Batumi International Art-house Film Festival (BIAFF) in Georgia: dates, meaning and how to experience it

By Mariam Lomidze, GTour desk · Fact-checked against the sources listed · Last checked 25 October 2026 · Editorial policy

What it is

The Batumi International Art-house Film Festival, generally known by its acronym BIAFF, is an annual international competition and screening programme dedicated to independent, non-commercial cinema. The Georgian name translates straightforwardly as “Batumi international film festival of art [films]” — “khelovnebis” meaning “of art” and distinguishing the event from mainstream, studio-driven releases. Unlike the religious feasts and agricultural holidays that structure much of the Georgian calendar, BIAFF is a modern, secular cultural institution built around cinema rather than church rite or harvest.

The festival is attended by filmmakers, critics, programmers and a general public drawn from Georgia, the wider Black Sea region and further afield. Competition sections typically include international feature and documentary films alongside a dedicated strand for Georgian and regional cinema, with juries made up of working directors, actors and critics. For Batumi, a subtropical resort city whose economy otherwise leans on seaside tourism and casinos, BIAFF is one of the few events that positions the city as a venue for serious international film culture rather than beach holidays alone.

Historical background

• 2008 — The festival was established in Batumi as an international art-house competition, according to the organisers.
• Late 2000s–2010s — Early editions built a programme around international and Georgian competition sections, screened in the city’s cinemas and theatres.
• 2010s — The festival developed a regular pattern of guest juries composed of international and Georgian film professionals, and added masterclasses and director talks alongside screenings.
• 2010s–2020s — Open-air evening screenings on Batumi’s seafront boulevard became an established part of the festival’s public programme, drawing residents and visitors beyond the industry audience.
• 2020–2021 — Like festivals worldwide, BIAFF adapted its format during the global pandemic period, a disruption that affected cultural events across Georgia generally.
• 2020s — The festival continued to run in its customary September slot, maintaining international competition, Georgian competition and documentary strands.
• Today — BIAFF is cited by Georgian tourism and cultural bodies as part of Batumi’s cultural calendar, alongside the city’s summer resort season.

Batumi’s emergence as a festival city is tied to its post-Soviet reinvention. Through the 1990s the city, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, was known chiefly as a faded Soviet resort; from the 2000s onward it was rebuilt around tourism, hospitality and a new skyline on the Black Sea coast. BIAFF belongs to that second wave of development: a cultural festival launched to give the city an identity beyond sun, sea and casinos, drawing on cinema’s long prestige in the wider Caucasus and Soviet-successor region. Information on the festival’s founding and annual editions is published by the organisers themselves.

Georgian cinema itself has a history that predates the festival by decades, with directors such as Otar Iosseliani and Nana Djordjadze achieving international recognition at festivals including Cannes during the late Soviet and post-Soviet periods. BIAFF situates itself within that tradition, using the prestige of art-house and auteur cinema to attract international guests to a city that, for much of the twentieth century, was better known as a Black Sea sanatorium town than a venue for cultural exchange. The festival’s growth has tracked Batumi’s broader transformation into a regional hub for tourism, conferences and now cinema.

Meaning and traditions

BIAFF’s rhythm is that of an international film festival rather than a folk or religious holiday: an opening ceremony, days of parallel screenings, director Q&A sessions, masterclasses, and a closing awards gala. Screenings take place in indoor cinemas and theatres during the day, with outdoor, evening shows — “ghia haeris chveneba” (open-air screening) — held along the seafront as the city cools in the September evening. Audiences range from accredited industry guests to ordinary Batumi residents buying tickets for an evening out.

There is no fixed festival food or song in the way there is for Georgian religious feasts, but the event has absorbed some local hospitality customs: opening and closing events are typically accompanied by receptions where Adjaran dishes, regional wine and toasting in the Georgian manner are offered to guests. Regional variation is less a matter of ritual than of venue — some years favour the Drama Theatre and central cinemas, others lean more heavily on boulevard and seafront locations, depending on weather and programming.

When it happens

BIAFF does not follow a church or lunar calendar; its date is set by the organisers each year, generally within a window in the second half of September, lasting roughly a week. The exact dates shift from year to year depending on programming and venue availability, and are confirmed and publicised by BIAFF only a few months in advance. For 2026 the festival ran in its usual September slot, with precise dates announced by the organisers; the 2027 edition is provisionally expected 20–27 September 2027, pending confirmation.

BIAFF is not a public holiday. Government offices, shops, banks and transport in Batumi operate on their normal schedule throughout the festival; only the cinemas, theatres and boulevard sites hosting screenings follow a special programme and, on peak evenings, may require tickets or accreditation.

Where to experience it

Batumi itself is the venue: screenings are distributed across the city’s cinemas and theatres, with gala and opening events usually staged in a central theatre, and open-air shows set up along the seaside boulevard after dusk, when the heat of the day has eased. Visitors can expect a red-carpet-style opening evening, daytime competition screenings with subtitled international and Georgian films, and post-screening discussions with visiting directors. Evening boulevard screenings are informal and open to passers-by as well as ticket holders, making them one of the easiest ways for a visitor without festival accreditation to take part. As with any public cultural event in Georgia, modest dress and quiet attentiveness are expected inside indoor venues; outdoor boulevard screenings are relaxed, with the promenade’s cafés and benches doubling as viewing spots.

Did you know

• Adjara has held the status of an autonomous republic within Georgia since the early 1920s, with Batumi as its capital and administrative centre.
• Georgian directors such as Otar Iosseliani and Nana Djordjadze achieved international festival recognition, including appearances at Cannes, decades before BIAFF’s founding.
• Batumi’s seaside boulevard, used for open-air festival screenings, is one of the oldest public promenades on the Georgian Black Sea coast.
• Batumi is served by its own international airport as well as Kutaisi International Airport, both within reach of travellers attending the festival.
• The festival’s “art-house” branding deliberately distinguishes its programme from the commercial resort and casino industry for which modern Batumi is also known.

Practical tips for visitors

Check the festival’s own announcements each year before booking, since exact September dates are confirmed only a few months ahead. Batumi International Airport and Kutaisi International Airport both offer convenient access; overland travel from Tbilisi by train or road is also straightforward and scenic. Late September weather on the Adjaran coast is generally mild and still warm enough for evening outdoor screenings, though a light jacket is worth packing for sea breezes after dark. Book accommodation in Batumi well ahead of the festival dates, since the city’s hotel capacity is shared with the tail end of the summer resort season. Dress is smart-casual for most events, with slightly more formal attire appropriate for the opening and closing ceremonies; outdoor boulevard screenings call for nothing more than comfortable clothing.

Combine it with

Batumi sits within the wider Adjara region, with its Black Sea coastline, mountain hinterland and Batumi Botanical Garden. Travellers moving on from the coast often continue toward Imereti for its cave monasteries and Kutaisi’s historic sites, or inland toward Kartli en route to Tbilisi.

Questions travellers ask

Is BIAFF open to the general public, or only to film industry professionals?

Most screenings are open to the public on a ticketed basis, not restricted to accredited industry guests. Open-air evening shows on the boulevard are especially accessible to casual visitors.

Do I need to book tickets in advance?

For popular opening, closing and gala screenings, advance booking is advisable, since seating is limited. Daytime competition screenings and open-air shows are generally easier to attend without pre-booking.

Are the films subtitled?

International competition films are typically shown with Georgian or English subtitles depending on the screening, while Georgian-language films are usually subtitled in English for international guests. Check the programme for each screening’s language details.

Is BIAFF suitable for families with children?

The programme is built around adult art-house and auteur cinema rather than family entertainment, so it is better suited to adult or teenage visitors with an interest in independent film than to young children.

How do I get to Batumi during the festival?

Batumi International Airport offers direct flights from several regional hubs, and Kutaisi International Airport is a practical alternative with onward road or rail connections. Overland travel from Tbilisi by train or minibus is also common and takes several hours.

What should I wear to the festival?

Smart-casual dress is appropriate for most indoor screenings and panels, with more formal attire suited to opening and closing ceremonies. Outdoor boulevard screenings call for relaxed, comfortable clothing.

Is there anything for visitors who are not especially interested in cinema?

Batumi’s boulevard, Botanical Garden, old town and seafront promenade remain open throughout the festival, so visitors can combine a handful of screenings with ordinary coastal sightseeing and dining.

How are the exact dates confirmed each year?

BIAFF sets its dates annually, typically within a window in the second half of September, and announces the confirmed schedule through its own channels a few months beforehand. Visitors planning a trip around the festival should check the organiser’s announcements close to the travel date rather than relying on prior years’ dates.

Sources

• BIAFF official website
• Georgia Travel – National Tourism Administration
• Batumi City Hall
• GoBatumi visitor information
• Visit Batumi
• Georgia Today
• Agenda.ge