Batumi to Host Int'l Art-House Film Festival

From September 16 to September 24, Georgia’s Black Sea coastal city Batumi will host International Art-house Film Festival (BIAF), to feature around 100 films from 35 countries.

To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the festival, Kote Mikaberidze's film "My Grandmother" will open the festival. Also, for his special contribution to cinematography, cameraman Lomer Akhvlediani will be awarded a special prize at the festival.

Artistic, documentary, short films and non-competitive films will be screened in Batumi at Era Square, outdoors.

The 13th Festival will have a five-member international jury. The chairman of the jury will be Sergey Rachlin, who is the chairman of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association - an organization that holds the American Golden Globe Award.

The mission of BIAFF is to be an international event designed to enhance cultural exchange, understanding, and collaboration through the screening of new art house-house and non-commercial films from Georgia and abroad.

The event provides an opportunity for well-known film-makers, producers and film critics to meet and share their expertise and works with other people in their respective fields, and gives local cinema lovers and other individuals a better understanding of the industry and its people through retrospectives.

BIAFF is also focused on providing a quality educational opportunity for those people interested in film and cinematography.  

By Thea Morrison