Breaking Down Barriers

About

The one and the oldest Russian Disability Film Festival takes place in Moscow, Russia every two years. Festival has been organized by Russian disability NGO Perspektiva since 2002. 

Festival strives to promote a complex image of people with disabilities through films and to educate members of the community about issues that effect the lives of disabled people worldwide. 

During the first nine festivals more than 800 films from 55 countries were screened. More than 15 000 people attended Moscow’s festivals and more than 100,000 people in 30 regions of Russia attended regional festivals. Festivals also took place in Armenia, the Kirgiz Republic, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. 

Awards

Best Feature Film
Best Short Feature Film
Best Full Length Documentary
Best Short Documentary
Best Actor / Actress
Best Film about Love
Most Uplifting
Best Film about Shattering Stereotypes
Best Public Service Announcement
Best Film about Intellectual Disability

Rules

All works submitted for the Breaking Down Barriers Film Festival should portray a disability issue. We accept the following film categories: Feature Narrative, Short Narrative, Experimental, Documentary, Animation, Public Service Announcements, and encourage the submission of films that have been produced by and with the close participation of persons with disabilities. We also encourage films, made by film school students, and will have a special prize for the best film by a student. We will also have a special prize for the best short film, made by a team of children with and without disabilities.

All works must have been produced after January 1, 2022. 

All works that are not in Russian should be submitted with English subtitles.

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

Festival team:
Denise Roza, director
Vera Trubnikova, coordinator
Saya Abdullaeva, assistent coordinator

Jury will be known by the end of September.