DOTS INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 2026

‎Athens welcomes the DOTS International Documentary Film Festival for the second consecutive year, a festival dedicated to short documentary films from Greece and around the world.

The second edition of the DOTS Festival will take place from Friday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4, 2026, inviting audiences to discover different perspectives, contemporary narratives, and unique stories from every corner of the world.

As part of the festival, a total of 37 short documentary films will be screened, including 19 Greek and 18 international productions, presenting a broad range of themes and cinematic approaches.

Alongside the screenings, the programme will feature Q&A sessions with the filmmakers attending the festival, offering audiences the opportunity to meet the people behind the films and engage with them in discussions about the creative process, the ideas, and the stories behind each work.

The DOTS Festival will also host Masterclasses led by film professionals, creating a space for the exchange of knowledge and experience among filmmakers, industry professionals, and documentary enthusiasts.

As part of the festival, the Votanikon Gin Audience Award will be presented, accompanied by a €500 cash prize. The award gives audiences the opportunity to choose the film that stood out to them the most from the festival programme.

The DOTS International Documentary Film Festival returns to Athens, therefore, for a three-day celebration dedicated to short documentaries, contemporary stories, and the encounter between filmmakers and audiences.

Masterclasses

a) October 3, 2026
Eva Stefani / Director
“Documentary Does Not Describe. It Reveals.”

Documentary belongs to the world of poetry. At its best, it can reveal the visible without describing it. Through examples from films, we will explore the differences between documentary filmmaking that focuses on covering an event and documentary filmmaking that interprets and reconstructs reality through the filmmaker’s own perspective.

b) October 4, 2026
Lukas Palaiokrassas / Director & Carlos Muñoz / Director of Photography
“Seeing Differently: The Cinematic Language of Bugboy”

In this talk, the director and director of photography will jointly share the creative process and filming experience behind a three-year observational documentary.

The film follows an introverted teenager who forms a deep bond with a cricket. Through scenes and examples from the filming process, they will discuss their cinematic approach, the relationship of trust they built with the protagonists, their equipment choices, as well as the challenges that arise when documenting private life through observation.

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Contact

[email protected]
@dots.festival

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Duration: 13:00–23:00, with breaks