The Geneva International Film Festival // GIFF has been exploring the relationship between cinema, television, and digital creation since 1995. Since its inception in 1995, the GIFF has been exploring the links between cinema, television and digital art, while defending the place of the author in the artistic process, regardless of the audiovisual format. More than a cinema festival, the GIFF is at the crossroads of genres and disciplines, a place for experimenting, meeting others and partying. Every year over nine days, it offers a series of experiences focused on image, sound and new forms of narration, which include screenings, interactive installations, VR works, conferences and live performances. The , the festival’s professional programme, is dedicated to new digital trends. It includes conferences and debates, as well as a programme of meetings and exchanges between European creators and investors, the New Digital Talents. Moreover, thanks to its PLUGS programme, the GIFF remains connected throughout the year with Swiss and international partner events and institutions, including Festival del film Locarno, Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema, CERN’s CineGlobe, :fr:Forum des images|Forum des Images in Paris, :de:HeK |Haus der elektronischen Künste in Basel and Zurich’s Hochschule der Künste. It 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. Recognised as a strategic player in the development of audiovisual arts in Switzerland, the GIFF enjoys the support of the City and the State of Geneva, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, SSR SRG, Pro Helvetia and :de:Swissperform|Swissperform as well as many private stakeholders, including Engagement Migros, Tribune de Genève and Geneva Airport. Its International TV Series Competition and out-of-competition section served to reveal such series as 24, Damages, The Killing, Hatufim, Top of the Lake, Rectify, Gomorrah, Deutschland 83, The Refugees, The Night of, The Girlfriend Experience, :fr:Jour polaire |Jour Polaire or The Young Pope. Since 2008, the GIFF has explored new participatory and interactive forms of narration. A pioneer in this field, this festival is one of the first in the world to host an International VR Films Competition, as well as an out-of-competition section for digital works: Virtual Territories. Since 2013, Emmanuel Cuénod is the Executive and Artistic Director of the Festival. The Festival includes six competitions, events and convergent sections. The Festival was previously named the Geneva International Film Festival Tous Ecrans and it was renamed in July 2017 as the Geneva International Film Festival // GIFF. The 25th GIFF will take place from 1 to 10 November 2019.
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.
Cinéastes, de notre temps : between 2013 and 2015, the Festival presented the complete collection of the ":fr:Cinéastes de notre temps|Cinéaste de notre temps" documentary. Since then, every year, the "Cinéastes, de notre temps: les inédits" 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 :fr:Janine Bazin|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 bestowed upon 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
