“Alternative Wave” is the industry platform of the Batumi International Art-House Film Festival, created to support filmmakers at the stage when a compelling cinematic idea must be transformed into a clear, viable and internationally communicable project.

Established in 2015, the platform emerged from a practical reality facing many independent filmmakers in Georgia and the wider region: original stories and creative talent are present, but access to professional development, experienced consultants, financing networks and international markets remains limited.

“Alternative Wave” was created as a response to this gap — a concentrated working environment where filmmakers can test their ideas, strengthen their material and develop a realistic path from an initial concept towards production.

Initially focused on low-budget feature films, the platform has developed into an international project development and networking space for filmmakers from Georgia and the wider Black Sea region. It works with projects whose artistic identity is already visible, but whose screenplay, creative direction, production structure or international positioning still requires focused development.

Each edition brings together a small number of selected project teams, usually comprising directors, writers and producers. Over several intensive days, participants work with experienced Georgian and international film professionals through group workshops, project-specific consultations, case studies and individual meetings. The process is built around the concrete needs of each project.

In 2026, “Alternative Wave” will host eight selected film projects. Beginning on 22 September at Le Méridien Batumi, BIAFF’s official industry headquarters, the teams will work on project development, screenwriting, presentation, international financing and production strategies before presenting their projects to a professional audience.

“Alternative Wave” extends BIAFF’s role beyond presenting completed films. It invests in cinema that is still being imagined, strengthens the international potential of Georgian and regional projects and creates the conditions for new professional relationships, collaborations and co-productions to begin in Batumi.