanidze, Georgia, 2022; 103 min.
    9. Monica, Lena Chagalidze, Georgia, 2023; 14 min.
    10. Row 6, Bidzina Gogiberidze & Lennart Huppert, Germany/Georgia, 2023; 25 min.

    BIAFF/CINEDOC -  FOCUS UKRAINE

    1. We will not Fade Away, Alisa Kovalenko, UkrainePolandFrance , 2023 ,100 min.
    2. It’s a Date, Ukraine, 2023, 5 min.
    3. Shreds, Igor Gavva, Ukraine, 2023; 15 min.
    4. Under The Wing Of A Night, Lesia Diak, Ukraine , 2023 , 19 min

    During BIAFF festival CINEDOC TBILISI presents its program in following sections:

    CINEDOC - Feature Length Documentary Film Competition

    1. Hotel Metalurg , George Varsimashvili, Jeanne Nouchi, Georgia, 2023, 73 min
    2. Magic Mountain, Mariam Chachia, Nik Voigt, Georgia, 2023, 74 min
    3. Night And Day, Nino Gogua, Georgia, 2022, 46 min
    4. Requiem to the Hot Days of Summer, Giorgi Parkosadze, Georgia, 2023 , 77 min
    5. Self-Portrait Along The Borderline, Anna Dziapshipa Georgia, 2023, 50 min
    6. Smiling Georgia Luka Beradze, Georgia, 2023, 62 min
    7. The Northeast Winds , Nikoloz Bezhanishvili, Georgia, 2022, 94 min

    CINEDOC - Short Documentary Film Competition

    1. A Crypto Rush Aftermath , Salomé Jashi , Georgia , 2023 , 18 min
    2. A Fence is a Mark of Respect , Sopho Chkheidze, Caiti Lattimer, Georgia , 2023 , 11 min
    3. Ana’s Trial, Tamara Mshvenieradze, Mariam Jachvadze, Georgia , 2023 , 43 min
    4. Dreamland, Maradia Tsaava, Georgia , 2023 , 23 min
    5. Secondhand Land, Levan Adamia, Georgia , 2022 , 12 min
    6. Tick Tock, Nino Lekishvili, Georgia , 2023, 21 min

    CINEDOC - Special Screenings in partnership with  Kinedok

    1. Divas , MÁTÉ KÖRÖSI, Hungary , 2021 , 80 min
    2. Too Close, Botond Püsök, Romania, Hungary , 2022 , 85 min
    3. Museum of the Revolution, srđan keča, Serbia, Croatia, Czech Republic , 2021 , 91 min

    Festival Supporters – Georgian National Film Centre,  French Institute, Embassy of Italy, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Lietuva, Batumi Puppet Theatre, GNTA (Georgian National Tourism Agency)

    Festival Sponsors – Cinema APOLLO, Arrebato Films, hotel “DOWNTOWN“, Mareteli Friends Winery, Restaurant MASPINDZELO

    Festival Media Partners – Georgian Public Broadcaster, Radio Fortuna/Fortuna+, Adjara TV, Batumi TV, Podcast Batumi, Film New Europe (www.filmneweurope.com), AT.GE, Newspaper BATUMELEBI, netgazeti.ge, on.ge