Lights, Camera, Action: Upcoming Film Festivals in Europe
Film festivals give us an opportunity to celebrate the cinematic creativity that makes our lives so much richer! When a budding or indie filmmaker steps onto the festival stage, they invite you to step into their world, immerse into their stories and connect with their vision.
The magic of film festivals lies in the vibrant, buzzing atmosphere they create. These events are all about community, energy, and shared passion for the art of filmmaking. It is a journey that goes beyond just watching a movie - it is about experiencing the film firsthand alongside fellow movie enthusiasts, where daring new perspectives and groundbreaking styles take centre stage, offering audiences a truly cathartic experience.
So, get ready to be swept off your feet because film festivals are the vibrant, pulsating heart of cinematic artistry, where dreams come to life on the silver screen and you become part of the story. Don't miss your chance to embark on this thrilling cinematic adventure!
Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival
05 - 10 Oct 2023 | Skopje, North Macedonia
The Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival started in 2013 as an initiative of Claudio Gubitosi, artistic director and creator of Giffoni Film Festival in Italy. Over time, the festival has become one of the most important events for young people in the region, having more than 500 participants from around ten countries from the Balkans and Europe.
The eleventh edition of Giffoni Macedonia will take place in Skopje from 5th to 10th October. The activities will be organised in several locations, mainly in the Youth Cultural Center, the Cinematheque of North Macedonia and the Millennium Cinema. The festival is a real experience for young people with back-to-back screenings, debates, workshops, concerts, panels and the whole city is involved.
Photo credits: Giffoni Macedonia Youth Film Festival Facebook Page
6th Balkan Can Kino Film Symposium
13 Oct 2023 - 22 Oct 2023 | Athens, Greece
Balkan Can Kino is a pop-up and mobile Film Festival, Symposium, and Lab founded in 2017 in Athens. For about ten days, it presents independent and guerrilla cinema focusing on the global diversity of artistic expression with programmes curated by BCK members or guest curators from independent and acclaimed film festivals. There are also artistic installations, discussion panels and workshops.
This year's theme is KINO LUDENS. Through a series of screenings, artistic installations, workshops and parallel events, the Symposium will focus on the presence and the importance of the element of play in the multiple layers of adulthood and everyday life, showcasing interactivity in cinema through the meaning of game/play in the creation of cinematic work and its importance in every stage of the production.
Photo credits: Balkan Can Kino Film Symposium website
FILM FEST - Livescore Film Festival
13 - 22 Oct 2023 | Setúbal Municipality, Portugal
FILM FEST - LiveScore Film Festival, in Setúbal, Portugal, reimagines cinema with live music performances of original soundtracks. It is a unique fusion of art cinema, silent films, and contemporary works, complemented by musicians who craft and play live scores. This festival celebrates the symbiosis of music and film, reviving forgotten classics and introducing new audiences to silent cinema. FILM FEST is a unique festival with unique characteristics and a universal artistic and creative value, promoting emerging musicians and preserving cinematic history while providing an extraordinary cultural experience.
Its main objective is to boost the public's relationship with moving images and music. It also intends to exhibit film works of directors who sorted how to break out from the established techniques and presented works almost without dialogue - in many cases without any dialogue - and whose original soundtrack is played live.
Photo credits: Film Fest - Live Score Film Festival Facebook Page
Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival
18 Oct 2023 - 24 Oct 2023 | Palma, Spain
Evolution! Mallorca International Film Festival enters its 12th edition with a clear mission statement - BRIDGING CULTURES – BRIDGING PEOPLE. EMIFF is now recognised as one of the fastest-growing film festivals in Europe, using international films to shape a creative community, allowing independent filmmakers to feel inspired, network, and thrive in this idyllic Mediterranean island paradise.
The hub for networking, EMIFF brings together the brightest local and international minds in cinema in Mallorca’s buzzing and culturally rich city of Palma. For seven days and six nights, EMIFF’s programme is curated to showcase a culturally diverse, inclusive, and provocative mix of feature films, short films, documentaries, music videos, films for kids, experimental films, animation shorts, and virtual reality projects.
Photo credits: Evolution, Mallorca International Film Festival Facebook Page
Chania Film Festival 11
18 Oct 2023 - 28 Oct 2023 | Rethymno, Greece
Chania Film Festival is an international festival on the island of Crete. It is an extensive annual celebration of the 7th art in the middle of autumn in the beautiful town of Chania. An organisation that quickly became an institution with international collaborations, with many parallel events, recognition, and acceptance. A cinematographic event that aspires to host the best films in the field of cinema from all around the world. A meeting place for fiction films, documentaries, and animation films, as well as directors, producers, and actors.
During its eleven-day duration, approximately 22.000 viewers (including the school audience) attend the screenings and the parallel events, such as workshops, master classes, and exhibitions. The CFF is also active throughout the year, as it produces and presents several events, special screenings, educational workshops, film productions, etc.
Photo credits: Chania Film Festival Facebook Page
