Batumi International Art-House Film Festival

In 2006 was established Batumi International Art-House Film Festival (BIAFF), the goal of which is popularization of cinema, development of cultural relationship and exchange of experience between Georgian and foreign cinematographers. The official organizer of BIAFF is "Batumi House of Art Argani". The official supporter of Batumi Film Festival in 2008 is Batumi State Municipality. BIAFF is annual event and is held in second half of September. Festival is focusing on art-house films. The director of BIAFF - Giorgi Gogiberidze, BIAFF manager - Zviad Eliziani, program director - Christopher Kamyshev (Chicago International Documentary Film Festival director), curator of retrospectives and non-competition screenings is Andrzjei Slowicki, and organization group consisting of 20 person. BIAFF 2006 - First Batumi International Film Festival was held during 15-21 November. There was presented films from 23 countries (West and East Europe, Asia, America etc.). The festival was supported by Ministry of Culture and Education of Adjara AR, City municipality and private sponsors. Head of jury of BIAFF 2006 was Mr. Hans-Joachim Schlegel (Germany). At BIAFF 2006 during the festival was held the retrospective of famous Georgian Film director - Mikheil Kalatozishvili. The BIAFF 2006 was highlighted in Ukrainian TV channel "Culture" and US cinema magazine "Variety". BIAFF 2007 - Took place on 5-12 September. At BIAFF 2007 was represented the films from 19 countries. The film festival was opened by well known Russian film "Ostrov" (Island) directed by Pavel Lungin. Within the film festival program was arranged the retrospective of famous Polish film director Mr. Andrej Wajda and the series of seminar "Andrzej Wajda - Close View". It was supported by the Institute of Adam Mitskevich and Polish embassy. There was a delegation of Polish cinema film makers/actors including the honorary guest of Mr. Krzysztof Zanussi. The Head of Jury was Director of Chicago Film Festival - Mr. Christopher Camiszew.