Breaking Down Barriers

Perspektiva, a Russian disability non-governmental organization, is now accepting submissions for the 14th Breaking Down Barriers International Disability Film Festival. The festival will take place in Moscow, November 2025.

Breaking Down Barriers was launched in 2002 and has screened more than 1,000 films from 60 countries. More than 43,000 people have attended festivals in Moscow and more than 130,000 viewers in 30 cities across Russia have attended the Festival Echo.

The festival aims to educate the community about disability issues, while celebrating the lives and achievements of people with disabilities from all over the world. The Festival aims to educate members of the community about people with disabilities, about the challenges they face and the achievements they make. But more importantly, the festival features authentic stories that are moving and entertaining, that make you laugh and cry and empathize with the main characters.

The Breaking Down Barriers Festival accepts the following film categories: Feature Narrative, Short Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Public Service Announcements, and encourage the submission of films that have been produced by and with the close participation of persons with disabilities.

Eligibility requirements: All works submitted to the Breaking Down Barriers Disability Film Festival should portray a disability issue. We accept the following film categories: Feature Narrative, Short Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Public Service Announcements, Films Made for Children and encourage the submission of films that have been produced by and with the close participation of persons with disabilities. We also encourage films, made by film school students.