Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival 2026

The Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (IDF) has grown since its founding in 1999 into one of the most respected documentary film events in Europe, running for ten days each March across venues in Thessaloniki’s city centre. It is separate from the city’s November International Film Festival and focuses exclusively on documentary and non-fiction filmmaking.

What the festival covers

The programme includes competitive sections for Greek and international documentary features and shorts, plus curated retrospectives, thematic programmes, and focus sections dedicated to specific regions or directors. The festival has a strong tradition of presenting political and social documentaries alongside more experimental and personal filmmaking. Masterclasses and Q&A sessions with directors are a regular feature, often held at the Olympion cinema on Aristotelous Square, the festival’s main venue.

An industry strand, DocMarket, runs alongside the public screenings and provides a forum for documentary producers, broadcasters, and distributors to co-produce and acquire projects. This professional component contributes to the festival’s standing within the European documentary industry beyond its public-facing programme.

Accreditation for industry delegates and press is handled through the official website at filmfestival.gr, where the full public programme is also published. Screening tickets are sold individually and are modestly priced — generally €5-8 per screening as of recent editions.

Visiting Thessaloniki in March

March is a low-season period for tourism in Thessaloniki, which works in favour of visitors attending the festival: hotel rates are significantly lower than in summer, the city’s waterfront and food scene are uncrowded, and the weather, while variable, is mild enough for comfortable movement around the city. Daytime temperatures average around 12-14°C in early March, with some rain likely.

The main festival venues are concentrated around the central waterfront and Aristotelous Square, all within walking distance of each other and of the city’s primary hotel options. Thessaloniki is reachable by direct flight from several European cities, by train from Athens (around 4 hours), and by intercity bus. For a full picture of the city’s food culture and neighbourhoods, our Thessaloniki destination guide covers the essentials. The city is also an excellent base for a short excursion to Mount Olympus, accessible in under two hours by car.