With a rich program of screenings, international collaborations, tributes to renowned creators, educational activities, and thematic sections highlighting contemporary social challenges, the 18th International Film Festival of Larissa returns from November 16 to 30, 2026, transforming the city into a meeting point for Greek and international cinema.
Organized by the civic non-profit company Artfools, with co-financing from the «THESSALIA» Program (ESPA 2021-2027), it aims to highlight the power of cinema as a means of artistic expression, cultural exchange, education, and social reflection.
For eighteen years, the Festival has been a stable cultural institution for Larissa and Thessaly, offering a platform for creators from Greece and abroad and bringing the audience into contact with different cinematic languages, aesthetics, and narratives.
Five competitive sections – An international film-making field
The five competitive sections of short film programs hold a central position in this year's event: The International Competition, the Greek Competition, the Animation Competition, the Climate Change Competition and the Lumina – International Competition of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Films.
Greek and foreign filmmakers present their creations, claiming the official awards of the Festival. From classic cinematic storytelling to animation and the new possibilities offered by artificial intelligence, the competition sections reflect the diversity and ongoing evolution of contemporary cinematic creation.
A tribute to Giannis Smaragdis and the young Greek creators
The honored Greek director of this year's event is Giannis Smaragdis, a creator with a distinctive presence in Greek cinema. The director will attend the screening of his film «Capodistrias» and will have the opportunity to talk with the audience about the work, his creative path and the relationship between cinema and history and Greek identity.
In parallel, the tribute «New Filmmakers» It also provides space and visibility for the new generation of Greek creators, highlighting its freshness, boldness, and different narrative approaches. Two award-winning films will be screened in a preview as part of the tribute: Aristotelis Maragou’s «Bitkomber» and Amirisma Bastas« »Little Anasses.”.
Irish cinema and new collaborations in the Balkans
With a steady orientation towards openness and the introduction of different national film cultures, this year the Festival is dedicating a special section to Irish cinema. Through the selected screenings, the public will get to know aspects of film production and Ireland’s cultural identity.
The tribute is framed by the presence of invited guests and representatives of Greek-Irish and Irish film organizations, creating opportunities for dialogue, exchange of experiences and the development of new collaborations between the two film communities.
An important step in international networking is also the The Festival's first collaboration with film festivals from the Balkans. In this context, award-winning films from collaborating festivals will be presented, while representatives and producers will be present. The initiative enhances cultural communication between the countries of the region and creates prospects for joint actions and future film collaborations.
«Thessaly: Place – People – The Cinematic Identity of the Place
The promotion of Thessaly, its people, its history and its cultural heritage is another key focus of this year’s event.
The thematic unit «Thessaly: Place – People» includes a tribute to the work of the award-winning director Basil Loule, With documentaries screenings and his own presence, through his cinematic narratives, viewers are invited to discover stories of people, memories and experiences that shape the cultural identity of the place.
Through this unity, the Festival highlights cinema as a means of preserving collective memory and showcasing local cultural identity, while simultaneously strengthening the cultural extroversion of Thessaly.
Cinema and contemporary social challenges
Social awareness and sensitivity regarding critical issues of our time are an integral part of the program.
Within the framework of the unity «Climate Change», The documentary will be presented in a first preview «Mankind’s Folly» by Giorgos Ageopoulos, approaching one of the most important issues that concern humanity today: the relationship between humans and the environment and the consequences of their choices.
At the same time, unity «Women's Emancipation» hosts the film «Arkuodotrypa» by Chrysiana Papadaki and Stéryo Dionopoulos, contributing to the dialogue around the female experience, self-determination and social relationships.
Through these themes, the Festival confirms that cinema does not merely entertain, but can also raise questions, provoke discussion, and contribute to understanding the modern world.
Educational activities: From the image to understanding
The program of the 18th International Film Festival of Larissa extends beyond the movie theaters, with seminars and workshops aimed at those interested in understanding the cinematic language and new technologies in depth.
The seminar «Decoding the Image into Meaning» It focuses on a timely question: what does «true» image mean today, in an era where artificial intelligence, reels and social media produce content that can appear as convincing as reality?;
The action aims to strengthen the critical approach to the image and the public’s ability to recognize, evaluate, and interpret the audiovisual content that permeates their daily lives.
Additionally, a series of thematic workshops approaches different aspects of cinematic creation. Specifically, the following workshops will be held:
Docu – Life with Evangelos Krikis
The goal of the workshop is for participants to understand what makes a documentary film, to learn the basic ways of documentary storytelling, and to discover that every choice in front of reality (what we film, how, and what we keep in the montage) is a form of direction.
AI, Cinema & Copyright, with Anastasis Patouris
The goal of the workshop is to highlight how Artificial Intelligence can become a new storytelling tool, without losing the importance of human artistic identity.
Animation: Motion graphics, with Konstantinos Vahlas
An introductory workshop that invites you to discover the magic of 2D animation and the way in which simple drawings can acquire movement, rhythm and emotion.
Through examples and a live demonstration, the basic principles of animation will be presented and a demonstration of creating a short animated loop will be performed!
The future of cinema belongs to the young as well
This year's event concludes with Student Film Festival, in which students' films from schools all over Greece participate.
The presence of student creations highlights the importance of film literacy, encourages the creative expression of young people, and offers students the opportunity to share their ideas and stories with a wider audience.
In this way, the Festival invests in the new generation of viewers and creators, cultivating its relationship with culture and the arts.
Admission to all screenings and activities of the Festival is FREE.
For more information and the detailed program, visit the official website of the Festival: www.iffl.gr
18th International Film Festival of Larissa
November 16–30, 2026
Organization: Artfools AMKE
With co-financing from the «THESSALIA» Program (ESPA 2021–2027).
