International Alexandria Short Film Festival "Tales From The Balkans"

12th International Alexandria Short Film Festival - Tales from the Balkans The 12th International Alexandria Short Film Festival (IASFF12) takes place from 13 to 19 September 2026 in Alexandria, Imathia, Greece, under the central theme “Tales from the Balkans.”This year’s edition marks an important step in the festival’s development, expanding its activities beyond the city of Alexandria and creating a cinematic journey across Imathia. Through screenings in cultural and historic locations, IASFF12 connects contemporary cinema with the history, heritage and identity of the region, while opening a space for dialogue between local audiences and filmmakers from Greece, the Balkans and around the world. 

The festival presents a diverse programme dedicated to the short film form, including the International Competition, Documentary Competition, Animation Competition, Student Competition and Balkan Young Filmmakers Competition, alongside special screenings, discussions, Q&As and cultural events. The international programme brings together contemporary short films from different countries and cinematic traditions, offering audiences the opportunity to discover new filmmakers, diverse perspectives and stories that explore personal, social and cultural experiences. The festival’s international competition features filmmakers from across the world, while the Balkan Young Filmmakers section focuses on emerging voices from the Balkan region, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to young creators and cross-border artistic exchange. 

A particularly important part of IASFF12 is its Student Competition, which continues the festival’s educational mission. Fifteen student teams from schools across Imathia have created their own short films through a process of training, collaboration and cinematic expression. Through free filmmaking workshops covering areas such as screenwriting, directing, editing, cinematography and sound, young participants are given the opportunity to experience the filmmaking process and present their work within an international film festival.

The 2026 programme also places cinema in dialogue with distinctive locations throughout the region. The festival opens at the Cultural Centre of Alexandria with a screening of Stavros Psyllakis’ award-winning documentary Sculpted Souls, followed by a live music event with COCONUTS. The International Competition and other screenings continue in Alexandria, while the Documentary Competition moves to Cinema Star in Veria, the Animation Competition to Café Stathmos at Alexandria Railway Station, and the Balkan programme to the Royal Tombs of Aigai in Vergina, creating an open and geographically connected festival experience. 

The festival concludes on 19 September with the Closing Ceremony and Awards, followed by a special live presentation of Stavros Tsiolis’ iconic Greek film Women Waiting (As Perimenoun oi Gynaikes), with the songs performed live on stage by Babis Batmanidis Co(m)pany and its orchestra. At the heart of IASFF12 is the belief that cinema can connect people, places and cultures. Through the theme “Tales from the Balkans”, the festival explores the stories that emerge from a region of shared histories, different identities, cultural diversity and contemporary challenges. IASFF12 is therefore not only a celebration of short films. It is a meeting point for filmmakers, emerging artists, students, audiences and cultural communities, bringing international cinema to Alexandria and Imathia while creating opportunities for dialogue, discovery and collaboration.

12th International Alexandria Short Film Festival - Tales from the Balkans. 13-19 September 2026. Cinema brings us together.