BIAFF 2023  Batumi Film Festival Awards

The 18th Batumi International Art-house Film Festival was held in Batumi during 17-24 September. Batumi International Film Festival was established in 2006. Organizer of the film festival - Batumi House of Artists "Argani".

On 24 September, in Batumi Drama Theatre was held closing ceremony of BIAFF Film festival.  At closing ceremony International Jury announced the following prize:

BIAFF  International Feature Films Competition section  - consisting of five members –  Giorgi Ovashvili (Georgia) – head of jury, Andrzej Slowicki (Germany), Mehmet Ali Arslan (Turkey),  Diana Martirosyan (Armenia), Nika Abramishvili (Georgia), awarded the following prizes:

• Best Film – “Critical Zone”, Ali Ahmadzadej, Iran/German, 2023
• Best Film Director – Tinatin Kajrishvili for film “Citizen Saint”, Georgia/France/Bulgaria
• Best Actress - Eka Chavleishivli in film “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” by Elene Naveriani, Switzerland/Georgia, 2023
• Best Actor – Michal Zurawski in film “Shreds”, Beata Dzianowicz, Poland, 2022
• Jury Special Mention - Blaga's Lesson, Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria/Germany, 2023 and   “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry”, Elene Naveriani, Switzerland/Georgia, 2023  

BIAFF 2023 Short Film competition section’s Jury consisting of – Tamar Bartaia (Georgia) – head of jury, Artur Veeber (Estonia), Rusudan Glurjidze (Georgia), awarded the following prizes:

• The Best Short film – “Dead Marriage”, Michał Toczek, Poland, 2022
• Jury Special Mention – “Duck Hunting”, Giorgi Kobalia, Georgia, 2023, 20 min.

Prize of Jury (non-official) of Batumi Cinemalover’s Club  (Roi Abuselidze, Anna Oromtsadze, Dachi Mejidov) – awarded to Films:

• “Citizen Saint”, Tinatin Kajrishvili, Georgia/France/Bulgaria, 2023
• “Shreds”, Beata Dzianowicz, Poland, 2022

BIAFF 2023 Life time Achievement awards for contribution to cinema was granted to:

• Zurab Kipshidze (Georgia)
• Revaz Makhatadze (Georgia)
• Giuli Chokheli (Georgia)

Festival Supporters – Georgian National Film Centre,  French Institute, Embassy of Italy, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Lietuva, Batumi Puppet Theatre

Festival Sponsors – Cinema APOLLO, Arrebato Films, hotel “DOWNTOWN“, Mareteli Friends Winery, Restaurant MASPINDZELO

Festival Media Partners – Georgian Public Broadcaster, Radio Fortuna/Fortuna+, Adjara TV, Batumi TV, Podcast Batumi, Film New Europe (www.filmneweurope.com), AT.GE, Newspaper BATUMELEBI, netgazeti.ge,   on.ge

Contact information:

Tel: 599-482181, info@biaff.org, For accreditation – press@biaff.org

Web: www.biaff.org, www.facebook.com/biaffbatumi