Tbilisi International Film Festival

Overview

The Tbilisi International Film Festival (TIFF) is Georgia's primary international film festival, held annually in December at Amirani Cinema in Tbilisi. Founded in 2000 as part of the Georgian International Festival of Arts (GIFT), the festival became independent in 2002 under the organization of the Cinema Art Center Prometheus. The 26th edition runs December 1 to 7, 2025.

The festival screens approximately 40 international titles and 30 new Georgian films across its established sections: European Forum, Made in Germany, French Collection, New Italian Cinema, and Georgian Panorama. The 25th edition (December 2024) opened with Tato Kotetishvili's "Holy Electricity," which won the Golden Leopard in the Young Directors Competition at the Locarno Film Festival.

The 26th edition (December 2025) operates on a reduced scale due to the withdrawal of government funding. The international competition section has been suspended, and the Industry Days program, previously supporting emerging Georgian filmmakers, has been largely cancelled. Despite these limitations, the festival continues with support from the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, the United Nations Development Programme, the Goethe-Institut, the French Institute, and the embassies of Italy, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Austria. The general partner is TBC Concept.

For filmmakers submitting to Tbilisi, the international competition (when active) accepts first and second full-length fiction films from European directors that have not been presented at any motion picture event in Georgia. The Georgian Panorama section accepts Georgian or co-produced films directed by Georgians. Accreditation costs 35 GEL (approximately $13 USD).

Key Sections

• International Competition (suspended for 26th edition) - first and second full-length fiction films from European directors, not previously screened at any event in Georgia
• Georgian Panorama - the latest Georgian films; competitive section with jury awards in feature fiction, feature documentary, short fiction, and short documentary
• European Forum - recent full-length fiction films from European countries
• Made in Germany - the latest German films, in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Georgien
• French Collection - French cinema selections, in collaboration with the French Institute
• New Italian Cinema - presented by New Italian Cinema Events (N.I.C.E.)
• Horizons - full-length fiction films from outside Europe
• World in Docs - documentaries from around the world
• Director in Focus / Country in Focus - dedicated retrospective programs
• Film Schools - student film screenings

Submission Details

• International Competition: Open to first and second full-length fiction films from European directors. Films must not have been presented at any motion picture event in Georgia. Submission via entry form with digital copy (DVD, Blu-ray, or internet link) sent by mail or courier to: Cinema Art Center Prometheus, 164 Aghmashenebeli Avenue, 0112 Tbilisi, Georgia. Mark packages: "For cultural purposes only, no commercial value."
• Georgian Panorama: Open to Georgian or co-produced films (with Georgian participation) directed by Georgians. Applications announced via the festival website.
• Accreditation fee: 35 GEL (approximately $13 USD) for press, film industry, and festival partners. Registration via Google Form. Number of accreditations is limited.
• Submission fee: Not publicly listed; consult the festival website for current details
• Contact for submissions: accreditations@tbilisifilmfestival.ge
• Full regulations: Available at tbilisifilmfestival.ge

Major Awards

• Golden Prometheus - best film in the international competition
• Silver Prometheus - best director
• Special Jury Award - can be given to an actor, composer, editor, director of photography, producer, scriptwriter, or set designer
• Georgian Panorama Awards (4 categories) - best feature fiction, best feature documentary, best short fiction, best short documentary
• Best Depiction of Human Rights in Georgian Cinema - special award supported by the European Union, for both fiction and documentary categories
• Best Cinematography, Georgian Film - nomination established by the Georgian Cinematographers Association

What Filmmakers Should Know

The Tbilisi International Film Festival is navigating a funding crisis. The withdrawal of government funding for the 26th edition (December 2025) means the international competition is suspended and the Industry Days program is largely cancelled. Filmmakers who previously relied on Tbilisi for European competition exposure or industry networking should verify the current program structure before submitting.

The Cinema Art Center Prometheus, the festival's organizer, has filed a lawsuit against the Georgian National Film Center over the funding withdrawal. The festival's future competition structure depends on the outcome of this dispute and whether government funding is restored.

For Georgian filmmakers, the Georgian Panorama section remains active and is the primary national showcase. The four jury categories (feature fiction, feature documentary, short fiction, short documentary) plus the EU-supported human rights award make this the most important domestic evaluation platform for Georgian cinema. The new Best Cinematography award from the Georgian Cinematographers Association adds a craft-specific recognition.

For European filmmakers with debut or second films, the international competition (when active) is a viable submission target. The restriction that films must not have screened at any event in Georgia means Tbilisi functions as a Georgian premiere platform for international work. The festival's European Forum section also screens recent European fiction films outside competition.

The festival does not have an attached film market. It is not an Academy Award-qualifying festival. The primary value for international attendees is access to Georgian and Caucasus-region cinema, networking with regional filmmakers, and the festival's industry program (when active), which includes workshops, panel discussions, and master classes. The festival's stated goal is to become a gathering point for directors, producers, sales agents, and distributors in the South Caucasus.

All screenings take place at Amirani Cinema in Tbilisi. The festival typically runs for 7 to 8 days in late November or early December.

Festival History

The Tbilisi International Film Festival was first held in 2000 as part of the Georgian International Festival of Arts (GIFT). When GIFT faced closure in 2002, a group of cultural figures (Gaga Chkheidze, Nino Anjaparidze, Lasha Bakradze, David Bukhrikidze, Besik Danelia, Guga Kotetishvili, Gaga Lomidze, and Giorgi Kajrishvili) founded the Cinema Art Center Prometheus to keep the film festival alive. Prometheus organized the 2002 edition independently with minimal funding.

In 2004, the Georgian National Film Center began funding the festival alongside private sponsors. In subsequent years, the Tbilisi City Hall and the Ministry of Culture joined as supporters. The festival grew over its first two decades, adding sections like European Forum, Horizons, and the international competition for European debut and second films.

The festival has operated through Georgia's post-Soviet transition, including the 2008 war with Russia. The 25th edition (December 2024) opened with "Holy Electricity" by Tato Kotetishvili, a Georgian-Dutch co-production that won the Golden Leopard at Locarno. The 26th edition (December 2025) was announced with a reduced program due to the withdrawal of government funding, relying on international institutional support from the EU, UNDP, Goethe-Institut, French Institute, and several European embassies.

The Prometheus Art Center's lawsuit against the Georgian National Film Center over the funding withdrawal is ongoing, and the festival's long-term financial structure remains uncertain.

See Also

For festival submission strategy and budgeting, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For understanding Caucasus and Eurasian cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For general festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.