About Us

Drama Short Film Festival was first held in 1978, on the initiative of the Drama Film Club. The response of filmmakers, as well as the public, was enthusiastic from the very beginning. A few years later, the Festival was adopted by the Municipality of Drama and then, in the mid-eighties, by the Greek State. In 1995 the Festival became International.

The Festival was established in 1978 and, since 1996, it is a Municipal Enterprise, whose purpose is: to promote and disseminate the art of cinema, and especially of the short film, in Greece and abroad, to develop a spirit of friendship and cooperation between filmmakers from all over the world, to organize screenings of Greek and foreign short films; film tributes; seminars, conferences, lectures and fora; art exhibitions; musical concerts; and theatrical performances, throughout the year, in the city of Drama, in Greece and abroad and to collaborate with similar institutions, both in Greece and abroad, towards the fostering and development of short film.

Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF)

Headquarters: Drama
9 Agias Varvaras st. Drama 66100, Greece
Tel: (+30) 25210 47575

Branch office: Athens
71 Emm. Benaki st. Athens 10681, Greece
Tel: (+30) 210 3300309

e-mail: info@dramafilmfestival.gr

Screening venues

Municipal Conservatory Hall

Olympia Cinema

Alexandros Open Air Cinema

CYCLOPS Cultural Centre

Arrenon Gymnasium

Brief History

The Drama Short Film Festival began in 1978 as an initiative of the Drama Film Club. From its early years, it received a great response from both filmmakers and the public. After a few years, the Festival was adopted by the Municipality of Drama and, in the mid-1980s, by the State.

The development of the institution highlighted the urgent need for a space dedicated to the presentation and promotion of short films as an independent artistic expression. Past experience contributed to improving the conditions under which the Festival takes place.

In recent years, the Drama Festival has been firmly established in the minds of both the film industry and the public as the premier venue for showcasing short films. It has become a platform where films that will shape or enrich our cultural landscape in the future are presented.

Both the Municipality and the State have actively supported the Festival, contributing in every possible way to the improvement of its organizational framework. The high-quality screening of participating films and the preparation of new screening venues further enhance the Festival’s technical infrastructure.

The Drama Festival is a dynamic institution that evolves and renews itself continuously. In addition to the Greek Festival, the International Festival has also been introduced in recent years, featuring films from filmmakers worldwide in competition and parallel tributes. From its very first year, participation in the International Section was remarkable. The significance of the Drama Festival is evident in the fact that many young filmmakers consider their participation and potential award a major stepping stone for both the recognition of their work and their future artistic careers. Additionally, the monetary value of the awards makes participation even more appealing.

Beyond that, the warm hospitality of the people of Drama, who embraced the Festival from the beginning, the friendly atmosphere, and the interaction among artists from different parts of the world create a unique experience. Here, the emphasis is not only on winning awards but also on participation and artistic exchange.

The Festival places great importance not only on film screenings but also on fostering a welcoming and engaging environment. It believes that artists are not isolated from society—they live, breathe, and should also have fun… After all, isn’t that what cinema is about?

Since August 1996, the Greek Ministry of Culture, recognizing the significance and prestige of the Drama Festival, has incorporated it into the National Cultural Network of Cities. This integration resulted in participation in a nationwide cultural network and ensured uninterrupted funding from both the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Drama.

The Festival maintains connections with other international film festivals, inviting prominent figures from the global film industry who share their knowledge and experience with emerging filmmakers. It organizes tributes to international cinema, facilitating artistic dialogue and critical discourse. As a result, today, the Drama Short Film Festival—both the International and Greek editions—has evolved into a major cultural institution with both national and international significance.

Georgios Papadopoulos

Mayor of Drama and President of Drama International Short Film Festival

Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος

A message from the Mayor of Drama and President of Drama International Short Film Festival Georgios Papadopoulos

It is with great joy and pride that we welcome you all to Drama, at the heart of a festival that, for 48 years, has celebrated the power of short film cinema.

The Drama International Short Film Festival, taking place from 8 to 14 September 2025, stands as a shining beacon of culture—for our city, for Greece, and for the global film community.

We extend a heartfelt welcome to all directors, artists, and cinema enthusiasts joining us in this year’s celebration.

We invite you to experience the magic of cinema. To become fellow travellers in this “reflection of life.” To be moved, to reflect, to be inspired. Here in Drama, where the short film finds its rightful home.

And if, as John Huston once said, “Hollywood was always a cage that trapped dreams,” we say to all young filmmakers: Drama is the window that gives air to your wings—so your dreams may fly far and wide, across the world.

We are deeply grateful to all filmmakers and audiences for being here with us.

Petros Paraskevaidis

Vice President, Drama International Short Film Festival

Πέτρος Παρασκευαΐδης

A message from the Vice President of Drama International Short Film Festival Petros Paraskevaidis

The Drama International Short Film Festival, for almost half a century, has been a vibrant workshop of dreams and storytelling, a gateway to worlds of imagination and reflection. Cinema, and especially the short film, condenses emotions, experiences, and visions. Every creation you see on our screens is a miniature universe, capable of stirring powerful feelings and etching unforgettable moments in your memory. We are proud that this year, Drama becomes once again the focal point of interest for artists from every corner of the globe, who choose our Festival to showcase their work.

With its long history, our Festival has been established as one of the most important institutional events in the field of Cinema, both in Greece and internationally. Our upward course is no coincidence; it is the result of hard work, dedication, and a firm commitment to openness and transparency that characterise every aspect of our operation. We firmly believe that art flourishes in an environment of trust and equal opportunity—and that is precisely what we strive to offer to all participants and to our audience.

This year, in collaboration with our artistic team, we continue to strive to be a leading platform for emerging filmmakers, offering them a gateway to international recognition, as evidenced by our past distinctions, including Oscar and EFA nominations.

The Drama International Short Film Festival is not merely a cultural event. It is a living organism that constantly evolves, inspires, and creates memories that will stay with viewers forever.

As the great Ingmar Bergman once said: “No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.”

The 48th Drama International Short Film Festival raises its curtain in our beloved Drama, inviting each and every one of you on an unforgettable cinematic journey.

Yorgos Angelopoulos

Artistic Director

A message from the New Artistic Director of the Drama International Short Film Festival, Yorgos Angelopoulos

Changes can often be frightening. They keep us alert, on edge, and anxious, but they can also stir excitement, hope, and anticipation. Since its very inception, Cinema has always had an organic relationship with change. As if the medium itself, built on the sequence of images, were destined to be in constant flux and evolution. From black and white to colour, from silent films to sound, from the dark theatre to mobile screens, films have always remained part of our lives not in spite of change, but perhaps because of them.

In a similar vein, a film festival must also evolve, challenge itself, question its practices, and seek new ways to grow while staying relevant. The change in artistic direction marks a new chapter for the Festival, which has seen remarkable growth in recent years. Modernising a film festival is no small feat. But so is the task of finding the path to take it a step further, to raise it just one rung higher.

In its 48th edition, the DISFF is changing. Yet it remains firmly rooted in its core values: the celebration of creativity, freedom, polyphony, and the enduring flame of the short film. A flame that, despite shifting faces and changing circumstances, has never gone out. It has been kept alive by emerging filmmakers: through their talent, their passion, and their thirst for creation.

This year’s edition is the result of a collective effort. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who supported, guided, worked, and believed in this journey. It was a challenging year, but when is it not for Greek cinema? Perhaps the results of our efforts will be seen soon; perhaps they will take time. What is certain, however, is that the warmth of the films, the smiles, the emotion, the conversations after the screenings — all these will be there to remind us why we love this Festival.

They say the only thing we know for certain about the future is that it will be different. So here’s to a DISFF that is always different.

Yorgos Angelopoulos – Biography

Yorgos Angelopoulos graduated with a degree in Directing from the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

He then got a scholarship for a master’s degree on Screenwriting at the University of The Arts London.

In 2017 he began working on the Production and Development Directorate of the Greek Film Centre where he was promoted to Director in 2020. He introduced new funding program regulations designed to support emerging professionals and foster inclusivity in short filmmaking.

During his term, the evaluation mechanism was established with a registry of readers and clear artistic criteria, leading to the funding of hundreds of film projects at the writing, development, and production stages.

He has been active in film education and has participated in the creation and development of the Olympia Effect, a script development workshop for children and teens by the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People.

He has served as an expert for Creative Europe MEDIA Desk and has been a script consultant for short and feature films.

His first short film as screenwriter-director Goldfish (2017) premiered in BFI Flare and became part of the British Council’s International Campaign for Equality and Human Rights (#5filmsforfreedom).

In 2025 he completed his second short film.

MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD

47th DRAMA INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

PETROS PARASKEVAIDIS
VICE PRESIDENT

METAXIA GERAKI
CITIZEN

PANAGIOTIS GIAVANOGLOU
CITIZEN

KATERINA IORDANIDOU
CITIZEN

DIMITRIOS IOANNIDIS
CITIZEN

KONSTANTINOS KALAITZIDIS
CITIZEN

MOURATIDIS SAVVAS
CITIZEN

MARIKA KOUMARAPI
EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE

GEORGIADOU MARIA – EIRINI
CITIZEN

BODOUROGLOU KATERINA
CITIZEN

49th Drama International Short Film Festival – 2026

Drama International Short Film Festival

Headquarters: Drama – 9 Agias Varvaras st. Drama 66131, Greece
Tel: (+30) 25210 47575

Branch office: Athens – 71 Emm. Benaki st. Athens 10681, Greece
Tel: (+30) 210 3300309

e-mail: info@dramafilmfestival.gr

Πρόεδρος Φεστιβάλ / Δήμαρχος Δράμας
Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος
Festival President / Mayor of Drama
Georgios Papadopoulos

Αντιπρόεδρος Φεστιβάλ: Πέτρος Παρασκευαΐδης
president@dramafilmfestival.gr
Festival Vice Chairman: Petros Paraskevaidis

Καλλιτεχνικός Διευθυντής: Γιώργος Αγγελόπουλος
artisticdirector@dramafilmfestival.gr
Artistic Director: Yorgos Angelopoulos

Διευθυντής ΠΟ: Παύλος Σιδηρόπουλος
hrdirector@dramafilmfestival.gr
Deputy Direcdtor CO: Pavlos Sidiropoulos

Διεύθυνση Συντονισμού: Μαρκοπούλου Ζωή
manager@dramafilmfestival.gr
Festival Coordination Directorate: Markopoulou Zoi

Γενικός Συντονισμός: Σοφία Γεωργιάδου
coordinator@dramafilmfestival.gr
General Coordinator: Sophia Georgiadou

Development: Βίκυ Κωνσταντινίδου
development@dramafilmfestival.gr
Development: Vicky Konstantinidou

DISFF Design – Visual identity
Κωνσταντίνος Παυλίδης
Konstantinos Pavlidis

Εθνικό Διαγωνιστικό Πρόγραμμα / Head Programmer: Γιώργος Αγγελόπουλος
artisticdirector@dramafilmfestival.gr
national@dramafilmfestival.gr
National Competition / Head Programmer: Yorgos Angelopoulos

Διεθνές Διαγωνιστικό Πρόγραμμα / Head Programmer: Βασίλης Τερζόπουλος
international@dramafilmfestival.gr
International Competition / Head Programmer: Vassilis Terzopoulos

Εθνικό Σπουδαστικό Διαγωνιστικό Πρόγραμμα / Head Programmer: Παναγιώτης Ιωσηφέλης
national-stu@dramafilmfestival.gr
National Student Competition / Head Programmer: Panagiotis Iosifelis

Διεθνές Σπουδαστικό Διαγωνιστικό Πρόγραμμα / Head Programmer: Κωστής Χαραμουντάνης
intrnational-stu@dramafilmfestival.gr
International Student Competition / Head Programmer: Kostis Haramountanis

SHORT FILM HUB
Αντιγόνη Παπαντώνη / Antigoni Papantoni
hub@dramafilmfestival.gr

Pitching Lab / Head Programmer: Βαρβάρα Δούκα
pitching@dramafilmfestival.gr
Pitching Lab / Head Programmer: Barbara Dukas

Συντονισμός Διεθνούς & Διεθνούς Σπουδαστικού Διαγωνιστικού Προγράμματος
Τάσος Μάλλιος
international@dramafilmfestival.gr
intrnational-stu@dramafilmfestival.gr
Coordinator International & International Student Competition
Tassos Mallios

Πρόγραμμα Κινηματογραφηγήματα
cinematherapy@dramafilmfestival.gr
narratives-in-motion

Ομάδα Οπτικοακουστικής Υποστήριξης
Audio-Visual Technical Team

ΤΕΧΝΙΚΗ ΔΙΕΥΘΥΝΣΗ
Χρήστος Σοφιανόπουλος – Christos Sofianopoulos
TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATOR

ΤΕΧΝΙΚΗ ΟΡΓΑΝΩΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ
Κωνσταντίνος Παυλίδης – Konstantinos Pavlidis
TECHNICAL MANAGER & OPERATIONS

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΗΣ
Νίκος Σακούλης – Nikos Sakoulis
STAGE PRODUCTION

ΒΟΗΘΟΣ ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΗΣ
Νίκος Θεολόγου – Nikos Theologou
Γιώργος Σοφιανόπουλος – Giorgos Sofianopoulos
STAGE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

ΤΕΧΝΙΚΟΣ ΠΡΟΒΟΛΗΣ
Άγγελος Κακοταρίτης – Aggelos Kakotaritis
Άγγελος Καλαποθαράκος – Aggelos Kalapotharakos
Φάνης Αθανασίου – Fanis Athanasiou
Θέη Τσιρίδου – They Tsiridou
OPERATOR

ΗΧΟΛΗΠΤΗΣ
Πάνος Σκιαδαρέσης – Panos Skiadaresis
STAGE SOUND ENGINEER

ΙΣΤΟΣΕΛΙΔΑ – WEB DEVELOPMENT – ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΕΣ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΤΥΟΥ – ΠΛΑΤΦΟΡΜΑ:
Γιάννης & Μάριος Χριστοδούλου
websupport@dramafilmfestival.gr
WEBSITE – WEB DEVELOPMENT – WEB APPLICATIONS – PLATFORM:
Yiannis & Marios Christodoulou

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR:
Ιφιγένεια Κωνσταντινίδου
Ifigenia Konstantinidou

Drama Office

Ζoi Markopoulou

Katerina Manousi
Maria Savvaki
Lefteris Kazantzidis
info@dramafilmfestival.gr
guest@@dramafilmfestival.gr

Athens Office

Nικολίνα Παγκάλου
national@dramafilmfestival.gr
Nikolina Pagkalou

Μαρίζα Παπαδημητρίου
pitching@dramafilmfestival.gr
Mariza Papadimitriou

info@dramafilmfestival.gr

Γραφείο Τύπου: Ευάννα Βενάρδου
press@dramafilmfestival.gr
Press Office: Evanna Venardou