Geneva International Film Festival

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The Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) ^[1] (French: Festival international du film de Genève) is an annual film festival founded in 1995. The festival, previously called the Geneva International Film Festival Tous Ecrans, was renamed in July 2017 as the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF). Every year for over ten days, the festival offers a series of experiences focused on image, sound, and new forms of narration. Offerings include screenings, interactive installations, VR workshops, conferences, and live performances.^[1]

The GIFF includes six competitions, events, and convergent sections (Nuits Blanches, Retrospective, Serial Days & Nights, Film & Beyond Award). The festival also hosts the International VR Films Competition, one of the first competitions of its kind. They also present Virtual Territories, an out-of-competition section for digital works ^{[citation needed]}.

The festival also co-hosts the ‘Beyond Cinema: Swiss Digital Showcase’ event at the Cannes Film Festival as well as the Swiss Party at Austin's South by Southwest festival ^{[citation needed]}.

Emmanuel Cuénod was the Executive and Artistic Director of the Festival from 2013 until 2020;^[2] Anaïs Emery took over in January 2021.^[3]

Programme

Film

Competitions

International Features Competition
International Short Competition

Out of Competitions

Highlight Screenings: major filmmakers, cult feature films and the year's most awaited films.
Rien que pour vos yeux: a section born out of desire to share our favorite funds.

Television

Competitions

International TV Series Competition
International Music Videos Competition

Out of Competitions

International TV Series Out of Competition
Cinéastes, de notre temps : between 2013 and 2015, the Festival presented the complete collection of the "Cinéaste de notre temps" documentary. Since then, every year, the "Cinéastes, de notre temps: les inédits" (Filmmakers of our times: Original Cuts’) section has been added to the Festival's programme in order to bring to the audience the latest chapters of this series produced and directed by Janine Bazin and André S. Labarthe since 1964.

Digital

Competitions

International VR Works Competition
International Web Series Competition

Out of Competitions

Virtual Territories: an out-of-competition section for digital works.

Event and converging sections

48H Film Project: the Festival hosts the Swiss section of this international competition.
Serial Days & Nights: a whole weekend dedicated to TV and web series, featuring some 20 pilot projects.
Nuits blanches: a series of selected works that link with a musical event scheduled for the evening of the screening.
Film & Beyond Award: this award is given to a cross-disciplinary artist, the Festival's guest of honour, for their entire body of work. The award is also an opportunity to screen the guest artist's work during the event.
Children's Day: On Sunday, a series of workshops and film screenings for young ones.
The Retrospective: this section highlights the work of an author, director, film genre, audiovisual production or technique.

Awards

Film

Reflet d’Or for Best International Feature Film donated by the City and the State of Geneva: CHF 10’000
Reflet d’Or for Best International Short: CHF 1’500
RTS Award for Best International Short: purchase

Television

Reflet d’Or for Best International TV Series donated by the City and the State of Geneva: CHF 10’000
Reflet d’Or for Best Music Video: CHF 1’500

Digital

Reflet d’Or for Best International VR Work donated by the City and the State of Geneva: CHF 10’000
Reflet d’Or for Best Web Series: CHF 1’500
Youth Jury Award for Best VR Work: honorary

Honorific prize

Film & Beyond Award
2016: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2015: Anton Corbijn
2014: Jean-Hugues Anglade

References

^ ^a ^b "GIFF // Geneva International Film Festival". Retrieved 21 September 2021.
^ "Emmanuel Cuénod". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
^ "Anaïs Emery". SXSW 2024 Schedule. Retrieved 6 May 2024.