International Video Poetry Festival

Overview

The festival attempts to create an open public space for the creative expression of all tendencies and streams of contemporary visual poetry. Since its founding in 2011, the IVPF has evolved into one of the oldest and most recognized international platforms for video poetry and spoken word. Every year, the festival provides poets, filmmakers, video artists, and curators from around the globe a space for creative exchange, brainstorming, and connection with a broad, engaged audience. With film screenings, poetry readings, multimedia performances, concerts, retrospectives, exhibitions, workshops, and lectures, the IVPF presents the full diversity of the genre of video poetry and spoken word. Festival Structure: Two Zones of Experience The International Video Poetry Festival unfolds in two distinct sections: 🔸 DAY ONE: Show Room Video Poetry A dedicated cinema zone featuring: • Video poems • Visual poetry • Short poetic films • Cin(E)-Poetry And all kinds of creative video poetry experimentation This day brings together artists from all continents — America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa — for a rich showcase of cinematic poetic language. 🔹 DAY TWO: Live Performance Zone This space includes: • Multimedia poetry readings • Spoken word lives • Experimental music concerts • Interactive workshops A space for immediate interaction between audience and artist, exploring sound, movement, text, and image in real time. Who Can Submit Poets, filmmakers, video and digital artists, media and performance artists are invited to submit works to the 13th Annual International Video Poetry Festival in Athens, Greece. The festival celebrates a wide range of video projects developed through the medium of poetry. In addition to the screenings, the IVPF will host: • Panels and roundtable discussions • Guest lectures • Workshops • Public dialogues • A curated video art exhibition What You Can Submit There are no restrictions on when the project was produced, whether it has premiered, or its topic, theme, or language. We welcome works including (but not limited to): • Poetry films / Film poems • Digital-poetry / Videopoema / Cin(E)-Poetry • Spoken word films • Visual poetry / Media poetry • Choreopoems / Poetrinca • Non-narrative and experimental cinema • Cinematic essays and film essays • Avant-garde work exploring poetry/literature • Grand-scale video art with poetic focus We also encourage submissions and proposals of: • Live performances • Video mapping and installations • Documentaries about poets, poetry, and literary movements (These must include English or Greek subtitles.) A Global Platform for Contemporary Poetic Expression From poetry readings and spoken word to experimental film, artists explore existential and political themes such as: • Identity in 21st Century • Memory, history and change • Social structures and authorities • Urban existential experience • Intercultural encounters • Personal narratives • Social Crises The diversity of approaches highlights the richness of contemporary poetic expression, confirming IVPF’s role as a meeting point for different artistic practices and traditions from all around the world and especially from Global South. Awards & Recognition Every year, the committee of the Institute for Experimental Arts selects the BEST FILM of the year, and offers AUDIENCE AWARD voted by the audience on spot, as also SPECIAL HONOR for 10 most outstanding video poems presented at the festival. The committee consists of members of the non-profit cultural society Institute for Experimental Arts. Rules & Terms • Deadline for submissions: 1 March 2026 • Maximum project duration: 20 minutes • One project title per submission • All languages are allowed, but English or Greek subtitles are required Additional notes: • No feedback or revision will be offered on submitted works • No changes are accepted after submission • Once processed, submission fees are non-refundable • All decisions by the selection committee are final By submitting, participants agree to grant the festival: • The right to use footage, stills, and project info for promotional purposes • The right to issue publicity and use associated names, likenesses, and bios Organizers & Acknowledgements The International Video Poetry Festival is organized by the Institute for Experimental Arts in collaboration with the Void Network, and FILM POETRY digital platform. A special thank-you to Dave Bonta of Moving Poems, a global platform showcasing the best in video poetry. Since 2011, Moving Poems has been a source of inspiration and a vital partner in helping us spread the word and meeting creators from across the world.

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Legitimacy Analysis

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Festival Details

FilmFreeway communityGold festival

• Filmmaker

  Flawless communication before the festival. I had the opportunity to attend the 1st day, it was well-visited, great selection of works, projection and sound quality was very good, and, more importantly, it seemed to be organised with lots of heart and soul.

• Filmmaker

  We had a wonderful experience at the 12th International Video Poetry Festival. The event was professionally organized, with high-quality screenings and a strong artistic vision. Communication with the festival team was clear, friendly, and efficient throughout the process. We truly appreciated the warm hospitality and the opportunity to connect with fellow creators. Many thanks to the organizers for their hard work and for creating such a meaningful space for video poetry. We would be happy to participate again in the future!

• Filmmaker

  Thank you for creating this inspiring festival. I regret that I was not able to attend in person. The communication and organization was stellar. I am honored and grateful to the festival for choosing Duties of My Heart to screen. It's particularly poignant because April is National Poetry Month in the U.S. and sign language poetry is often overlooked. Thank you,

• Filmmaker

  This extraordinary festival, as well as the team behind it, is characterised by empathy, integrity and dedication to the videopoetry genre. I was not able to attend in person, but it was a great honour to have a film selected in 2025. Thanks and great respect to you all.

• Filmmaker

  It was an amaizing event with the most engaging organizers & large diverse audience. Keep motivating the stories.the poets, & the films. Thanks A lot.

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