We are delighted to welcome you to the 12th edition of the International Alexandria Short Film Festival (IASFF), taking place from September 13 to 19.
This year marks a special milestone: for the first time, the festival expands beyond the boundaries of Alexandria, bringing its screenings to new venues across Imathia. This cinematic journey will culminate at the iconic archaeological site of Aigai – the Royal Tombs of Vergina, where contemporary cinema meets history and world cultural heritage.
Through the International Competition, Documentaries, Animation, Student Balkan Competition, as well as the 2nd Student Competition, IASFF once again showcases fresh ideas and emerging filmmakers from Greece, the Balkans, and around the world.
Thank you for supporting this important cultural gathering.
Enjoy the screenings!
Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 19:30
Spiritual and Cultural Center of Alexandria
In the presence of director Stavros Psyllakis
Documentary | 89′ | 2025
Director: Stavros Psyllakis
For 26 years (1972–1998), Swiss dentist Julien Grivel travelled to Athens, often accompanied by his wife Christiane, providing free dental care to people affected by Hansen’s disease at the “Agia Varvara” Hospital.
From a seaside location he calls “my safe place,” he reflects on the profound inner journey that helped him see the world and life differently.
Featuring Julien Grivel and Manolis Foundoulakis, a former patient of the hospital, the film follows the “sculpting of the soul” of Julien and the way this long inner journey has shaped his life and led him towards his own Ithaca.
Sunday, September 13 | Courtyard of the Spiritual and Cultural Center
Following the official opening of IASFF12 and the screening of Stavros Psyllakis’ award-winning film Sculpted Souls, the courtyard of the Spiritual and Cultural Center transforms into a vibrant musical setting filled with rhythm, atmosphere, and melodies.
Coconuts, a musical duo from Thessaloniki, present a special live performance combining ex
pressive vocals, saxophone, live percussion, and electronic sounds. Since 2024, they have been reimagining beloved songs through a contemporary deep-house aesthetic, creating a distinctive soundscape where live performance, improvisation, and dynamic electronic rhythms come together.
A night of music under the stars, where the festival’s cinematic experience continues through sound and the live energy of Coconuts.
Coconuts
Vocals: Elena Tsigara
Saxophone, Percussion & Electronic Arrangements: Sakis Raptopoulos
Saturday, September 19, 2026
19:30 | Alexandria Railway Station (Café Stathmos)
The 12th International Alexandria Short Film Festival comes to a close with a unique cinematic and musical experience.
The closing ceremony will include the festival awards ceremony and a screening of Stavros Tsiolis’ iconic film Let the Women Wait!, with all the songs from the film performed live on stage by the Babis Batmanidis Co(m)pany.
A unique fusion of cinema and live music, where one of the most beloved films of Greek cinema meets the stage energy of a large ensemble, creating an original viewing and listening experience.
Stavros Tsiolis’ film, with its distinctive humor, popular sensibility, and unforgettable dialogue, continues to move audiences and attract new generations of viewers, standing as a timeless portrait of Greek society.
With their characteristic explosive stage presence, the Babis Batmanidis Co(m)pany bring the film’s musical anthology to life in a night filled with images, songs, laughter, and cinematic nostalgia.
Friday, September 18, 2026
19:30 | Aigai – Royal Tombs of Vergina
The International Alexandria Short Film Festival travels to Aigai, creating a unique cinematic encounter at the Royal Tombs of Vergina, a site of outstanding global cultural significance.
As part of Young Balkan Filmmaker, the Balkan Competition will be presented in a unique open-air screening, featuring films by emerging filmmakers from Southeastern Europe that explore contemporary stories, diverse cultures, and shared experiences.
A special evening where contemporary Balkan cinema meets the history and cultural heritage of Aigai, creating an open dialogue between memory, place, and new cinematic voices.
Student Competition
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
10:00 a.m. | Alexandria Cultural Center
Free Admission – Discussions with Students and Teachers
For the second consecutive year, the International Alexandria Short Film Festival continues its Student Competition, providing a platform for the creativity and imagination of young filmmakers from Imathia.
The 12th edition features 15 student teams from schools across Imathia, who have created their own short films through a process of education, collaboration, and cinematic expression.
The students took part in free filmmaking seminars and workshops organized by the KINIMATODRASIS Film Club, discovering the essential stages of filmmaking, from developing an idea and writing a script to shooting and final editing.
The Student Competition serves as an important bridge between education and culture, encouraging young people to tell their own stories, collaborate, and discover the power of cinematic language.