47th DISFF 2024: ALL IS DRAMA

47^th Drama International Short Film Festival
2 – 8 September 2024

All is Drama!

The 47^th Drama International Short Film Festival will take place on September 2-8, 2024, featuring a diverse program including 211 movies from 39 countries. 148 short films competing in the 7 competition sections of DISFF and 63 films screening in this year’s tributes.

In total, 62 Greek movies will be featured in the competition sections of DISFF, in national and international premieres.

Student films, short film hub, networking, pitching, green films, animation, films by kids, films for kids and Cinematherapy for All, promise an unforgettable week and a wild youth cinema fiesta.

The future of cinema in one week!

This year, Achilleas Kyriakidis will be Chairman of the Jury for the National Competition Programme and Yorgos Mavropsaridis will be Chairman of the Jury for the International Competition Programme.

Among many other events, the programme includes tributes to Frieda Liappa and Konstantinos Giannaris and a masterclass by Yorgos Mavropsaridis.

This year as well, the two (2) films that receive the top awards in both the National and International Competitions will automatically secure the coveted “ticket” to participate in the Oscars®.

The National Competition Programme and the International Competition are once again complemented by the International Student Programme and the National Student Programme. At the same time, International Animation, Short & Green and KIDDO with films for kids and by kids Competition Programmes continue their successful course, as well as the Short Film Hub, whose aim is for young directors, screenwriters and producers to form ties with the national and international film industry, fully supported by the Greek Film Centre.

And, of course, the innovative programme Cinematherapy will be here also.

This year, in a special screening, DISFF will proudly present the student films that were created during the first three semesters of the Undergraduate Department of Film Studies in Drama by the Hellenic Open University, which consisted of online lectures and live workshops in the city of Drama.

This year’s festival, the fifth one with Yannis Sakaridis as Artistic Director, will be held simultaneously in physical spaces and online. Through the platform https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/online-festival/ the films will be accessible, with free admission, throughout Greece.

The Drama International Short Film Festival enters a new era with a new President, the Mayor of Drama Georgios Papadopoulos and a new Vice-President, Petros Paraskevidis.

The 47th DISFF will take place at the Olympia Cinema and the Municipal Music School of Drama (Antonis Papadopoulos Hall), at the open-air cinema Alexandros, in the garden of the Cyclops Cultural Centre, and at the Eleftheria multi-purpose café (at the junction of Venizelos and Kountouriotou streets). This year will also see the inauguration of a new Festival space: the Drama Boy’s Gymnasium, an iconic 1928 building which was renovated courtesy of Raycap Company and CYCLOPS Non-profit Organization.

The Drama Festival collaborates with: Greek Film Centre (EKK), the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), RAYCAP, CYCLOPS, the National Electricity Company (DEI) which is the Festival’s new golden sponsor, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), Finos Film and many other bodies, with the full support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Hellenic Parliament, and of course the Municipality of Drama.

You can find the Daily Festival Programme here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/schedule/

47^th DISFF official trailer

This year’s spot, bearing the title All is Drama, has 10 versions referencing all the competition segments which together constitute the totality and identity of the Festival.

36 selected film titles from the 7 competition programmes are compiled to form full phrases – poetically, contemplatively or even humorously – just as the film themselves are screened consecutively on the big screen, forming a kaleidoscope of stories and images.

The unification of titles through the spot’s 10 different phrases attempts to showcase the Drama Festival as a space and a platform for inclusivity, unity and integration of every artistic genre, voice and expression of the wide creative cinema community.

With a nod to the title of a beloved Greek film by Pantelis Voulgaris, this is the message condensed and encapsulated in the three words of the main title:

All is Drama!

The spot was directed and edited by the Festival’s Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, based on an original idea by Vasilis Terzopoulos, who also wrote the script. The music was composed and kindly granted to the Festival by Kostis Maraveyias.

Discover the spot’s 10 versions on the following playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEqZG7n2JSQLCmglamKbJrGNaHHZnJEG5

THE FESTIVAL PLATFORM

Anyone wishing to attend the 47^th DISFF online should visit the festival platform https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/online-festival/, (which can also be accessed via the festival website https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr following the link online festival) and follow the instructions.

The films will be available from September 2^nd (10pm).

Admission is FREE for all online festival content, including the 7 competition sections and the tribute to the Student Films of the Undergraduate Department of Film Studies in Drama by the Hellenic Open University.

The films will remain on the platform until Monday, September 9^th.

GREEK COMPETITION

The National Competition Programme (head programmer Yannis Sakaridis) features 27 films. You can find the list here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/festival/national-competition/

Dozens of popular actors and actresses star or appear in the films. Indicatively we mention:

Alexandros Logothetis, Myrto Alikaki, Evi Saoulidou, Giorgos Katsis, Yvonne Maltezou, Natalia Tsaliki, Pygmalion Dadakaridis, Nikos Georgakis, Takis Sakellariou, Flomaria Papadaki, Christos Passalis, Pavlos Iordanopoulos, Nikolakis Zegkinoglou, Argyris Pantazaras, Giannis Papadopoulos, Maria Skoula, Dora Masklavanou, Michele Valley, Tonia Sotiropoulou, Stavros Tsoumanis, Maria Filini, Zoe Sigalou and many new and talented faces. We will also see the transgender actress and model Konstantina Lia, and the rappers NOVEL and MIRA, in main roles that are sure to cause great debate.

This year’s programme is dominated by social issues and relationships. However, there are period films, true stories, films based on short stories (“The Party” by Sotiris Dimitriou), foreign language short films, black and white films, stories that take place abroad (Sweden, Italy, Germany) and post-apocalyptic dystopian sci-fi stories.

Rappers and trappers are also featured this year, with popular rapper Novel getting involved in the creation of a film about group therapy. Young creators are also intensely interested in life in the Greek countryside, where patriarchy and masculinity stereotypes “crush” the youth. Emphasis is given in sexuality, gay love stories (especially between women), homophobia, and the assertation of transgender identity.

Hunting and animals star in many films giving rise to dramatic developments, while loss, grief management and separation form a large part of this year’s subject area. Familial relationships and especially the mother-daughter confrontational relationship, friendships that go through trials, first love, childhood traumas, loss of childhood and abrupt coming of age, parental responsibility and single-person families are a constant source of inspiration for short film producers, as are all the hot topics that bedevil modern Greece: immigration, bullying, racism, suicide, police violence, spying, the integration of the Roma people, addiction, imprisonment, as well as unemployment, undeclared work, and the plight of people trying to survive in an era where people are seduced by “self-improvement” advice. The pandemic lockdowns are still leaving their mark on cinema, and we will also see a few short documentaries about Omonoia Square and the microcosm of Greek buses.

Many new directors are competing in the 47^th DISFF, but we also see the return of many previous Festival winners, even of the Golden Dionysus award, such as Alexandros Skouras and George Fourtounis.

THE OTHER SIX COMPETITIVE PROGRAMMES:

You will find all the films participating in the competitive sections of the Festival on the Festival website https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/

Below are the links for each competition:

THE JURY COMMITTEES OF THE 47^TH DISFF

*The Jury of the National Competition Programme consists of:

Achilleas Kyriakidis (Chairman), author, translator, cinema academic, director
Irini Vachlioti, director
Alexis Vasileiou, Rialto Theatre General Manager, artist
Leda Galanou, cinema critic, co-owner of flix.gr
Marina Siotou, actress

*The jury of the International Competition Programme consists of:

Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Chairman), editor
Laurent Crouzeix, Executive team, Clermont-Ferrand ISFF & Short Film Market
Athena Xenidou, director, producer

*The jury of the International Student Competition Programme consists of:

Vicky Papadopoulou, actress
Νiels Putman, film programmer, chief editor of Talking Shorts
Celine Roustan, film programmer

*The jury of the National Student Competition Programme consists of:

Aris Katopodis (Chairman), Artistic Director of Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
Stylianos Zerefos, professor of the Applied Arts and Sustainable Design Faculty of the Hellenic Open University
Vania Turner, director, documentarist

*The jury of the Short and Green Programme consists of:

Neritan Zinxhiria, cinematographer
Elianna Zakopoulou, Head of Promotion and International Cultural Events -Hellas Film
Antoine Chapon, artist, filmmaker

*The jury of the Αnimation Competition Programme consists of:

Dr Lamprini Trivella, post-doc researcher UNIWA
Vasilis Galopoulos, audio engineer
Marineta Kritikou, Animasyros Festival market coordinator

*The jury of KIDDO consists of pupils aged 10-15 years old:

Isaak Iordanidis
Electra Theochari
Stavros Paraskevaidis
Konstantinos Dimitriadis

SHORT FILM HUB

The Short Film Hub aims to connect talented directors, screenwriters and producers with the national and international film industry and is pleased to add to its members Florian Fernandez, coordinator of Cannes Festival Short Film Market.

The Short Film Hub activities, supported by Creative Europe MEDIA, are spread throughout the duration of the Festival. There are daily discussions with selected guests while every morning, at 11 am, at the open-air cinema Alexandros, the public will get the opportunity to meet with the competing directors.

This year’s programme includes a new collaboration between DISFF and the online magazine Talking Shorts, featuring workshops on film review and artistic design by guest speakers, in-person meetings, and a fascinating series of talks and lectures (SFH Talks) on such subjects as hybrid short film format, international distribution, development and production of one’s first feature length film, new models of artistic design, programme planning and festival organization and development.

This year sees the inauguration of a Residency programme, which will form a springboard for the future of the festival, allowing creators to focus on script development and receive one-to-one guidance on subjects dealing with the film industry. The chosen participants for this year are Alexandra Mattheou, Stergios Dinopoulos, Stavros Markoulakis and Tilemachos Gioglaris.

One must not miss the Masterclass of film editor Yorgos Mavropsaridis (Frieday 6/9, open-air cinema Alexandros) and the panel with director Konstantinos Giannaris, Denis Nikolakou and Aris Dimokidis (Cinematherapy Ψtalk, Thursday 5/9, open-air cinema Alexandros).

Meet the Experts – daily meetings with the professionals who will be present in Drama and will be available for one-to-one sessions with the directors, screenwriters and producers whose movies will be screened in the official Festival programme – will be organized once again this year.

MEET THE GFC

The Greek Film Centre, carrying on its long-standing and stable collaboration with Drama Festival, organizes once again this year the Meet the GFC series of informative meetings within the Short Film Hub framework. From Tuesday 3/9 to Frieday 6/9 GFC staff will inform directors and producers about all its selective funding programmes and the opportunities they unfold for extroversion and international collaborations. Furthermore, GFC will actively participate in the Festival’s activities in order to support and promote Greek short films.

The programme also includes a panel for audiovisual professionals with the president of EKOME, Leonidas Christopoulos.

Finally, the DISFF continues its collaboration with Crew United, the top online platform for connecting audiovisual professionals in Europe, which started operating in Greece as Crew United Greece (https://www.crew–united.com/el/). The platform, which is now available in Greek, will be giving out 3 awards. On Thursday 5/9 (12pm – 1.15pm, Eleftheria Cafe) the Crew United Workshop: building self-management and networking strategies in the audiovisual industry by Venia Vergou and Iris Asimakopoulou will take place.

See the detailed programme of the SFH here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/shortfilmhub/

PITCHING LAB

As part of DISFF’s active Educational Programme led by Barbara Dukas, Artistic Director of Municipal Regional Theater of Corfu, the Drama Pitching Lab and Pitching Forum will take place for the 11^th year.

Ten projects (including four from Greece) will participate in the Pitching Lab & Forum in Drama and will compete for the Finos Film and Greek Film Centre Awards.

The Pitching Forum will take place on Friday 6/9 at the Municipal Music School.

“As is only natural”, notes Barbara Doukas, “the concerns and anxieties spanning the globe are reflected in the stories of the creators. Thus, apart from the always relevant personal stories, projects about coming-of-age films, social issues such as the movement of populations and pauperization, a multitude of scripts have dealt in various ways with the anxiety about the future of the planet and its possible eschatological course. Genres such as horror and sci-fi, the metaphysical and poetic element, as well as the treatment of landscapes and regions far from the megacities leading to atmospheric contemporary westerns, projects that take into account new facts in social consciousness about the need to include and accept people with special skills and diseases whose very names once had to be kept in silence, but also projects using new cutting-edge technologies and their creative use in filmmaking, gave us a variety of extremely interesting projects, making our choice difficult.”

Furthermore, during the screening of the award-winning films of DISFF in Athens, the Athens Pitching Lab will take place for the third year with 6 Greek projects. A highly promising event which emphasizes the development of the project’s scripts, aiming to give a boost to Greek film production.

The ‘STATHIS PARASKEYOPOULOS’ mentorship awards will be awarded to two of these projects, which will be further assisted in the development of their scripts.

As Barbara Doukas points out: “Preparing for Pitching is an essential process if you want to see your idea turned into a film. There are no general rules that define a perfect pitch, but there is definitely only one pathway: the inner journey leading to the truth of your story. And together we will discover it and find the best way to share it.”

You will find detailed information about the projects participating in this year’s Pitching Lab here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/festival/pitching-lab/

CINEMATHERAPY

Following the success of the Cinematherapy programme from 2020 to the present day in Greece and abroad, DISFF announces the launch of the programme for the year 2024, with “Therapeutic Cinema” as the central theme.

According to the head of the programme, psychotherapist Denis Nikolakou, “this is an innovative programme that aims to highlight the power of cinema as a means of therapy and introspection, offering viewers a deep, emotional and psychological experience”.

The 5th edition of Cinematherapy includes two short films and a “ΨTalk” discussion panel, which is being launched for the first time this year.

“In this framework”, notes Denis Nikolakou, “we are extremely pleased to have a discussion with the renowned director Konstantinos Giannaris about his film A Place in the Sun, in which we will have the opportunity to analyze and explore the deeper meaning and the psychological aspects of the film.” (Thursday 5/9, 8.30pm, open-air cinema Alexandros, FREE ADMISSION). The panel consists of Denis Nikolakou, Konstantinos Giannaris and Aris Dimokidis. The public will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Furthermore, on Frieday 6/9 and Saturday 7/9 respectively, at the open-air cinema Alexandros, the films Vioma by Angel Saft and Skeleton Tree by Haris Zalavras will be screened. There will be a discussion with the film production team following the screening.

Through the film screenings, the programme offers the audience an opportunity to explore themes such as memory, confronting time, personal development and self-awareness. In this way, Cinematherapy DISFF 2024 promotes the idea that cinema is not only about entertainment, but a powerful tool for the development and healing of the human psyche.

You can find more information about this year’s Cinematherapy here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/program/cinematherapy/

OTHER ACTIVITIES

The parallel events of the 47^th DISFF include:

*A TRIBUTE TO THE NEW STUDY PROGRAM IN FILM STUDIES BY THE HOU.

The undergraduate Study Program “Film Studies: Screenplay, Filmmaking, and Research” by the School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design of the HOU aims to teach students the knowledge and skills required to seek employment in various fields of audio-visual and cinema productions by providing them with both theoretical and practical skills in a wide variety of cinema-related subjects.

In the framework of the successful cooperation between the Hellenic Open University and the DISFF, student works from the first three semesters of the programme for the academic year 2023-2024 have been selected for screening.

The films will be screened on Wednesday 4/9 (Cyclops).

*TRIBUTES TO KONSTANTINOS GIANNARIS AND FRIEDA LIAPPA

On Sunday 8/9 (Olympia) the DISFF will honor the director Konstantinos Giannaris by screening four award-winning short films from the 1990’s, offering a rare opportunity for Drama audiences to observe the development of his unique cinematic viewpoint. The four films to be screened are: A Place in the Sun (1995), Trojans (1990), Caught Looking (1991) and North of Vortex (1991).

At the same time, in an honorary tribute to Frieda Liappa, the digitally restored copy of her short film I remember you leaving all the time (1977), as well as the partially restored films Apetaxamin (Renouncement) (1980) and 40 Days Later (1972). The restoration is performed by the Greek Film Archive in collaboration with Kyriakos Aggelakos and Drama Festival, supported by EKEP (Society for Social Work and Culture).

*A TRIBUTE TO THE 20^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCHOOL OF FILM STUDIES OF AUTH WITH SELECTED STUDENT FILMS

In the past few years, within the framework of the National Student Programme, DISFF audiences have embraced and awarded the latest films of the graduates of the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

This retrospective, which will be presented on Tuesday 3/9 and Thursday 5/9 (Cyclops), focuses on the end-of-year films of the first generation of graduates, from 2009 to 2019. These films were screened and applauded at festivals in their day and are being re-screened with a new zest to new audiences, bridging the present with the history and evolution of the Department.

“A LITTLE DRAMA IN ANIMAPRIDE”-10 YEARS ANIMAPRIDE

A tribute to LGBTQ+ animated films, in collaboration with Animasyros. Konstantinos Yannaris selects some of his favorite films from the Animapride competition category of the last few years of the Animasyros International Animation Festival, which will be presented on Saturday 7/9 (Cyclops) in a special screening at the 47th DISFF and the 17th Animasyros International Animation Festival (23-29 September 2024).

12 films from Greece, France, Brazil, USA and Taiwan will be screened, covering a wide range of queer themes. Personal stories of coming out, the discrimination faced by queer individuals, comic tales of late-night entertainment and much more that will entertain us all!

* PRESENTATION OF THE 12 FILMS CREATED BY THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE FILM WORKSHOP OF THE DRAMA FESTIVAL.

DISFF devised and implemented a new free workshop with aspiring filmmakers from Drama, aimed at creating short films (fiction or hybrid), which will be shown in a special screening at the Festival in September. The workshop, designed and executed by the artistic team of the Festival, took place over eight months (with 2 workshops per month) in the city of Drama. In the first year 25 people participated in the project and in the second year 55 people participated, and it is worth noting that in response to the open call, 200 people from Drama sent in their applications.

After the warm reception of last year’s presentation, the 12 new films will be screened again this year, in the courtyard of the Boy’s Gymnasium, on Thursday 5/9 and Friday 6/9.

The programme is supported by Raycap.

Head of Programme: Yannis Sakaridis, director, DISFF Artistic Director

*MOBILE SCHOOL TRAVELS

On Wednesday 4/9 (Boy’s Gymnasium) The Ladies Union of Drama – Hostel House presents Mobile School Travels, a short documentary directed by Loukas Paleokrasas, which recounts the life of Roma children living in the camp of Philippou, Drama, and working on the streets. It was filmed during the educational project “Mobile School Travels”, which was implemented in the framework of the Active Citizens Fund project by the The Ladies Union of Drama.

The Mobile School is a wheeled rectangular construction, consisting of educational panels (e.g. arithmetic, grammar, geography, etc.) and discussion panels (e.g. personal hygiene, diversity, bullying, violence, etc.). There are over 350 panels which are rotated in each intervention. The main objectives of the Mobile School project are to eliminate school dropout and illiteracy and to encourage Roma children to participate in educational activities that strengthen their self-esteem.

*ARE YOU IN (THE MEDIA)? – AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR KIDS BY EKOME (NATIONAL CENTRE OF AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION)

The Drama Festival in collaboration with EKOME organizes an interactive workshop on Education in the Media. The workshop is based on the educational programme “Are you in (the Media)?”.

Taking as a starting point an entertaining digital interactive quiz on issues related to the Media (Cinema, Television, Internet, Radio, Advertising, Press, etc.), various activities (expression, reflection, movement, creation, play) are organized, with emphasis on digital playful tools. The activities focus on specific issues which we have found to be relevant for children and the Festival, such as: online safety, new A.I. and V.R. technologies, advertising, digital games, fake news, etc. The workshop will be adapted to the needs and particular characteristics of the group of children who will participate.

It is addressed to children aged 12 – 15 years old and will take place on Wednesday 4/9 at the Municipal Conservatory of Drama.

*LITERARY ATRIUM: DIMITRIS PETROU – KYRIAKOS SYFILTZOGLOU

SHORT AND FEATURE-LENGTH POEMS

Two poets from the city of Drama converse on the occasion of the publication of their latest poetry collections, “Twentieth World” (Editions Polis) and “Indian Style” (Editions Antipodes). An open conversation between two authors about the core materials of poetic creation, the relationship between contemporary history and its “inspiration and transformation”, about small and large compositions. Two poets, two friends, meeting again years later in their birthplace to share their common love “of their roots” within the framework of the DISFF.

Wednesday 4/9, open-air cinema Alexandros

*SCREENING OF AWARD-WINNING FILMS

The DISFF award-winning films will be screened on Monday 9/9 at 6pm and 8pm at Olympia cinema.

You can find detailed information about the parallel events of DISFF here:

https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/parallel-programmes/

TICKETS

Pre-booking at more.com

APPOINTMENT (ALSO) IN ATHENS IN OCTOBER

See you in Drama, then, but also in Athens, on October 24-27 at IRIS Cinema (56, Acadimias St) where the National and National Student Competition Programmes will be screened in their entirety. There will also be a pitching workshop. May we remind you that IRIS cinema is the base of the Film Section of the Cultural Students Union of Athens University.

The programme Drama Festival Travels will continue into next season, visiting even more places, highlighting the dynamic of Greek film production in Greece and abroad.

The Drama Festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Greek Parliament, and of course the Municipality of Drama.