Balkans Beyond Borders

Balkans Beyond Borders Building tolerant, inclusive and democratic societies through the art of short film and new media. The concept was formed in August 2009 in Berlin.

Who we are... in Brief

Balkans Beyond Borders (BBB) is a nongovernmental organisation formed by eight young professionals from Southeast Europe. Having its Head Office in Athens and official representatives (BBB Ambassadors) in all Balkan countries, the organisation seeks to promote youth mobility and youth cooperation in the Balkans through “dialogue”, “interaction” and “innovative learning”. Be

lieving that the region’s socio-economic development requires stability, cooperation and modernisation, Balkans Beyond Borders invests in the region’s young people. The organisation through its activities aims to contribute to the region’s better future and Europeanisation. Particularly, using the Art of short film and new media, Balkans Beyond Borders wants to boost intercultural dialogue and interaction among the young people of the region. By joining BBB’s activities, the youth from the Balkans learn to coexist, cooperate and overcome “borders”. In addition, while developing practical skills, they learn to overcome biases and prejudices; common negative features in the region, BBB aims to reduce. The organisation through its activities tries to broaden young people’s awareness on issues related to neighboring countries and enhance the sense of a “common European identity” amongst them. Finally, building on youth creativity, Balkans Beyond Borders brings forward current problems that concern the region’s younger generations. The organisation is also supported by a strong network of young successful individuals from Southeast Europe. Thanks to this network that BBB has actively developed, the organisation is present in 11 countries. In addition, Balkans Beyond Borders is collaborating with many NGOs, think tanks, film festivals, initiatives and institutions. Balkans Beyond Borders serves its mission in four ways: Film Festival, Workshops, Seminars and Network Developmet. How things started...

Balkans Beyond Borders started as an Initiative in 2009. At that time, 6 young professionals from 5 different countries of Southeast Europe met and co-worked within the frame of Southeast Europe and the EU Leadership Development Program (www.seeyoungleaders.org). This group of young professionals decided to initiate a project in order to promote the idea of regional cooperation. The Balkans Beyond Borders thematic short Film festival was born. In June 24th 2010, Balkans Beyond Borders became a nongovernmental organisation registered in Greece. Today, the organisation’s “core” team is shaped by eight young professionals coming from Greece, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Italy (more information about our team available at: http://www.balkansbeyondborders.eu/about/)

The 1st Short Film Festival took place in Belgrade in March 2010. BBB 2010 had as central theme the Inter-Balkan Cooperation. President of the board was the director and choreographer Konstantinos Rigos.

Έχουμε τη χαρά και την τιμή να συμμετέχουμε και να υποστηρίζουμε επικοινωνιακά την προβολή του ντοκιμαντέρ 🎬 «Από Τι Είμ...
08/05/2026

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

📍 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
• του προέδρου του «Περπατώ» Αλέξανδρου Ταξιλδάρη
• της Impact Producer της ταινίας Ανδριάνας Θεοχάρη
• του Visual Ethnographer του Balkan Beyond Borders, Κωνσταντίνου Γιατρά
• 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 προβολή της ταινίας πραγματοποιείται με προσβάσιμους υπότιτλους.

Η εκδήλωση συνδιοργανώνεται από τον σύλλογο Περπατώ, την , και το Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης.

Impact Partners: ,
Διανομή :
Χορηγός Επικοινωνίας της impact campaign : και .gr

📬 SUBMISSIONS ARE OPENSometimes the most important stories are not hidden; they simply lie beyond the frames through w...
31/03/2026

📬 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: filmfreeway.com/BalkansBeyondBordersShortFilmFestival
📜Learn more about the call and Participation Terms  https://tinyurl.com/4fajue25

All short film submissions will be reviewed by our pre-selection committee consisting of emerging professionals from the film industry.


Round table: Film Festivals programming and selection processesOn Sunday 9th we had the opportunity to discuss how fe...
19/11/2025



Round table: Film Festivals programming and selection processes

On Sunday 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.

CINE FORUM III wrap up 👇 On Friday, November 7, we had the pleasure of being invited to Galata University’s Frej Coffe...
19/11/2025

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.

- A BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION AT SISMANOGLIO MEGARO - with the support of the Consulate General of Greece in Ιstanbul-Sisman...
18/11/2025

- A BEAUTIFUL RECEPTION AT SISMANOGLIO MEGARO - with the support of the Consulate General of Greece in Ιstanbul-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, and to the Head of the Public Diplomacy Office, Mr. Georgios Mamalos, whose vision and care made this gathering—and the delicious treat—possible.

Raising a glass to cinema and the bridges it builds! Thank you for making us feel truly at home. 🥂

Q&A SESSIONS Day 4The last day of the 16th BBB SFF we had the last Competition Programme screening session titled “TOP...
18/11/2025

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”

Q&A SESSIONS Day 3The third day of the 16th BBB SFF the screening sessions travelled to the Eastern side of Istanbul, ...
18/11/2025

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 leading 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”

Q&A SESSIONS Day 2The second day of the 16th BBB SFF we had 3 Q&A sessions.First, the screening session Filmexploring ...
17/11/2025

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:
🎤 Deniz Büyükkırlı (director) 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.

Q&A SESSIONS Day 1 The Opening day of the 16th BBB SFF after the Competition Programme screening titled “Unexpected in...
17/11/2025

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 .beyoglusinemasi

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