The Vilnius International Film Festival (VIFF) Kino pavasaris is a film festival held annually in March in Vilnius, Lithuania since 1995, and is the largest film festival in the nation in number of films and audience. It is one of the most anticipated annual cultural events in Lithuania.
Vilnius International Film Festival Kino Pavasaris is the biggest and most important cinema event in Lithuania. Over 30 years, the festival has become a highly attended cultural phenomenon. In 2017, it attracted 114 250 members of audience in 5 Lithuanian cities. In 2025, Vilnius IFF will take place in 14 cities over two weeks.
The festival's main venue is Forum Cinemas Vingis, with additional screenings taking place at the local art film theatre SKALVIJA, cinema boutique "Pasaka" and at the shopping mall "Akropolis" at "Forum Cinemas Akropolis". Some screenings are shown in the second largest city of Lithuania - Kaunas at local "Forum Cinemas" centre. And from 2018 Vilnius IFF took place in 11 cities over two weeks.
History The festival was founded in 1995 at the cinema Lietuva. Festival director Vida Ramaškienė.
After the 2002 festival the venue Lietuva was sold to private investors. As a result, the festival did not happen in 2003.
In 2004 the festival got the first donation from the European Commission. Festival's programme becomes more independent and Edvinas Pukšta with Jurga Stakėnaitė started making festival's film programme.
In 2006 the festival changed its location to Forum Cinemas Vingis in Naujamiestis.
In 2018, Vilnius IFF presented 112 feature and 56 short films, including 12 Lithuanian premieres. Like always, the festival has selected strong debuts and works from masters of film. The large programme has been divided into 5 categories: Discoveries, Festivals' Favourites, Masters, Critics' Choice, and Competition of European Debuts.
In 2025, the Vilnius International Film Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary, screening over 100 films and hosting more than 50 events across Lithuania. The festival attracted nearly 130,000 attendees. To mark the occasion, the winners received a special anniversary edition of the Vilnius International Film Festival statuette.
Programmes
Since 2009, the festival's competition programmes have become our phenomenal calling card for international film industry professionals, and a great educational tool for festivalgoers. This year, films from debuting European directors will take part in the Competition of European Debuts.
Vilnius International Film Festival is organised in various sections:
Competition programmes:
New Europe – New Names (since 2009), the films are assessed by an international jury of cinema industry professionals: actors, directors, programme directors, cinematographers and producers. The jury selects the best film of the festival and awards it two special prizes. Baltic Gaze (since 2014), the idea of this competition programme is to satisfy growing interest of Baltic region cinematography. The films are assessed by the international jury of the cinema industry professionals. The jury will select the best film of this programme and award it with solid monetary prize.
Other programmes:
Short films. Competition Discoveries Festivals' favourites Masters Critics' choice VIASAT comedies Documentaries Retrospective, each year a different director or/and a topic is selected. American Independents A Letter to Ukraine Culinary films Films for Family Lithuanian films – premiers Lithuanian films Lithuanians Abroad Short films 2018 Vilnius IFF will also be the first Lithuanian festival to welcome members of the prestigious FIPRESCI association, who will award one director from the Baltic region their prize. The FIPRESCI Prize is significant proof of the festival's quality being recognized on an international level.
Industry event "Meeting Point – Vilnius"
International film industry professionals meet in Vilnius to discuss hot topics of today's and tomorrow's audiovisual world. The highlight of the industry event is the presentation of Lithuanian and Baltic film industry.
Awards at Vilnius International Film Festival
The Audience Award The oldest and one of the most important award of VIFF.
2004: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, directed by Kim Ki-duk 2005: 3-Iron (Bin-jip), directed by Kim Ki-duk 2006: The Method, directed by Marcelo Piñeyro 2007: The Lives of Others, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck 2008: 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days, directed by Cristian Mungiu 2009: Camino, directed by Javier Fesser 2010: Departures, directed by Yōjirō Takita 2011: Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve 2012: The Intouchables, directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano 2013: Searching for Sugar Man, directed by Malik Bendjelloul 2014: Omar, directed by Hany Abu-Assad 2015: Mommy, directed by Xavier Dolan 2016: Truman, directed by Cesc Gay 2017: Perfect Strangers, directed by Paolo Genovese 2018: Loving Vincent, directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman 2019: Capernaum, directed by Nadine Labaki 2020: Corpus Christi (Boże Ciało), directed by Jan Komasa 2021: Quo Vadis, Aida?, directed by Jasmila Žbanić 2022: The Worst Person in the World, directed by Joachim Trier 2023: The Eight Mountains, directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch 2024: Hoard, directed by Luna Carmoon 2025: The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
The Audience Award (Lithuanian film) Introduced in 2011.
2011: Book smuggler, directed by Jonas Trukanas 2012: The Last Day of the Honeymoon, directed by Rokas Eltermanas 2013: The Swimmer, directed by Gabrielė Urbonaitė 2014: The Invisible Front, directed by Vincas Sruoginis and Jonas Ohman 2015: Life Is Sacred, directed by Andreas Dalsgaard, Nicolas Servide and Vivana Gomez 2016: Junction, directed by Nathan Jurevicius 2017: Woman and the Glacier, directed by Andrius Stonys 2018: 100 Years Together, directed by Edita Kabaraitė 2019: Summer Survivors, directed by Marija Kavtaradzė 2015: – no award
The Audience Award (Short film) Introduced in 2013.
2013: Buzkashi Boys, directed by Sam French 2014: Kush, directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani 2015: – no award 2016: Otto, directed by Marieke Blaauw , Joris Oprins , Job Roggeveen 2017: Running Lights, directed by Gediminas Šiaulys 2018: Mother, directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen 2019: Family Unit, directed by Titas Laucius 2015: – no award
Short Film Competition Best short film, selected by a jury from short competition programme. Introduced in 2012.
2012: Beast (Csicka), directed by Attila Till 2013: The Whistle (Gwizdek), directed by Grzegorz Zariczny 2014: Pandas, directed by Matus Vizar 2015: Symphony No. 42, directed by Réka Bucsi 2016: Fear, directed by Michal Blaško 2017: Close Ties, directed by Zofia Kowalewska 2018: By The Pool, directed by Laurynas Bareiša 2019: In Between, directed by Samir Karahoda 2020: Journey Through a Body, directed by Camille Degeye
European Debut Competition Introduced in 2018
Jury 2018: Homayoun Ershadi, Audrius Stonys, Dagnė Vildžiūnaitė, Elad Samorzik, Kathleen Mclnnis 2019: Cosima Finkbeiner, Eglė Vertelytė, Marcin Pienkowski, Mark Peranson, Takeo Hisamatsu 2020: Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Evgeny Gusyatinskiy, Boyd van Hoeij, Jonas Holmberg, Katarzyna Sinarska
Best Actress 2018: Darya Zhovner , film Closeness 2019: ?, film Journey To Mother's Room 2020: Roxanne Scrimshaw , Nichola Burley , film Lynn + Lucy
Best Director 2018: Bertrand Mandico , film The Wild Boys 2019: Zsófia Szilágyi , film One Day 2020: Fyzal Boulifa , film Lynn + Lucy
Best Actor 2018: Elliott Crosset Hove , film Winter Brothers 2019: Paulius Markevičius , film Summer Survivors 2020: Jérémie Laheurte , Djanis Bouzyani , Anthony Bajon , film You Deserve a Lover
Best Film 2018: Winter Brothers, directed by Hlynur Pálmason 2019: Ray & Liz, directed by Richard Billingham 2020: The Metamorphosis of Birds, directed by Catarina Vasconcelos
CINEUROPE Prize 2019: Animus Animalis (A Story About People, Animals And Things), directed by Aistė Žegulytė 2020: Nova Lituania, directed by Karolis Kaupinis
Retired Awards
Competition programme "New Europe – New Names" Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired The main awards at Vilnius International Film Festival. Introduced in 2009. Chosen by the international jury of the cinema industry professionals: actors, directors, programme directors, cinematographers and producers. The jury will select the best film of the festival and award it with two special prizes.
Best Film 2009: The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner, directed by Stefan Kitanov 2010: Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev 2011: Outbound (Periferic), directed by Bogdan George Apetri 2012: Courage, directed by Grzegorz Zgliński 2013: Loving (Miłość), directed by Slawomir Fabicki 2014: Japanese Dog, directed by Tudor Cristian Jurgiu 2015: Koza, directed by Ivan Ostrochovský 2016 >1: I, Olga Hepnarová, directed by Petr Kazda and Tomáš Weinreb 2016 >2: Thirst, directed by Svetla Tsotsorkova 2017: The Last Family, directed by Ostatnia Rodzina
Best Director Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired 2009: Javor Gardev 2010: - no award 2011: - no award 2012: Adrian Sitaru , film Best Intentions 2013: Mira Fornay , film My Dog Killer, 2014: Levan Koguashvili , film Blind Dates (Brma paemnebi) 2015: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy , film The Tribe 2016: Agnieszka Smoczyńska , film The Lure 2017: Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov , film Glory,
Best Actors Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired 2009: Miki Manojlovic , film The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner 2010: Vlad Ivanov , film Police, Adjective 2011: Bartu Kucukcaglayan , film Majority 2012 >1: Anjela Nedyalkova , film Avé 2012 >2: Ada Condeescu , film Loverboy 2012 >3: Isidora Simijonovic , film Clip 2013: Dan Chiorean , film Rocker 2014: Actor: Igor Samobor , film Class Enemy. Actress: Michaela Bendulova , film Miracle 2015: Actor: Márton Kristóf , film Afterlife. Actress: Margita Gosheva , film The Lesson 2016: Actor: Uliks Fehmiu , film Our Everyday Life. Actress: Monika Naydenova , film Thirst 2017: Actor: Marius Repšys , film The Saint. Actress: Mia Petričević , film Quit Staring at My Plate
CICAE jury film award Introduced 2009 - 2018 Retired 2009: - no award 2010: Eastern Plays, directed by Kamen Kalev 2011: On the Path, directed by Jasmila Žbanić 2012: director Adrian Sitaru , film Best Intentions 2013: Keep Smiling (Gaigimet), directed by Rusudan Chkonia 2014: director Rok Biček , film Class Enemy 2015: Ivan Ostrochovský , film Koza 2016: Mirjana Karanović , film A Good Wife 2017: film Glory
Special award 2010: Protector, directed by Marek Najbrt (for creative excellence) 2011: The House, directed by Zuzana Liová
Competition programme "Baltic Gaze" Introduced 2014 - 2018 Retired
Best Film 2014: The Hope Factory, directed by Natalia Meshaninova 2015: Victoria, directed by Sebastian Schipper 2016: Under the Sun, directed by Vitaly Mansky 2017: Woman and the Glacier, directed by Andrius Stonys
Best Director 2014: Paweł Pawlikowski , film Ida 2015: Joshua Oppenheimer , film The Look of Silence 2016: Mantas Kvedaravičius , film Mariupolis 2017: Sergei Loznitsa , film Austerlitz
Best Actor 2014: Lauri Lagle , film Free Range 2015: Janusz Gajos , film Body 2016: Oleg Maximov , film Don Juan 2017: Petr Skvortsov , film The Student
Best Actress 2014: Alexandra Finder , film The Police Officer's Wife 2015: Bianca Kronlöf -, film Underdog (Svenskjävel) 2016: Trine Dyrholm , film The Commune 2017: Lene Cecilia Sparrok , film Sami Blood
Special mention 2014: - no mention 2015: Rocks in My Pockets directed by Signe Baumane 2016: Granny's Dancing on the Table directed by Hanna Sköld 2017: - no mention
Best Lithuanian Actress