Balkan Culture

Call for Entries

15th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival ‘human traces’

Balkans Beyond Borders (BBB) announces that submissions for the 15th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival are now open. We invite filmmakers to apply and submit their short film exploring this year’s theme ‘human traces’ until May 10.

This year we delve into the theme ‘human traces’. Pondering upon our need to re-articulate the word 'beauty' we encounter the footprints that we, humans, have been imprinting on earth through our everyday practices. This realisation exposes a fundamental misconception regarding our relationship with the environment and living beings. What we consider beneficial for ‘our-selves’ does not necessarily hold true for the delicate ecosystems we inhabit. What is ‘beauty’ in the era of the Anthropocene?

The 15th edition of the Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival will take place in September, on the island of Spetses, in Greece. Through a selection of short films the festival becomes a space to present new narratives and experiences on the notion of place - ‘topos’ and the climate crisis within the context of human activity. Thus, the 15th BBB SFF invites us to collectively re-imagine our understanding of 'beauty', and how we might create a more enriched, diverse, and inclusive society.

Eligible criteria for short film submissions
Age: Short films by filmmakers up to 35 years old, or older than 35 under the condition that their submitted film is their debut.
Origin: Filmmakers with their origin from a Balkan country or/and their film to be a Balkan production.
Duration: Up to 30 minutes.
Genre: Fiction, animation, experimental and documentary short films, video art.
Theme: Short films relevant to the festival’s topic, ‘human traces’

All short film submissions will be reviewed by our pre-selection committee consisting of emerging professionals from the film industry.

The festival will award the winners with the BBB BEST FILM award (1000 €), the BBB FIRST ENTRY award (700€), the BBB Audience Award (300€), and three Special Mentions.

Apply through FilmFreeway here.

More information is available on our website, Facebook and Instagram page (@balkansbeyond). Contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.