This is the pre-selection committee of the 11th Beyond Borders
The Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival is gearing up for its 11th edition and is ready to set sail from August 23 to 30, 2026!
For its competitive programming, the 11th edition of Beyond Borders will host 42 films divided into two sections: the Main Competition Section, for medium-length (31–60 minutes) and feature-length (61+ minutes) films, and the μicro Competition Section, for short films (up to 30 minutes). As a reminder, eligibility for submission to the μicro section is exclusively reserved for directors with up to three films in their filmography.
The Festival aims to showcase the work of both established and emerging filmmakers, thereby boosting cinematic production on an international scale. The Festival’s programming and focus center on documentary films dealing with historical events and figures, socio-political issues (both contemporary and historical), human rights advocacy, and, in general, any cross-border core themes that reflect the concerns of modern cinematic art in any form. The call for entries concerns films released within the past year (2025–2026).
The challenging task of selection was undertaken by the Festival’s programming teams, which consist of acclaimed directors, film critics and theorists, producers, distributors, film festival and audiovisual production executives, film programmers, and other industry professionals.
More specifically, for the Main Competition Section, the Festival organization would like to extend special mention to: Vicky Markolefa (director/producer), Rita Andreetti (director/film critic), Felizitas Hoffmann (director), Veronika Dvorakova (film festival executive), Smaragda Nitsopoulou (director/researcher), Tasos Giapoutzis (director/academic), Dimitris Papacharalampous (educator), Rebecca Zani (screenwriter), Amir Tajik (director/producer), Angélique Bantikos (marketing development manager), Dimitris Babas (film critic/programmer), Nikolaos Aletras (film critic/academic), Onur Kocatürk (director), Markus Nikel (RAI TV), and Giorgos Panopoulos (film festival executive).
Finally, the organization wishes to publicly thank the programming team of the μicro competition stage, comprised of students from the Festival’s partner network of film schools: led by Stefanos Velmachos Bonos (programmer/historian), alongside Gretel Ribka, Fuad Aliyev, Elif Şevval Usta, Kemal Gogua, Yaren Sayan, Berina Musanovic, Zoja Cvoro, Sara Maric, Anna-Lena Herzmann, Soraya Szendi, Léa TEILLET, Bertille HYVON, and Fabiana Mata.
The Festival is held under the auspices of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy.
The Main Institutional Partner of the Festival is EKOMED, while the 11th edition is organized with the support of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of National Defence, the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), the Latsis Foundation, ZDF, Swiss Films, the Embassy of Germany in Athens, the Embassy of Spain in Athens, the Embassy of Slovakia in Athens, and the French Institute in Athens.
