The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia held a presentation on the 15^th Batumi International Film Festival, where the Festival full programme and related news were presented to the representatives of media and film industry. Levan Kharatishvili, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Manana Suradze, Representative of the Georgian National Film Center, Giorgi Gogiberidze, Director of the Festival and Zviad Elizian, Director of the Festival discussed the project.  

The 15^th Batumi International Film Festival will traditionally be held in Batumi on September 13-20 and will be hosted by the Apollo Cinema and the Europe Square. However, due to the current crisis, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will run in a different format, that is in full compliance with the guidelines and recommendations, issued by the WHO.

There will be film screenings, seminars and cinema-related workshops organized within the framework of the festival. The festival will feature 35 full-length feature and documentary films from 40 countries, as well as 50 short films. Additionally, nine Georgian projects will be presented within the framework of the "Alternative Wave" industrial platform; and several trainings will be conducted for the script development and directing.

Furthermore, within the framework of BIAFF 2020, Nana Jorjadze, Merab Kokochashvili and Dato Evgenidze will be awarded with the honorary prize, for their special contribution to the development of Georgian cinema.

For the very first time this year, a new section – “COVIDEO" has been added to the festival. In its essence, COVIDEO represents a side-competition for beginner or professional directors and film lovers who are currently under lockdown. 25 short films will be selected for this section.

Batumi International Film Festival was established in 2006. Batumi House of Artists - "Argani" is the major organizer of the film festival.

Festival Supporters - Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, Ministry of Culture of Adjara, Batumi City Hall, Georgian National Film Center, Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara, Batumi Drama Theater, Batumi Puppet Theater, Goethe Institute, Embassy of Italy, French Institute.

Film Festival Sponsors - Apollo Cinema, LTD GPS, O. Galogre Boutique Hotel, Downtown hotel, Vanderland Tours, LTD Batumi Autotransport, Legal Consulting Center.

Festival Media Partners - Georgian Public Broadcaster, Adjara TV, Radio Fortuna, Batumi TV, Publicity Group (www.publicity.ge), Indigo Magazine, Cinema Magazine, Cinemania, AT.GE, ON.GE, Film New Europe (www.filmneweurope.com), Cineuropa.org, Newspaper Batumelebi, netgazeti.ge

For more information about the film festival, please follow the link: http://www.biaff.org;

Individuals for press accreditation can contact us  via - press@biaff.org; Tel: 599-482181