Balkans Beyond Borders

Έχουμε τη χαρά και την τιμή να συμμετέχουμε και να υποστηρίζουμε επικοινωνιακά την προβολή του ντοκιμαντέρ 🎬 «Από Τι Είμαστε Φτιαγμένοι» του Ελληνοϊρανού σκηνοθέτη Σιαμάκ Ετεμαντί @siamak_etemadi 📍 ΔΗΠΕΘΕ Κομοτηνής 🗓 Τετάρτη 13 Μαΐου 2026 🕖 19:00 🎟 Ελεύθερη είσοδος Μετά την προβολή θα ακολουθήσει ανοιχτή συζήτηση με το κοινό, με τη συμμετοχή: • του σκηνοθέτη Σιαμάκ Ετεμαντί • του πρωταγωνιστή της ταινίας και ψυχολόγο Άρη Κατσούλη @aris_kats • του προέδρου του «Περπατώ» Αλέξανδρου Ταξιλδάρη @alex_taxildaris • της Impact Producer της ταινίας Ανδριάνας Θεοχάρη @andriana_theochari • του Visual Ethnographer του Balkan Beyond Borders, Κωνσταντίνου Γιατρά @kostas_giatras • και εκπροσώπου του Δημοκριτείου Πανεπιστημίου Θράκης Το πρώτο μεγάλου μήκους ντοκιμαντέρ του δημιουργού εξερευνά με ευαισθησία και ειλικρίνεια τον έρωτα, την επιθυμία και τη σεξουαλικότητα μέσα από το πρίσμα της αναπηρίας, αμφισβητώντας στερεότυπα και ανοίγοντας νέους δρόμους κατανόησης γύρω από την ανθρώπινη εμπειρία. Η υποστήριξή μας ως μέρος του impact του ντοκιμαντέρ "Από Τι Είμαστε Φτιαγμένοι" συνδέεται με τη διαχρονική αποστολή του Balkan Beyond Borders να αναδεικνύει ιστορίες που συχνά παραμένουν αόρατες και να δημιουργεί τον απαραίτητο χώρο για διάλογο μέσα από τον κινηματογράφο ενισχύοντας την κοινωνική ορατότητα γύρω από την αναπηρία, τη διαφορετικότητα, την αποδοχή και την ανθρώπινη εμπειρία. Η προβολή της ταινίας πραγματοποιείται με προσβάσιμους υπότιτλους. Η εκδήλωση συνδιοργανώνεται από τον σύλλογο Περπατώ, την @ΑegosFilms, @ΒalkansBeyond και το Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης. Impact Partners: @neaniko_plano , @avesacompanies @balkanbeyondborders Διανομή : @Tanweer Χορηγός Επικοινωνίας της impact campaign : @ertofficial και @nevronas.gr

📬 #17BBBSFF SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN Sometimes the most important stories are not hidden; they simply lie beyond the frames through which we have learned to look. We urge audiences to look at sides that often go unnoticed remaining outside the frame. This year we invite filmmakers to get inspired by the theme: 👁️Shift your gaze to the unseen👁️ and question the limits of visibility challenging the dominant ways of seeing while revealing what has been ignored, silenced, or forgotten. Eligibility criteria at a glance: 👍Filmmakers originating from the Balkans, and/or films produced from the Balkan region. 👍Duration up to 30 minutes, 👍Production after 2024. 👍The festival accepts fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental films that creatively engage with the theme. 👍Filmmakers must be up to 35 years old, or older than 35 under the condition that their submitted film is their debut. By submitting your film to the 17th BBB SFF, you get the opportunity to be awarded for the: 🌟BBB Best Film Award (monetary prize) – Main call 🌟BBB First Entry Award (in kind) – Main call 🌟BBB Audience Award (monetary) – Main call 🌟Special Mentions – Main call 🌟BBB Creative AI Award (in kind) – Special call 🌟BBB Gen Alpha Award (in kind) – Special call (films for children and teens 4-15 y.o.) 🌍The BBBSFF accepts also entries for the category: BBB Beyond – International – Special call ⏰DEADLINE: May 31 📩SUBMIT YOUR FILM: Link in Bio All short film submissions will be reviewed by our pre-selection committee consisting of emerging professionals from the film industry. #opencall #shortfilms #filmfestival #balkansbeyondborders

✨Happy holidays to all! ✨ May cinema magic and creativity fill our mind, soul and world. BBB team

#16BBBSFF CINE FORUM III wrap up 👇 Round table: Film Festivals programming and selection processes On Sunday, November 9th we had the opportunity to discuss how festivals develop their programme and content and what opportunities they create for filmmakers to participate in. Our speakers 🎤Lidija Mojsovska (North Macedonia) festival producer from Drim Festival, 🎤Bengi Semerci, (Turkey) director of International Crime and Punishment Film Festival and 🎤Dimitris Argyriou, (Greece) director and distributor of Newborn Short Film Agency shared their experience providing useful information of what a programme represents for a festival, the interconnection with the audience, the place and the festival identity, the type of awards etc. 🎤Vasiliki Maltasoglou (Greece) director of Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival was moderating the discussion. The audience consisting of filmmakers and film festival representatives had a fruitful discussion with the speakers getting useful insights for their further development.

#16BBBSFF CINE FORUM III wrap up 👇 On Friday, November 7, we had the pleasure of being invited to Galata University’s Frej Coffee & Art House to organise an insightful and forward-looking round table discussion on Artificial Intelligence. From concept development to visual effects, AI offers a wide range of applications, empowering creators to push the boundaries of storytelling. The featured speakers 🎤Professor Berceste Gülçin Özdemir, 🎤Dimitris Argyriou (director and distributor), 🎤Kyriaki Kyriakidou (academic researcher), and 🎤Dila Bulut Derya (director, lawyer, and moderator)—led a fruitful discussion on the ways AI tools are transforming how we write, edit, and visualise stories; how AI systems contribute to filmmaking; how we can still preserve the human signature behind an AI-generated film; and, of course, the ethical limits of using AI in creative expression. #balkansbeyondborders #bbbcineforum #artificialintelligence

#16BBBSFF - A BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION AT SISMANOGLIO MEGARO🏛️ On Friday, November 7th, we had the honour to offer our festival guests and local cinema professionals a networking visit at the historic building of Sismanoglio Megaro, supported by the Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul. We owe a special debt of gratitude ⭐️to the Consul of Greece, Mr. Theophilos Georgakis for his warm welcome and trust ⭐️& to the Head of the Public Diplomacy Office, Mr. Georgios Mamalos, whose vision and care made this gathering—and the delicious treat—possible. Thank you for making us feel truly at home. 🙏 #16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #sismanogliomegaro #greekconsulateistanbul #culturaldiplomacy #filmmakers #istanbul #hospitality #shortfilmfestival

#16BBBSFF Q&A SESSIONS Day 4 The last day of the 16th BBB SFF we had the last Competition Programme screening session titled “TOPOS reflections”. After the session we had the pleasure to invite on stage 🎤Leoni Xerovasila (Greece) director and actress of the short film SIX 🎤Filip Marojević (Serbia) co-director of the short film “LIME KILN WORKER” 🎤Andreas Lazidis (Greece) director of the short film “The Circle of Violence” and 🎤Yağmur Canpolat (Turkey) director of the short film “Missing Home” 📌 Beyoglu Cinema @ibb.beyoglusinemasi 16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #filmfestival #distortopia #istanbul #qandasession

#16BBBSFF Q&A SESSIONS Day 3 The third day of the 16th BBB SFF the screening sessions travelled to the Eastern side of Istanbul, to Üsküdar Municipality – Bağlarbaşı Culture Center. After the Competition Programme screening session titled “Reflections of Hope” we had the pleasure to discuss further with the directors and crew members of the featured films. 🎤Anthoniy Hristov (Bulgaria) director of the short film “Cats have no Roots” 🎤Paula Benu (Romania) director of the films “From: Nora” and the actress Noreen Elamir, and 🎤Alexandru-Theodor Graur (Romania) director of the short film “The Great Union” After the last competition programme screening titled “Forced Adaptation” we had the pleasure to bring on stage directors and crew members: 🎤Members of the crew of the short film “All That Belongs to Us” 🎤Elena Gazi (Greece) and Dolan Bailey (USA) creators of the short film PRIKOSYMPHONO 🎤Deya Ar (Turkey/Palestine) co-director of the short film “Write My Name” 16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #filmfestival #distortopia #istanbul #qandasession

#16BBBSFF Q&A SESSIONS Day 2 The second day of the 16th BBB SFF we had 3 Q&A sessions. First, the screening session Filmexploring AI took place at 📌 Galata University in which 🎤 Mohammed Ghaffari (Iran) producer of the short film HOLY HEAVÊNESS. After the screening session BBB & co: friends and more, we had the pleasure to have invited 🎤 Miklós Barna Lipkovski who presented us the story behind the short film “Funk Do Kostolac” which was created during the Visual Anthropology Center Summer School and 🎤 Dimitris Argyriou presenting his short film Memories of Occupation – Pyrgi. After the intense and bold competition programme screening session titled “Trauma Distortions” we invited on stage: 🎤 Soner Sert, producer and Name Önal, actress to share their experience of creating and participating at the short film “Chicken Broth Soup” and 🎤 Era Latifi (Kosovo) director of the short film Wires Crossed. 16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #filmfestival #distortopia #istanbul #qandasession #galataüniversitesi

#16BBBSFF Q&A SESSIONS Day 1 The Opening day of the 16th BBB SFF after the Competition Programme screening titled “Unexpected incidents’ distortions” we had the pleasure to discuss further with the directors and crew member of some of the featured films. 🎤 Christos Zeniou (Cyprus) director of the short film “Pakistani” 🎤 Çamran Azizoğlu (Turkey) director of the short film “The Tie” and the actor Yaşar karakulak 🎤 Tinkara Klipšteter (Slovenia) director of the short film “Mentor” 🎤 Lina Pavlova (Bulgaria) director of the short film “The Journey of a Mattress” They shared with the audience interesting stories regarding the making of and the source of inspiration of their film. 📌 Beyoglu Cinema @ibb.beyoglusinemasi 16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #filmfestival #distortopia #istanbul #qandasession

#16BBBSFF - TRIP TO BOSPHORUS WITH ÜSKÜDAR MUNICIPALITY Cinema brings people together. True hospitality, however, builds bridges that last a lifetime. We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Üsküdar Municipality @uskudarbld and the exceptional Eren Altuntaş @eren_altuntas (Programme Coordinator & Curator). The incredible excursion you organized for our guests wasn't just a tour; it was a gift. 🎁 The memories we created are already priceless. Thank you for the support, friendship, and unparalleled hospitality that made this visit so unforgettable! ✨ #16BBBSFF #balkansbeyondborders #ThankYouUskudar #UskudarMunicipality #shortfilms #filmfestival #CulturalExchange #Hospitality #Memories

#16BBBSFF - Our heartfelt gratitude The 16th BBB Short Film Festival extends its sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this year’s edition. Together, we celebrated collaboration, creativity, and the power of cinema to connect people beyond borders. 🤝 Partners Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality @municipalityist • İBB Kültür Sanat @ibb_kultur • İBB MiRAS @ibbmiras • Beyoğlu Cinema • Istanbul Sinema Ofisi • Küçükçekmece Belediyesi @kucukcekmecebelediye • Üsküdar Belediyesi • Bağlarbaşı Kültür Merkezi • Küçükçekmece Film Ofisi @kucukcekmecefilmofisi • Istanbul Galata University • Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi @kurukahveci_mehmet_efendi • Embassy of Slovenia in Ankara @slointurkiye • Consulate General of Greece in Istanbul @sismanogliomegaro 💫 BBB Cross-Border Screening Collaborators A special thanks to all partners and organisations who made the BBB Cross-Border Screening a reality. Together, we connected audiences from 12 cities: Istanbul, Timișoara, Veliko Tarnovo, Tirana, Bitola, Struga, Pescara, Prizren, Kalamata, Kozani, Bajina Bašta, and Belgrade, creating a shared experience of cinema, cultural exchange, and reflection. • Arsis @arsis.gr • TaM @tamvelikotarnovo • Center of Creative Documentary of Kalamata @doc_cafe_ • Peloponnisos International Documentary Film Festival @peldocfest • Drim Short Film Festival @drimshort • Basta Fest @bastafest • SFERA @sferainternational • Adriatic Film Festival @adriaticfilmfestival • KO:SH Film Fest @korcashortfest • Doku Fest • In the Palace @inthepalaceiff • Asociatia Culturala Con @asociatia.contrasens ✨ Special thanks To @ibb.beyoglusinemasi for their warm hospitality, to @uskudarbld — and especially Eren Altuntaş @eren_altuntas , Programme Coordinator & Curator — for facilitating an exceptional cultural exchange, to the @sismanogliomegaro for opening its doors and creating a memorable festival experience, to @kurukahveci_mehmet_efendi for the outstanding coffee, to @kikisiraselviler for joyful moments and a warm welcome, to @galataedu for promoting visibility and knowledge exchange, and to @newbornshortfilmagency for supporting the awards and nurturing emerging talents in AI. #16bbbsff #partners