AIMAFF 2025: A Night to Remember at the Historic Astor Cinema
On Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival (AIMAFF) returned for the second consecutive year to the iconic Astor Cinema—this time with even greater energy, emotion, and cinematic brilliance.
Twelve short films from across the globe—Greece, USA, Spain, Mexico, England, Pakistan, China, and France—captivated an enthusiastic audience of 220 cinephiles. With 190 votes cast, the audience once again played a vital role in shaping the night’s highlights.
The evening opened with a warm welcome by Eleni Zenzefili and translation support from Annasa Sakaloglou, ensuring inclusivity for our international guests.
We were honored to welcome directors and artists from around the world, including:
Achilles Tsoutsis (Greece), who made AIMAFF history by winning Best Film of the Year for A 10 Minute Swim—the first-ever Greek film to receive this top distinction. Set in 1970s Albania, his moving tale of love and rebellion resonated deeply with viewers, also earning 2nd place in the Audience Award (62 votes).
Kamran Faiq (Pakistan), whose courageous film Babli | Babar—the poignant story of an intersex individual’s struggle for identity and acceptance—earned 3rd place from the Jury and 4th place in the Audience Vote (50 votes). Faiq’s presence was both an honor and a highlight, sparking meaningful conversations about representation in cinema.
From Greece,rapper artist Keys Prestige and director Nikolas Koskinas showcased their visually striking noir music video Louvro in a special screening, drawing cheers from the hometown crowd.
For the first time in AIMAFF history, the night concluded with a lively after-party, giving filmmakers and attendees the chance to mingle, celebrate, and connect over drinks and shared cinematic passion.
Thanks to Fanela Club for sponsoring our night and to our loyal partners—Authorwave for subtitling and Maco Shirts for the Nike Dri-Fit crew gear.
The evening was a testament to the power of short films, diversity, and community. To every filmmaker who traveled from near and far, to our incredible jury, and to our passionate audience— we thank you.
We renew our date for next year with even more stories to tell and memories to create. Until then—see you at the movies.
