Thessaloniki Free Short Festival

EN
Thessaloniki Free Short Festival is a Free Short Film Festival for Student and Youth Filmmakers all over the world and Greek Filmmakers with a Live Event every year.

The team of Thessaloniki Free Short Festival consists of graduates and students of Art schools mostly from the area of ​​Thessaloniki. We work as a team. Our goal is to give filmmakers from all over the world (professionals and amateurs) the opportunity to participate in a short film festival at no cost, to showcase their work and to create a communication network between them.

It's Free to submit. We accept short films up to 30 minutes that were shot from 2022 onwards.

Our 1st Season (2021) was a success with 350 submissions from almost 50 Countries with a *Live Event* on September 17th at the Rooftop of Eterotopia, Thessaloniki, Greece. More than 100 people were in the open air cinema of Eterotopia to watch the live screenings Event and Award Ceremony.

Season 2 (2022) was a huge success with 3200 submissions from 115 countries and a *Live Screenings Event* on September 26th at WE (Thessaloniki). Over than 100 people was there to watch 10 Awarded Short Films. Directors and actors of some short films (Greek Competition) also attended, where they were awarded.

3rd Season (2023): Thessaloniki Free Short Festival from its third season changes its characteristics and acquires an identity. It is becoming a festival that is mainly addressed to new filmmakers from all over the world, with a focus on Student Filmmakers, Youth Filmmakers and Greek Filmmakers.

3300 submissions from 120 countries, 40 Judges from all over the World (previous Festival Winners), a collaboration with "Hallucinea Film Festival" from France and a 2day Live Event in Eterotopia and WE in the city of Thessaloniki (4th and 5th of October 2023) established the third season as a great success.

Season 4 (2024): Thessaloniki Free Short Festival focuses on Student and Youth Filmmakers from all over the World and Greek Filmmakers. Also, the festival to support in a way issues related to social racism and domestic violence, created the "Special Short Film Category", a category open to all Filmmakers (not only students). Finally, from this year the "Local Short Film" category is established, where it is addressed to Filmmakers (not only students) who shot their short film in the wider area of ​​Thessaloniki.

Categories:

1. Best International Student Short Film (Student ID is required. Short Films from 2022 onwards)
2. Best International Student Animated Short (Student ID is required. Short Films from 2022 onwards)
3. Best International Student Documentary Short (Student ID is required. Short Films from 2022 onwards)
4. Best International Youth Short Film (Short films made by under 18 years old filmmakers. Also school projects made by group of under 18 years old students are accepted. Short films from 2022 onwards)
5. Best International Special Short Film (Open Category for any Filmmaker - not only Student- that their Short Film presents issues about people who experience social racism or domestic violence on a daily basis, such as the lgbtqia+ community, racial segregation, people with disabilities, mental health, bullying, war, immigration, women's "me too" movement etc.. Short Films from 2022 onwards)
6. Best Greek Student Short Film (Student ID is required. Short films from 2022 onwards)
7. Best Greek Short Film (Open Category for any Greek production Short Film (not Student Short Films. Short Films from 2022 onwards)
8. Local Short Film (Short Films that have been shot in the wider area of Thessaloniki - The film should show locations of the wider area of Thessaloniki such as streets, buildings, monuments, etc. Short Films from 2022 onwards)

Selections:

12 Short Films from International Student Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
8 Short Films from Greek Student Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
5 Short Films from International Student Animated Short category will be selected as an Official Selection.
3 Short Films from Greek Student Animated Short category will be selected as an Official Selection.
5 Short Films from International Student Documentary Short category will be selected as an Official Selection.
3 Short Films from Greek Student Documentary Short category will be selected as an Official Selection.
8 Short Films from Greek Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
5 Short Films from International Youth Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
3 Short Films from Greek Youth Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
5 Short Films from Special Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.
3 Short Films from Local Short Film category will be selected as an Official Selection.

Also, 20 more Short Films (from all categories) will be selected as Semi-Finalists for online screenings only (online screenings will only take place with the submitter's consent). Also, will be consider for subcategories like best actress/actor, best vfx, best cinematography etc.

1 Winner in each category

Awards:

Best International Student Short Film
Best International Student Animated Short
Best International Student Documentary Short

Best Greek Student Short Film
Best Greek Student Animated Short
Best Greek Student Documentary Short

Best International Youth Short Film
Best Greek Youth Short Film

Best Greek Short Film

Best Special Short Film

Best Local Short Film

Also there will be Awards for: Best Student Director, Best Youth Director, Best Greek Director, Best Greek Student Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Greek Actor, Best Greek Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best VFX, Best Production Design etc.

Finally, a small number of films that did not manage to be among those that were finally selected as Official Selection or Semi-Finalst will receive a Honorable Mention for its high artistic level.

*ONLY SOME OF THE WINNING SHORT FILMS WILL BE SCREENED ON FESTIVAL'S ANNUAL LIVE EVENT*

Also there will be screenings online (only after the consent of the submitter) from the list of the selected Short Films.

Winners, Nominees and Official Selections would be announced on our Instagram and Facebook page
ig: thessalonikifreeshortfestival
facebook: Thessaloniki Free Short Festival

GR
Το Thessaloniki Free Short Festival είναι ένα Δωρεάν Φεστιβάλ Ταινιών Μικρού Μήκους κυρίως για φοιτητές και νέους κινηματογραφιστές απ' όλο τον κόσμο και Έλληνες κινηματογραφιστές, όπου ολοκληρώνεται με μία εκδήλωση προβολών κάποιων εκ των διακριθέντων ταινιών κάθε χρόνο.

Η ομάδα του Thessaloniki Free Short Festival αποτελείται από πτυχιούχους και φοιτητές Καλλιτεχνικών Σχολών κυρίως από την περιοχή της Θεσσαλονίκης. Δουλεύουμε ως ομάδα. Στόχος μας είναι να δώσουμε σε κινηματογραφιστές από όλο τον κόσμο (επαγγελματίες και ερασιτέχνες) την ευκαιρία να συμμετάσχουν σε ένα φεστιβάλ ταινιών μικρού μήκους χωρίς κόστος, να προβάλουν τη δουλειά τους και να δημιουργήσουν ένα δίκτυο επικοινωνίας μεταξύ τους.

Από φέτος στην 4η σεζόν του, το Thessaloniki Free Short Festival εστιάζει σε φοιτητές και νέους κινηματογραφιστές από όλο τον κόσμο και Έλληνες κινηματογραφιστές. Επίσης, το φεστιβάλ για να υποστηρίξει κατά κάποιο τρόπο θέματα που σχετίζονται με τον κοινωνικό ρατσισμό και την έμφυλη βία, την μετανάστευση, τον πόλεμο κ.ά. δημιούργησε την «Ειδική Κατηγορία Ταινιών Μικρού Μήκους» (Special Short Film), μια κατηγορία ανοιχτή σε όλους τους Κινηματογραφιστές (όχι μόνο φοιτητές). Τέλος, από φέτος καθιερώνεται η κατηγορία «Τοπική Ταινία Μικρού Μήκους» (Local Short Film), όπου απευθύνεται σε Κινηματογραφιστές (όχι μόνο φοιτητές) που γύρισαν την ταινία μικρού μήκους τους στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Θεσσαλονίκης.

*ΜΟΝΟ ΟΡΙΣΜΕΝΕΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΙΣ ΝΙΚΗΤΡΙΕΣ ΤΑΙΝΙΕΣ ΜΙΚΡΟΥ ΜΗΚΟΥΣ ΘΑ ΠΡΟΒΛΗΘΟΥΝ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΤΗΣΙΑ LIVE ΕΚΔΗΛΩΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ*