About
The Kino Otok – Isola Cinema International Film Festival has been exploring the art of film since 2004, discovering various film expressions in the company of filmmakers and an audience of all generations. Our programme is centred on world, European and Slovenian auteur cinema, which we understand as both art and an influential medium that reflects society, culture and life in general. We endeavour to raise key questions about and in relation to film, without imposing the answers; rather, we encourage an in-depth dialogue and critical reflection.
A decade ago, we at Isola Cinema decided not to continue with the competition section and so we no longer confer any awards. Today, the festival is thus an open space for showing and mediating films, one that promotes the equality of different expressions and modes of reflection that broaden our views and freshen our thoughts. A carefully curated programme of each edition includes around 130 films of all lengths, most of which are shown in Slovenia for the first time. The festival’s Mediterranean character is manifested in the balance between ease and temperament, which functions as our magic formula – whoever visits us wants to return again and again.
The main part of the 19th edition of Kino Otok – Isola Cinema will take place between 4 and 8 June 2025 in Izola, but some of the screenings and meetings with filmmakers will also take place at the Slovenian Cinematheque and Kinodvor City Cinema in Ljubljana and at the art cinemas in Cerknica, Idrija, Sežana and Tolmin.
The 21st Kino Otok – Isola Cinema International Film Festival is:
- an exciting film programme that takes place under the stars in the Arrigoni Open-air Cinema and Manzioli Open.air Cinema, and in the haven of the Odeon Art Cinema and the House of Culture,
- a selection of short films by rising independent filmmakers in a relaxed atmosphere of Video on the Beach,
- Submarine – a programme of films and activities for children, young people and families,
- PRO Otok – a programme for film professionals and all who are interested in a film’s path from the idea to the screen and beyond,
- the festival feel in Izola’s streets, the artistic atmosphere in Izola’s galleries and the evening music programme on the Lighthouse beach,
- a programme of select festival films in Ljubljana, Cerknica, Idrija, Sežana and Tolmin,
- is Slovenia’s first film Festival to move towards zero waste
In 2022, Kino Otok was the first Slovenian film festival to move towards zero waste. While this doesn’t mean that the festival produces no waste at all, we aim to reduce its amount as much as possible and do our best sorting it. Making the zero-waste commitment is part of our overall effort to reduce the environmental impact of our organisation.
On average, events produce more than 1 kg of waste per person per day. Knowing that attendance at the 2023 Kino Otok was more than 5,000 people, this would mean more than 5 tonnes of waste in the previous festival edition alone. Last year, we managed to sort as much as 98% of all waste, and each festivalgoer produced an average of just 50g of waste! This year, we encourage you to help us do even more by not only recycling but preventing waste from being produced at all.
To deliver on our environmental ambition, we have teamed up with Ecologists Without Borders, a national zero-waste organisation that helps local communities, event organisers and tourism service providers take steps towards waste prevention.
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Programme and schedules: link
Tickets: link
The festival online archive:
– 20th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2024
– 19th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2023
– 18th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2022
– 17th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2021
– 16th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2020
– 1st till 15th Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, 2004-2019
