We are happy to announce the official opening of the 4th KISFFO (Karditsa International Short Film Festival Opseis) that will take place from 27 to 30 August 2026 in the town of Karditsa, Thessaly, Greece. This is the fourth year for the festival and your participation will contribute to the success of this independent celebration for the art of cinema.

This annual festival includes a short film contest, live screenings, an award ceremony, side events, panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and tributes to honored artists.

KISFFO is an independent short film festival that accepts film submissions with open theme from all countries, Greece included. Our vision for KISFFO is to bring together talented filmmakers and art lovers from all over the world and to be a source of inspiration for creators who want to share their vision, promoting dialogue between different cultures through the art of Cinema.

All submitted films will be reviewed exclusively from the experienced committee of the festival, and will be judged for their overall cinematic result. The films that will get the ‘Cinematic Achievement Award’ will have the opportunity to be screened live during the festival.

KISFFO has a contestive character. The 4th KISFFO awards that are mentioned below will be judged exclusively by the festival committee and include the following categories:
• Cinematic Achievement Award
• Best Short Film National Award - "Periklis Hoursoglou"
• Best Short Film International Award - "Pantelis Voulgaris"
• Best Short Documentary Award
• Best Animation Short Film Award - "Nickolas Cotoulas"
• Best Short Experimental Film Award - "Angelos Frantzis"
• Best Short Student Film Award

4th KISFFO may also include Audience Awards for the same categories mentioned above that will be judged by the audience during the festival live screenings.

The KISFFO committee may also award the following categories:
Direction
Best Photography
Original Music
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Editing

KISFFO is an independent short film festival that accepts film submissions with open theme of maximum 30` minutes duration, from all countries, Greece included.
1. Submitted film files must be in h.264/mp4 film format, with an ideal size of 2-3Gb. They also have to be accompanied by a trailer – a poster – and a minimum number of 5 pictures.
2. All films or film parts that are not in English must include English subtitles.
3. Film submissions are free of charge.
4. Film submissions will be accepted only through the FilmFreeway platform.
5. All KISFFO committee decisions are considered final.
6. The festival has the right to maintain backup file copies of every film and the accompanying content submitted, as a part of a “film library”. Films and content may be presented whenever, for public awareness, promotional, educational, or other purposes, with the concent of each film director.
7. Trailers or other accompanying content, from films submitted in KISFFO, may be entirely/partially presented, outdoors, indoors, on television and/or in social media on the internet, exclusively for the purposes of publicity and promotion of Creators and of the Festival, with the concent of each film director..
8. Films and the accompanying content submitted, must be original work of the Creators, without violating any copyright or other third party rights. Every person or organization that submits a film in KISFFO, agrees that all copyrights for music, sound, pictures etc. that are part of the film, have been purchased, and that also carries full responsibility for the compliance with these specific terms.
9. KISFFO organizers maintain the rights to change, cancel or reschedule festival dates, places, prizes and award categories, without the approval or previous notice of contestants.
10. The judging committee of the festival exclusively maintains the right to award each ‘Cinematic Achievement Award’.
11. By submitting a film, you agree that film festivals that collaborate with KISFFO may send you an invitation for you, to submit the same film to their festivals as well.
12. KISFFO accepts submitted film creations that have been completed not before January 2024.
13. Every director has the righ to submit only 1 film for this season.
14. In case that a director chooses KISFFO for a film's premier, we should be noted, as this is going to be very positively considered.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • The 3rd Karditsa International Short Film Festival “Opseis” (KISFFO 2025), held from August 28 to 31 in Karditsa, Greece, offered a magical open-air celebration of cinema under the summer sky. The opening night featured a moving tribute to composer Mikis Theodorakis, followed by Yiannis Soldatos’ documentary The Adventure of a Poem.
    A highlight of the festival was the Cinematic Achievement Award screenings, which included films from Greece, Armenia, and Bangladesh. Fozle Rabby’s The Eternal Journey deeply impressed audiences, later receiving both the Cinematic Achievement Award and the Best Short Experimental Film Award, newly dedicated to Greek filmmaker Angelos Frantzis.
    The festival concluded with an inspiring award ceremony, where Pankaj Chowdhury Rony was honored with the Best Short International Actor Award for his transformative performance in The Eternal Journey. KISFFO 2025 stood out as a bridge between cultures, blending art, history, and identity in a truly memorable celebration of short films.

    September 2025
  • anant keni

    It was great feeling when my film was awarded at the prestigious KISFFO .
    I wish them all the luck in future editions

    September 2025
  • Dimitris Panakis

    Amazing festival. Great quality of movies. Friendly atmosphere!

    September 2025
  • Christodoulos Kigmalis

    A huge "Thank You" to KISFFO that Awarded my short film "50 Euro". Pavlos Vissariou and the entire festival team do an excellent job. Keep up and see ya soon with my new film...

    September 2025
  • An outstanding festival that truly embraces the work of emerging creators, placing great emphasis on hospitality and meaningful exchange with people from the film industry and the local community. The atmosphere is warm, and the screening experience is unique, set in the open-air theater garden that evokes the essence of summer. I felt that my film was genuinely appreciated through this festival, and I highly recommend submitting your work at the first opportunity and making sure to visit it in person.

    September 2025