Athens International Film Festival 2024
The Athens International Film Festival is set to return once again to the historic city of Athens from the 2nd until the 14th of October 2024. The festival was established in 1995 by the Athens Film Society, a non-profit organization. Since the beginning, its main objective was to introduce audiences to lesser-known aspects and genres of independent cinema from both international and Greek filmmakers.
Throughout its almost 30-year history, AIFF has seen some of the most seminal works of modern independent filmmaking materialize on its screens. This is where Greek audiences were first introduced to Richard Linklater’s deeply honest and grounded romance Before Sunrise, the Coen Brothers’ cult-classic Fargo, and Sofia Coppola’s melancholic tale of loneliness and human connection Lost In Translation. With its latest installment, AIFF aims to continue this tradition, presenting its audience of over 50,000 movie-goers with a handpicked selection of independent productions from all over the world.
Among the exciting list of films in this year’s lineup, especially of note is Francis Ford Coppola’s magnum opus Megalopolis. Having been in production for decades, this long-awaited sci-fi epic will grace the screen of the festival on October 11th, over a month before it is widely released in theaters. Much anticipation surrounds the screening of Anora, the Sean Baker-written and directed independent drama that first debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim. Also set to premiere is the much-talked-about No Other Land, a 2024 documentary depicting the unlikely friendship between Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
The beloved Greek Short Stories Competition Program will return for the 12th year under the AIFF banner, showcasing short films from both established and emerging Greek and Cyprian filmmakers. Out of a record-breaking total of 373 entries, 46 films have been selected for this year’s screenings, each one representing a unique piece of the country’s multi-dimensional and vibrant filmmaking scene. A jury of reputable members of the Greek art community is set to judge the competition. Awards and accompanying cash prizes are offered to the winners in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Male and Female Performance.
The venues that will host this year’s edition of the Athens International Film Festival are; Danaos Cinema, Astor Theater, Asty Cinema, Cinobo Opera, Pallas Theater, Megaro Athens Concert Hall, and the French Institute of Greece.