The festival

Biarritz Film Festival – NOUVELLES VAGUES is a distinctive festival committed to championing and showcasing the perspectives and voices of new generations.

The Festival is built around two defining principles: an international feature film competition dedicated exclusively to coming-of-age stories, and juries whose members are all under the age of 35.

Over six days, Biarritz Film Festival – NOUVELLES VAGUES presents an international competition of eight feature films yet to be released in French cinemas, shining a light on young people, their stories, their hopes and their power.

Since 2026, the Festival has also embraced short films with an international competition dedicated to filmmakers under the age of 35. As a first space for freedom and experimentation for emerging filmmakers, the short film format is celebrated through a selection of eight films from around the world.

Alongside the official competitions, Biarritz Film Festival – NOUVELLES VAGUES screens more than thirty films, including an open-air screening, films from the Gazteria* section, major premieres, as well as two special themed days dedicated to ocean and biodiversity protection and artificial intelligence.

* “youth” in Basque.

THE AWARDS

GRAND PRIZE

BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD

AUDIENCE AWARD

SHORT FILM AWARD

PASS CULTURE JURY AWARD

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & APPRENTICES JURY AWARD

THE TROPHY

Each winner receives the Biarritz Film Festival – NOUVELLES VAGUES trophy. Designed by students from École Boulle and crafted by Maison Desrues, the trophy embodies the values of a new generation.