Introducing a hybrid model for this year's festival

The 26^th AIFF will take place in its usual venues, IDEAL, DANAOS1 and OPERA1 cinemas, and exclusively for this year our screenings will also take place securely at the open air cinemas LAIS - the Greek Film Archive Foundation, RIVIERA, TRIANON and STELLA.

ONLINE SCREENINGS

Furthermore, to better accommodate viewers and their safety, the 26^th Athens International Film Festival, and in collaboration with Festival Scope and Shift 72, will supplement its program with a series of online screenings on a purpose-built digital platform (online.aiff.gr) where viewers from all over Greece will be able to enjoy films from the safety of their homes.

More specifically, the digital platform is included in this year’s event for viewers (medically vulnerable, caretakers or other people who work in close proximity to medically vulnerable people, people living outside of Athens etc.) who would not otherwise be able to attend the festival by securing  a certain number of geo-blocked screenings, adhering to all safety standards and to a high level of digital interaction matching the standards successfully set by other major international festivals.

In the event that the pandemic conditions render it necessary, the platform in question will also be able to facilitate the digital fulfillment of side events of the 26^th ATHENS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL such as masterclasses, conversations, introductions of films by their directors and Q&A sessions with them as well as a wide range of interactions with the audience, all adapted  to this online environment.

Following a ticket purchase and from the moment a viewer begins the streaming process (by pressing play) they will have 24 hours to watch the film.

The detailed schedule of online screenings will be announced along with the full schedule of the 26^th ATHENS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL at the Press Conference which will take place on Wednesday 16^th September 2020 at the open air cinema AEGLI ZAPPEIOU at 20:30 and will be streamed live  though the Festival’s social media accounts.

FILM PASSES and PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Film Passes and Film Passes for people with disabilities for the 26^th Athens International Film Festival (23^rd September - 4^th October) go on sale on Monday September 7^th.

FILM PASSES

a. Types of Film Passes

Festival viewers can purchase Film Passes that give them access to 5, 10 or 20 screenings for the price of €25, €45 and €70 accordingly, subject to availability.

Prices:

* Film Passes can not be used for online screenings through the Festival's digital platform.

** Those who purchase a 20-screening Film Pass will also receive a single person invitation to the Festival’s Opening Ceremony which will take place on Wednesday 23^rd September 2020 at the Athens Concert Hall. Holders of a 20-screening Film Pass will receive the invitation via email at the address given when purchasing the Film Pass.

*** Film Pass holders CANNOT attend a screening simply by showing their Film Pass. A zero-fee ticket must be issued first using the number on the Film Pass.

b. Presales

From Monday 7^th 2020 at 12:00:

• Via the internet at viva.gr and

• At physical points of sale across the Viva network of stores (paying by card or in cash).

• Ticket Box Office

Using their unique card number, Film Pass holders can issue zero-fee tickets via viva.gr and at all the physical points of sale from 17^th September for any screening of their choice, regardless of the time and day of the screening.

As of the 23^rd September physical points of sale will include the ticket box offices of collaborating cinemas. Each cinema can only issue tickets for films screened on its premises.

The opening hours of the box office of indoor and open air cinemas will be announced shortly.  Cinema box offices can issue tickets for films shown on the premises on the same day, with ticket sales taking place during the hour leading up to the film start time.

Ticket presales for the Festival’s screenings will start on 17^th September 2020 at 10:00 am.

*Film Pass holders have the option of a plastic printed pass bearing their name. The pass can be picked up at any of the Festival’s collaborating cinemas of their choice.

c. Instructions:

* Film Pass holders (of 5, 10 or 20 screenings) who wish to have their film pass printed will need to send an email with the subject FILM PASS to accreditations@aiff.gr by attaching proof of purchase of the relevant Film Pass along with the collaborating cinema they wish to pick their card up from.

** Film Pass holders (of 5, 10 or 20 screenings) have the right to issue the relevant number of zero-fee tickets from Thursday 17^th September at 09:00 am for any screening, regardless of the time and day of the film (with the exception of the opening ceremony and the online screenings available through the Festival’s digital platform).

***  The same Film Pass can be used to issue as many tickets as the holder wishes for the same screening (up to the maximum number of tickets remaining on the Film Pass).

d. Reservations

Film Passes can be reserved for purchase at a physical sales point , for up to 2 hours, by calling 11876 at viva.gr: (charged at €0,96/minute from landlines, €1,09/minute from a mobile phone).

FILM PASSES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

People with disabilities can attend any of the Festival’s screenings for free with the use of a 5-screening Film Pass (subject to availability) while cinephile guide dogs are also welcome.

Those interested in obtaining a 5-screening Film Pass can send an email to accreditations@aiff.gr from Monday 7^th September with their contact details (full name, mobile number, email)  and with the following attachments:

- disability culture card (Greek Ministry of Culture)
- disability travel pass (Athens Mass Transit System)
- disability unemployment card (Manpower Employment Organization)
- deaf/hard-of-hearing union card or any other relevant documentation

The Film Pass for disabled people must be strictly used by the person it is issued to and grants its holder the right to have zero-fee tickets issued for any 5 screenings (with the exception of the opening ceremony), throughout the duration of the Festival and depending on ticket availability.

Entry to screenings will be granted with the presentation of a zero-fee ticket and the Film Pass.

In the case of the disabled person requiring a companion, two applications for a Film Pass for disabled people must be made simultaneously and the reason for the companion will need to be explained.

The number of the Film Pass for disbaled people will be sent via email from accreditations@aiff.gr to the email specified by the person making the application. 

Those numbers will be used to issue e- tickets:
- Online, at  viva.gr
- At physical points of sale across Viva’s network of stores (pay by card or in cash)
- At the box office of cinemas collaborating with the Festival for any screening on any day providing that the screening in question will take place on the cinema’s premises.

The 26^th Athens International Film Festival will take place between 23^rd September and the 4^th October 2020.

For updates and more information tune into the sites of aiff.gr and cinemagazine.gr and the relevant social media pages: Facebook AIFF, Instagram, Twitter.  

The 26^th Athens International Film Festival takes place under the auspices of and with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.