Kino Otok – Isola Cinema, organized since 2004, is a boutique, yet at the same time second largest International Film Festival in Slovenia to showcase art house films. It aims to broaden film horizons by presenting inspiring European authors and artistically stunning films that could otherwise not be seen in this territory. The particular focus is put on film education of children and youth, and on training as well as networking of young film professionals to enable them necessary skills for international film markets.

The 18th and 19th edition of Kino Otok – Isola Cinema will take place in Izola, Ljubljana, and several other satellite cities in June 2022 and 2023. The majority of the festival takes place in Izola, a bilingual Slovenian-Italian coastal area with the local crowds being mostly Slovenian, Italian, and Croatian. During the festival, the picturesque old town centre is transformed into a real film island, where the entire film festival colony gathers and enjoys the screenings under the starry sky, followed by the nightly festival throb at Izola’s Lighthouse.

The educational programs include international workshops and masterclasses for film professionals and general audience, meetings with authors and highly diverse film literacy events for children and youth through the collaboration with national authorities in the field of film literacy. Extended networks with other festivals and partner institutions throughout the year enable the presented films and authors to circulate Europe and enter the distribution chain.

Kino Otok – Isola Cinema has brought to Izola, to the region, and to Slovenia and its surrounding areas a convincing film constant that offers a first-rate cultural event and aims to provide a truly unique film experience not only to the locals, cinephiles and cultural tourists from everywhere, but also to the festival guests visiting it from all across Europe and beyond.