Summary
- The fifth Athens Fashion Film Festival takes place at the Greek Film Archive from 23 to 26 November 2026.
- This year’s theme explores connections between fashion, cinema and video games.
- An international fashion film competition, screenings and discussions are planned.
- Admission is free, and the full timetable will be announced later.
Event Details
Fashion, film and video games converge in Athens as the fifth Athens Fashion Film Festival returns on 23–26 November 2026 with free admission, screenings and conversations about the future of visual storytelling.
The festival takes place at the Greek Film Archive in Athens, with the support of EKKOMED. This year’s theme, “Fashion, Cinema & Video Games: Play, Create, Transform”, brings character design, costume, digital worlds and interactive storytelling into the same discussion.
Where fashion, cinema and gaming intersect
The programme focuses on the relationship between a character’s appearance and the world they inhabit. A costume in a film, like a digital outfit in a video game, can communicate identity, period and backstory without a line of dialogue.
Thematic discussions involving creators and industry professionals will explore the construction of digital worlds, virtual identities and the ways technology changes the relationship between audience and narrative. Visual language is no longer confined to a fixed frame: in games, audiences can become active participants.
Festival founder and artistic director Nicole Alexandropoulou connects this convergence with the way we understand the body, the city and social identity. Her background spans directing, producing and photography, while the first edition of AFFF took place in 2019.
International fashion film competition and screenings
The International Fashion Film Competition remains at the heart of the four-day event, featuring short films from international filmmakers. Other planned activities include film screenings, presentations and discussions. The specific titles, participants and screening times have not yet been announced.
For filmmakers, fashion film is a space where directing, cinematography, production design, styling and editing come together in a short running time. The role of festival competitions in bringing new voices to audiences can also be seen in the 2026 Drama Short Film Festival award winners, although this is a separate festival with a different competition.
Dates, venue and admission
When: 23–26 November 2026. Where: Greek Film Archive, Athens. Admission: free, according to the organisers’ announcement. A detailed timetable and parallel events will be published at a later date.
What we think
Putting gaming at the centre of a fashion film festival is a promising choice. Anyone who has worked on a set knows how much storytelling is carried by costume, lighting and the way a character is introduced. In a game, these decisions also need to make sense in a world that the audience explores for themselves.
For directors, photographers and image-makers, the useful part should be hearing how people from different creative fields solve the same problem: building a visual identity that tells a story. We would like these discussions to include practical production examples rather than staying at the level of broad statements about technology.
Free admission also makes the event easier for emerging creators to attend. Once the film selection and timetable are released, it will be easier to pick the screenings and conversations most relevant to your own work.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the fifth Athens Fashion Film Festival?
It runs from 23 to 26 November 2026 at the Greek Film Archive in Athens.
Do I need a ticket?
The organisers have announced free admission. They have not yet clarified whether any individual screenings will require advance booking or a free admission pass.
Has the full programme been announced?
Not yet. The film selection, participants, screening times and parallel activities will be released later by the organisers.
