Conclusion and Awards of the 15th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival
Spetses, Greece | October 9-12, 2024
The 15th edition of the Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival with the title Human Traces successfully concluded in Spetses. The festival showcased 28 films from young Balkan filmmakers, alongside international selections, sparking discussions on the role of cinema in society and sustainability, workshops and networking events creating a platform of exchanging ideas and building valuable connections. The festival also fostered a deep connection with the island and its people organising its activities in several spots allowing the particicipants to explore its rich cultural and natural heritage, further enhancing the communal spirit of the festival.
Our esteemed jury – Alba Cakali, Festival Producer of Dokufest (Kosovo); Alexia Tsouni, filmmaker and activist (Greece); and Fabio Bego, scholar and film programmer (Albania) – selected the winners and special mentions. They were impressed by the films’ unique aesthetic, narrative depth, and their connection to this year’s theme.
The BBB Best Film Award (€1000) was awarded to Rooted in Code by Nejc Trampuž, Slovenia, a film of mixed technique, including artificial intelligence, with a stochastic mood, a great tool for environmental advocacy. The BBB First Entry Award (€500) went to WATER OF LIFE by Sündüs Gören, Turkey, which shows the pressing issue of forced urbanisation through an emotional story of grief and memory.
Additionally, the Jury recognised exceptional directorial and aesthetic approaches in three short films:
MAVERA directed by Batuhan Ibrahim (North Macedonia). An interesting story of relocation and absurd bureaucratic labyrinth, with creative narrative, exceptional photography and sound.
Hayati, directed by Ozan Boz (Turkey). The experiential contact with nature in a story which highlights the contradictions with its approach as a consumer product.
мала чешма / Tiny fountain directed by Stratis Alvanos (Greece). An experimental documentary on collective trauma, where every drop of water and every stone hide a story awaiting narration in a historically charged landscape.
Once again, the audience’s involvement in voting for their favorite short film proved invaluable this year. The BBB Audience Award (€300), selected by festival attendees, was given to TRADITION directed by Ali Rıza Bayazıt.
In addition to the competition program, the 15th BBB SFF offered a rich selection of screenings. The BBB Beyond, with international screening sections. The BBB Focus: Georgia, in collaboration with Kutaisi International Short Film Festival & Taoba International Youth Film Festival, highlighted the work of emerging Georgian filmmakers. BBB & Co: EthnoDoc I, in partnership with the Athens Ethnographic Film Festival -Ethnofest- and EthnoDoc II in partnership with the Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival, provided a platform for ethnographic storytelling, reflecting on cultural identities across the Balkans.
The 15th edition of Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival – Human Traces – celebrated togetherness through the “BBB cross-European screening” by showcasing a competition section, for the first time, simultaneously in Bitola (North Macedonia), Niksic (Montenegro), Tirana (Albania) and Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria).
Moreover, the BBB cine-forum II explored cinema as a tool for social transformation. Two roundtable discussions, “Cinema and the Environment” and “Cinema as a Tool for Emancipation and Social Transformation” featured filmmakers and scholars addressing the role of cinema in fostering sustainable practices and empowering marginalized voices. The parallel activity BBB in the Neighborhood – Spetses Empowering Youth Through Film and Environmental Awareness, offered to the high school students of Spetses the opportunity to learn storytelling techniques and basic filmmaking skills while raising awareness about critical environmental issues affecting their island. Following the workshops, students participated in a filmmaking marathon, where they created their short video using their mobile phones. The created short film was presented at the festival on a special screening on the last day.
The ΒΒΒ Cine-forum and BBB in the Neighborhood – Spetses Empowering Youth Through Film and Environmental Awareness, were organized in collaboration with Action Bomaye and co-funded by the European Union.
The 15th BBB SFF was made possible through a collaborative effort with the Community Trust Spetses and the Spetses Commercial & Industrial Association. We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners and supporters, such as, the Ministry of Culture of Greece, the Greek Film Center, the Tourist Organisation and the Municipality of Spetses.
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