The third edition of Travel Fest Albania concluded in grand style with an award ceremony that brought together students from the European University of Tirana, lecturers, and film enthusiasts. The event, hosted by festival director Pandeli Ceco and Belina Budini, Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts, celebrated exceptional achievements in both photography and filmmaking.

Seven photographers were awarded for their captivating work, capturing themes related to tradition, heritage, the human spirit, wildlife, and culture. Their stunning imagery offered a deep reflection on the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

In the realm of filmmaking, five authors were honored for their excellence in technical categories, including film editing, screenwriting, cinematography, and sound design. These awards highlighted the artistry and craftsmanship behind the festival’s showcased films.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the 12 best films in each category, culminating with the award for Best Film, which went to When Fish Begin to Crawl from the United Kingdom, directed by Morag McKinnon and Jim Sutherland.

When Fish Begin to Crawl is a 65-minute immersive film triptych accompanied by a symphonic soundtrack performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Presented purely through the language of music and visuals, it tells a universal story about the deep connection between humanity, nature, and time. The film takes viewers on an impressionistic journey, from the formation of galaxies to the mysterious emergence of microscopic life on Earth, exploring the explosion of biodiversity and addressing the present-day ecological crises. Through its evocative imagery and Jim Sutherland's impressionistic score, When Fish Begin to Crawl reminds us of the interconnection and interdependence of all elements in nature, from the microscopic to the macroscopic.

The festival’s third edition served as an inspiring platform for celebrating artistic exploration and fostering a deeper understanding of the world’s cultural and natural heritage through visual storytelling.

More info: travelfestalbania.com

- - - Film Festival Awards - - -

Best Travel Fest Film
Best Nature & Wildlife Film
Best Environment & Ecology Film
Best Destinations Film
Best History & Heritage Film
Best Adventure Film
Best Expeditions & Routes Film
Best Food & Drink Film
Best Tv & Web Series
Best Video
Best Student Film
Best Animation Film
Best Albanian Film
Best Director
Best Screenwriter
Best Editor
Best Cinematographer
Best Sound Designer
Audience Award
Honorable Mention Awards

The winners of categories and special prizes will be awarded with trophies, certificates and laurels. Special Mention Awards with certificate and laurel.

- - - Photography Contest Awards - - -

Best Photo of Travel Fest
Landscape Best Photo
Wildlife Best Photo
Ocean Best Photo
City life Best Photo
Food & Drink Best Photo
People Best Photo
Albania Best Photo

The winners of Best Photo of Travel Fest will be awarded with trophy, certificate and laurel. The winners of categories will be awarded with certificates and laurels.

- - - Film Festival - - -

• The submitter guarantees full rights to the submission, including attached press and advertising material.
• Film screenings of the submitted films are free of charge for the organizer. Any demo fees, license fees, or costs of any kind will not be due or borne by the submitter. The responsibility for not violating third-party rights lies with the submitter, and any costs incurred are the submitter's responsibility.
• We prefer films submitted to have been made within the last three years.
• The film must be submitted in English or with English subtitles, (.srt file, not burned) and the submitter is responsible for the translation's correctness.
• Submission is only possible via FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/TravelFestAlbania
• All films must be available for download from FilmFreeway via Vimeo or YouTube links.
• The festival reserves the right to reclassify festival entries into other categories where deemed appropriate.
• The festival reserves the right to compile entries on a "Festival Reel" or similar, including processed forms, and distribute them on a medium deemed appropriate, also for education, promotion, and awareness purposes. This also applies to stills/images provided to the festival.
• The entrants transfer all rights appropriate in this context upon entering the festival entry.
• The festival reserves the right to use all recordings taken at the festival for any promotional purpose in any medium deemed appropriate.
• The festival reserves the right to exclude entries from the competition.
• The festival organization does not accept any responsibility for the festival's cancellation due to force majeure.
• All films should be submitted electronically in resolution: Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), 16:9 (other resolution accepted for mobile films), Video codec: H.264, Audio codec: AAC, format: MP4, MOV, AVI. DVDs or other media will not be accepted.
• Unsolicited submitted materials will not be returned.
• The submission fee may vary depending on the time of submission. The fee is payable on the day of submission, with exclusive early bird discounts possibly applying.
• More than one film per submitter may be submitted. Each submission requires separate submission documents and a separate fee.
• A refund of the festival fee is not possible under any circumstances.
• All nominated films and respective winners must be confirmed by the festival management. The jury's decisions are not contestable and not subject to any legal appeal.
• Winners who cannot attend the festival and wish to receive their trophy after the festival must inform the organization and pay the respective shipping costs.
• Changes to the regulations can be made by the festival management at any time.
• By submitting their film, the submitters agree to allow the screening of their film without notification from the festival for educational purposes or during Travel Fest events like "Travel Fest on Tour" or "Travel Fest Lab."
• By submitting, the submitter assures that they have read, understood, and accepted all regulations of the Festival.

- - - Photography Contest - - -

• Photo submission is free of charge.
• Each submission is regardless of the format or equipment used.
• Each submission must include:

1. Title
2. Author’s name
3. Author’s country
4. Author’s statement / or presentation note / or Letter of intent: 100 - 200 characters.
• You must be the author of the picture. If you are an agent or a representative, you must specify it in the credits section in your project profile.
• Amateurs and professionals are accepted, and any device is accepted. The focus is on the quality of your work, not your status or the camera you used.
• By submitting, you give express authorization to the festival, its managing entities, and its direct partners to show, showcase, exhibit your submitted work with no limitation, via any network, digital or print, for all non-commercial purposes.
• Contest photographs must be saved in the jpg/jpeg format, 150-300 dpi, and 7-12 compression quality, with a short edge of a minimum of 3000 pixels and a long edge of a maximum of 5000 pixels. The size of the files should not be less than 4 Mb.
• Some Editing is acceptable.
• Entries are final and non-refundable.
• Submission is possible via FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/TravelFestAlbania or by https://travelfestalbania.com/
• More than one photography per submitter may be submitted. Each submission requires separate submission documents and a separate fee.
• Changes to the regulations can be made by the festival management at any time.
• With the submission, the submitter assures that they have read, understood, and accepted all regulations of the contest.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Great festival to participate in because they really put one's work on display.

    October 2024
  • Adrian Guri

    Very good festival. Good films and organized well. The festival crew is very friendly and nice.

    October 2024
  • Great festival! Good job everyone!

    October 2024
  • Ekstra! Predivno iskustvo! Sve pohvale organizatorima!

    November 2023
  • Pandeli is a passionate organiser and director who is keen to put all the participants in the best possible conditions. The whole team is professional and super-friendly. The films are screened in magnificent locations steeped in history. I have very fond memories of my time in Albania, which is becoming increasingly open to the world. And the Travel Fest festival is part of that process. My special thanks go to Pandeli, the jury, all the volunteers and the public who make this festival possible. I was lucky enough to win Best Travel Fest Film with my documentary "Quest for Silence". Great experience !

    November 2023