Burabay International Short Film Festival is an exceptional event that promotes cinema and the visual arts. It is also a meeting place for filmmakers from all around the world. The Eurasian Creative Guild (London) first initiated the annual international film festival in 2021 at the resort area of the Burabay National Park near the picturesque lake Borovoe (Kazakhstan) the beauty of which can be on par with Cannes and can even surpass Berlin and many other traditional festival venues. This fabulous nook of the planet has become a place for creative dialogue, as well as an inspiration for the generation of masterpieces in the field of art.

Short films are the main emphasis of BISFF. They reflect important social aspects of life in the Eurasian countries and include such genres as social drama, documentary film (dedicated to social issues), music video (video clip), mobile video, and animation. Today, such film content has become very popular for attracting great attention, especially against the backdrop of world events.

BISFF is a special project from the Eurasian Creative Guild Film Festival, which has been held for five years now in London. It is also a part of the annual Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art festival, which has become a long-expecting gathering place for talented artists, musicians, writers and poets, photographers and filmmakers from different cultures and peoples of the world since 2021. At the festival venues, you can find great ideas, like-minded people, industry peers, potential investors (part of the events take place on the basis of the five-star Rixos Borovoe hotel) and a grateful audience.

The Burabay festival is a grandiose opportunity to see and feel art live in the very heart of Greater Eurasia. And also, a chance to show public your own work at the international level.
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In 2024, a new category was added BEST YOUTH-CREATED SHORT FILM (Cinema Future). This category accepts entries from children between 11 and 18 years of age, irrespective of their nationality, country of residence, or religious affiliation.

This inclusive approach provides an opportunity for talented young filmmakers to showcase their work and engage with the global film community.

Through this festival, the Film Industry Expert Council ECG aims to encourage and celebrate the diversity of young voices in the world of cinema, nurturing a new generation of storytellers and visionaries.

Awards & Prizes

BEST SHORT FILM

BEST YOUTH-CREATED SHORT FILM (Cinema Future)

BEST ANIMATED FILM

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

BEST SOCIAL ISSUE DRAMA

BEST SCREENPLAY

BEST FILM on SOCIAL ISSUES

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

BEST MOBILE VIDEO

Rules & Terms

Please be sure to read the terms and conditions before submitting your film:

- BISFF accepts films from all over the world irrespective of length or genre. Participation for the members of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) is free of charge.

-All films in a language other than English or Russian must be subtitled or submitted with a script translated into English or Russian. ALWAYS CHECK THE QUALITY OF THE SUBTITLES. (The film can be withdrawn from the festival if the subtitles are incorrect or missed).

-All films must be from 10 to 52 minutes (exeprt children category)

-All films must be reflect important social promlems of life

– Exploitation or pornographic films will not be accepted.

– The submitter has personal responsibility for the copyrights for the film screening

– A fine of £1,000 could be imposed if a film was withdrawn from the festival after its official announcement and inclusion in the film festival program.

– The Organizing Committee of the Film Festival does not pay fees for downloading / screening films

Submission format:
Films entered for selection must be submitted on-line only. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLINE LINKS (OTHER THAN THE FilmFreeway ONLINE SCREENING PLATFORM) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

The ECG Film Festival reserve the right to use any material provided to us for marketing purposes and for display during Guild meetings .

All enquiries on the above may be directed to festival@ocamagazine.com.

Applications for screening out-of-competition on a commercial basis are also accepted.

Any film submitted cannot withdraw for any circumstances once the film has reached us and been publicly announced.

Winner statuettes are awarded only to the winners of the main nominations (winners in the Audience Choice Category are awarded only with a certificate).

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The RULES are ONLY about the 'BEST YOUTH-CREATED SHORT FILM' category (CINEMA FUTURE)

Films made by children between 11 and 18 years of age are eligible for this category.

The competition for Best Youth-Created Short Film is organised by The Film Industry Expert Council ECG.

- The parent/teacher must register on the FILMFREEWAY platform with their details and
those of the underage participant or group of filmmakers, upload the film (project) and pay the festival fee. This registration will be a confirmation that the parent/teacher is fully responsible for the minor participants actions and agrees to their participation in the competition.

- The film must be in color

The film where the Best realisation of an idea on screen will be awarded with a screening of the film in London as part of the VII ECG Film Festival in 2025.
Additionally, a feature article about the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will be published on the British news website Eurasianstar.

Addnational Awards ONLY for category 'BEST YOUTH-CREATED SHORT FILM':

Best Female/Male Actor
Best cameraman
Best Technical Specialist (editing, design)

For organizational questions about this category, please contact by email:
lvojevodina@gmail.com (project coordinator Lyudmila Vojevodina), according to
technical issues: startkino.kz@gmail.com (Chairman of the Film Industry Expert Council ECG Arman Alimzhanov).