countdown to the 43rd

The countdown to the 43rd Short Film Festival in Drama has started. The Festival is turning a new page in its history, with a new Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, who took up his post under globally unprecedented circumstances, at a period of time where Greek short film creators are excelling at the biggest international film festivals. For this reason, for the first time in its history, the Drama Film Festival will be conducted simultaneously both in physical locations and online.

The Festival is delighted to announce that internationally acclaimed Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski will be a member of the jury of the International Competition.

The great celebration of short film, https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr, will take place from the 20th to the 26th of September, headlined by filmmakers and the audience that loves and supports short film.

Once again this year, Drama is preparing to welcome Greek short film creators to the most joyous celebration of Greek cinema, which transforms the city centre and its wonderful water park where the Festival is held, to a frenetic film set every September.

The National Short Film Festival is here to spotlight new cinematic talent in the making, and promote the creation of short film as an independent category pertinent to filmmakers of all age groups.

The 43rd DISFF will be conducted in the newly-renovated open-air cinema Alexandros, the festival’s new hotspot, at the Olympia Cinema, and the Municipal Conservatory of Drama. Alongside the aforementioned locations, a drive-in cinema will be set up for the first time, next to the Krachtidis Stadium (Drama’s indoor sports fascility).

Those who wish to watch the Festival online, will need to register here:

https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/online-festival

Registrations will begin with the opening of the platform, on 20/09/20.

In total, 141 films from 37 countries will be screened; spread between the Festival’s various programmes.

In the words of Yannis Sakaridis, “at a time when the whole world’s been shaken by the pandemic, we have prepared a festival which will bolster short film, and give hope to its creators. In times of crisis, films can provoke, transport us to another place, inform, enchant, and heal.”

NATIONAL COMPETITION

Out of 275 Greek films submitted (a new record for the festival), 34 will compete for the awards of the 43rd competition https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/festival/greek-competition, in a solid but flexible programme. These include 3 documentaries, 2 animation films, and 2 experimental films. This year, about a quarter of competing directors are women (the female signatures are 9).

A lot of new talents are participating, as well as plenty of the festival’s old acquaintances who have received awards in the past. Man’s relationship to animals seems to monopolize a good deal of the directors’ interest this year, in films of a very different style. Trans characters aspire to steal the limelight, while the Coronavirus matter, paradoxically, concerns very few contestants –we will, however, see a meta-apocalyptic gay love story inspired by the pandemic.

Issues that have long perturbed Greek short film makers are once again prevalent this year: Immigration (as far as children are concerned, predominantly), in an unwelcoming Athens, integration of immigrants in Greek society, war, managing loss, helplessness and old age, love. Directors seem to be deeply concerned by parent-child relationships, especially cases of mothers or fathers who, regardless of the reason for their absence, scar their children irreparably. There is no shortage of period dramas, allegorical tales, fantasy films, and some which intensely experiment with form.

Many popular actors star in the competing films: Vangelio Andreadaki, Andreas Konstantinou, Pavlos Iordanopoulos, Giorgos Kentros, Yannis Kokiasmenos, Kimonas Kouris, Nikos Kouris, Youla Boudali, Kostas Nikouli, Dimitris Xanthopoulos, Makis Papadimitriou, Karanfil Sena, Maria Skoula, Konstantina Takalou, Elena Topalidou, Penelope Tsilika and Yannis Tsortekis, to mention but a few.

We will also see actors in the director’s chair (Christos Karteris) and producers as co-scriptwriters (Christos K. Konstantakopoulos).

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

This year, which marks 26 years since its internationalization, the Festival will screen 36 films from 30 countries in total.

https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/festival/international-competition/.

It will feature 11 international, 2 European, and 19 Greek premieres.

As the Head Programmer of the International Competition Manolis Melissourgos  points out, for the first time, there are 6 Greek films in the running for the International Competition, namely: As if underwater by Anthi Daoutaki, In her steps by Anastasia Kratidi, Τhe end of suffering (a proposal) by Jaqueline Lentzou, Goads by Iris Baglanea, Dive by Thimios Bakatakis and Premier amour by Haris Raftogiannis (France, Greece). Also competing is The parrot lady by Michalis Kalopaidis, from Cyprus.

Some additional surprises in this year’s programme:

  • Women creators outnumber their male counterparts for the first time. Out of the competing directors, 19 are women and 17 men.
  • Thimios Bakatakis is a renowned Cinematographer and a close associate of Yorgos Lanthimos (The killing of a sacred deer, The lobster, Dogtooth). He is participating in the 43rd DISFF with his first short film, Dive.
  • Hollywood actress Rusty Schwimmer (known for films such as Twister, The perfect storm, and North country) holds the starring role in the film Keep it quiet by Yaya (USA).
  • Two films distinguished at the 2019 Drama Pitching Lab are competing this year:  Wild child by Kaki Wong (Hong Kong,) and Under the same roof by Simeon Tsonchev (Bulgaria).
  • Lastly, the Drama Film Festival is honored to present, in a national first, Thanasis Neofotistos’ new film, Route 3 (Bosnia, Greece), which will be screened as part of the International section, out of competition.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION

22 films from 16 countries were chosen for the newly-launched, ambitious student competitionhttps://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/festival/international-student-competition/, including 3 Greek films: Violetta by Fivos Imellos (New York College), Rosa Kairo by Jacques Simha (Kapodistrian University Cultural Society Cinema Section), and The jar by Kyriakos Rontsis (Bournemouth Film School).

The participants are students from 21 cinema schools around the world, 12 of which are internationally renowned. The festival has secured 7 international premieres, 2 European, 4 Balkan, and 9 Greek.

The creation of this new programme aims to meet the need for local and International production of student short film, and is integrally linked to the Festival’s vision for the upcoming establishment the Film School in Drama.

Award-winning director Thanassis Neofotistos, who began his career at the Drama Film Festival, is the Head Programmer of the International Student Competition.

JURIES AND NEW AWARDS

Oscar-winning Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski will be in good company in the International Competition’s jury with actress Themis Bazaka, director Lefteris Charitos, author Lena Divani, and director Stergios Paschos.

Chairman of the National Competition jury is director Argyris Papadimitropoulos.

The other members are: actor Yannis Stankoglou, set and costume designer Alexia Theodoraki, director  Evi Kalogiropoulou, and actor Romanna Lobach.

In the newly-established International Student Competition, the jury consists of:  Journalist Aleandros Diakosavvas, directing duo Lida Vartzioti & Dimitris Tsakaleas, and screenwriter/director Alki Politi.

As a tribute to beloved set and costume designer Ioulia Stavridou, who was taken from us so unjustly, the Festival is naming a new award after her: Honorary Distinction for Costume Design “Ioulia Stavridou”. It will be accompanied by a cash award of €2,000 offered by Trianon Cinema.

Four new (monetary) prizes by the Greek Film Centre are added to the categories Golden Dionysos, screenplay, direction, and documentary.

Audience Awards are being introduced for the first time: Viewers will be able to actively take part in the selection of the film to receive the Audience Award in all three of the competition programmes, via the Festival’s online platform (Online Festival).

The “Dinos Katsouridis” award is reallocated to the International Student Competition to support participating Greeks and give incentive for their next project.

The “#ThisisEU – European Values” is awarded by the Delegation of the European Commission in Greece to the film selected by the International Jury of the Drama film festival. It goes to the film that promotes the European values, such as: liberty, equality, state of justice and respect for the human rights.

Finally, the urban non-profit company “Cyclops”, based in Drama, is sponsoring the Special Award for Environmental Sensitivity Environment & Climate Change, to the sum of €4,000 inInternational Competition.

For further information: https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/news/

DRAMA PITCHING LAB –ONLINE FOR THE FIRST TIME

The Drama Festival continues to support the production of short films and coach new directors: As part of its educational platform DRAMA MINI TALENT LAB, this year it is organizing a Pitching Lab workshop to provide directors / producers with pitching techniques, while at the Pitching Forum, young directors and producers from all over the world will have the opportunity to present their project in a 5-minute pitch, to producers and potential sponsors. At the end of the Pitching Forum, participants will also have the opportunity to arrange individual meetings with interested producers or festival directors, for the potential promotion of their work.

The Pitching Forum will be conducted ONLINE, and exclusively in the English language.

The Pitching Forum will take place on Friday, September 25th, and will be open to the public via live streaming.

Finos Film is offering a monetary prize for the best plan, while Authorwave is offering post-production services.

The Pitching Lab has decided to accept 15 plans this year, as the online platform allows for wider participation. You can find the participating projects here: https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/festival/pitching-lab/

Heading the Festival’s educational programme is director and instructor Barbara Dukas. She is accompanied by playwright Georgina Kakoudaki.

THE REMAINDER OF THE PROGRAMME

Cinematherapy with Pawel Pawlikovski: The renowned director will take part in an open discussion on his last film, “Cold war”, moderated in Drama by cinematherapist Denise Nikolakou.

The Drama Film Festival is hosting this project for the first time, aiming to highlight the psychotherapeutic effect a film can have on the viewer through cinematherapy (Friday 25/9, 16:00, Municipal Conservatory).

Screening of two programmes of short films shot during the restricting measures against the pandemic.

Enter in collaboration with the Onassis Foundation: Far from another quarantine diary, this is a series of original works created against the setting of the “here and now”. From Manhattan to Brooklyn, from Athens to Berlin, and from the village Karantinata of Kefalonia to London, artists from all over the world welcome us into their homes. Amongst them, Vasilis Kekatos, Yorgos Zois, and Efthymis Filippou.

Spaces 1 in collaboration with the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. Eight Greek directors were assigned by the Festival to shoot a short film inside their home, presenting their own cinematic commentary on the unprecedented situation we all experienced this past spring. The films are signed by: George Georgopoulos, Rinio Dragasaki, Zacharias Mavroidis, Minos Nikolakakis, Marianna Oikonomou, Stavros Pampallis, Syllas Tzoumerkas and Stavros Psyllakis.

Presentations of competing directors and open discussion with the public daily at the “Alexandros” Open-Air Cinema (12:00)

Short Matters 2020

Award-winning films of the European Film Academy’s film festival network nominated for the EFA 2019 Best European Short Film Award.

Focus on Animation https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/focusonanimation/. “Greek Animation, from education to professional production”. Online screening of Greek animation films through the festival’s online platform, curated by award-winning director and professor Spyros Siakas. In collaboration with the University of West Attica.

Events for children. “Film Education Courses”: The multi-faceted educational programme by NEANIKO PLANO is coming to Drama for a four-day film workshop for elementary students.

Fair Afternoons (21-25/9, “Alexandros” open-air cinema, 18:00) overseen and presented by author-journalist Pavlos Methenitis.

This year’s guests are Lena Divani and Dimitris Sofianopoulos, on account of their new books “Couples That Wrote the History of Greece” (Friday, 25/9), and “Many Years Later” (Thursday, 24/9), respectively.

Also presented: the anthology of short stories “100 words in 100 hours for Shedia” from Komotini, the proceeds of which will be donated to the monthly street magazine for the homeless “Shedia” (Thursday 24/9), as well as two books by Drama authors: “Irini of Drama” by Phaedon Patrikalakis who is no longer with us, and “Toso ithele to stithos” (poems) by Kalliopi Exarchou (Wednesday 23/9). The event begins on Tuesday 22/9 with the presentation of two important magazines: the Drama magazine of spoken word and art “DIODOS 66100” and the Magazine for Art and Life “MANDRAGORAS” (publisher: Costas Kremmidas). Selected guests will speak about the books – among them the Drama poet and lawyer Polina G. Bana.

Finally, this year’s winning films will be screened on Sunday, 27/9 at 18:00, at the Olympia Cinema.

“ANTONIS PAPADOPOULOS HALL”

At the opening ceremony of the 43rd Film Festival, the naming ceremony of the main hall of the Municipal Conservatory of Drama as “Antonis Papadopoulos Hall” will take place, in memory of the late director of the Festival, who passed away too soon last March.

RENDEZ-VOUZ IN ATHENS (TOO)

Not only will we meet in Drama, but also in Athens, in October (8-14/10), seeing as this year’s Festival’s programme, the award-winning films of the International and select programmes, will be screened at the “Trianon” cinema.

The initiative “Drama Film Festival Travels” will go on to many more destinations. Last year the Festival’s Greek films travelled to 45 cities and 5 countries (and it would have been way more had the pandemic not thrown a wrench in it…)  spotlighting the dynamics of Greek cinema both inside and outside the Greek borders.

The Drama Film Festival is financed by the Ministry of Culture & Sports, the Municipality of Drama, and the Region of East Macedonia and Thrace.

PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL

A selection of images from every section can be found and downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h4kkvxvjqicokf3/AAAUmMFzAAO0L-2MFbRKf_H3a?dl=0

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS OF THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL

We extend our sincere thanks to the supporters and sponsors of the festival:

Greek Parliament
Ministry of Culture and Sports
Region of East Macedonia and Thrace
Municipality of Drama

Sponsors:

ERT S.A.
COSMOTE TV
ΤV5 Monde
Finos Film
Raycap
CYCLOPS
Trianon Filmcenter
SteFilm
Εnjoy Fashion Point
The Katsouridis family
Authorwave

Supporters:

Greek Film Center
Creative Europe Media Greece
EKOME SA – National Centre of Audiovisual Media & Communication
Fipresci
European Film Academy
European Commission Delegation in Greece
Embassy of France & Consulate General of France in Thessaloniki
French Institute of Greece & French Institute in Thessaloniki
University of West Attica
Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young people
Neaniko Plano
Thessaloniki International Film Festival
Onassis Foundation – Stegi
Film Unions
Volunteer Samaritans, Rescuers and Lifeguards Corp -Drama Regional Department
Wine Producers’ Association of Drama

Communication Sponsors:

ERT S.A. Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, ERT 3, Second Programme Radio Station, Kosmos Radio Station, The voice of Greece Radio Station, 102fm, 9,58, ERT Kavala & ERT Serres
ΤV5 Monde
Hellenic Parliament Television
Real FM Radio Station
Athens 9,84 Radio Station
Sto Kokkino – Thessaloniki Radio Station
EFSYN
DOCUMENTO


Further Information:

info@dramafilmfestival.gr (Drama Film Festival Secretariat)
Drama Headquarters: tel. 25210 47575
Athens Headquarters: tel. 210 3300309

films that qualified

We are delighted to announce the films that were selected to compete in this year’s National Competition.

Out of l the 275 films initially submitted to the 43rd National Competition, 34 will compete.

In the words of the Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis: “It’s a tight and carefully selected programme, apt to current circumstances which demand flexibility, leaving all options open, including the screening of the Competition in our city’s new open-air cinema”.

The qualifying committee consisted of:

Sofia Exarchou – director, producer
Yorgos Makris – actor, screenwriter
Aphroditi  Nikolaidou – Assistant Professor at the University of Athens
Panagiotis Fafoutis – director, producer
and the Drama Film Festival’s Artistic Director, producer/director Yannis Sakaridis.

43rd National Short Film qualifying committee choices:

1. GOADS by Baglanea Iris, fiction, 15′
2. PASHKA by Lipe Oltjon, fiction, 22′
3. MARE NOSTRUM by Anagnostou Dimitris, fiction, 26′
4. HAPPY by Anastasopoulou Giouli, fiction, 8′
5. ISKIOMA by Gerampinis Kostas, fiction, 15′
6. PAINTING FOR THE MAIN BEDROOM by Doulis Ilias, experimental, 3′
7. VOUTA by Zahos Dimitris, fiction, 18′
8. TEO, MY NEIGHBOR by Karteris Christos, documentary, 14′
9. POSTCARDS FROM HELLINIKON by Katerinopoulou Aphroditi, fiction, 23′
10. SEVARAMBES by Kontos George, animation, 11′
11. FIAT LUX by Korakianitis Yorgos, fiction, 10′
12. Ηρώ /he.ro:/ by Koukias-Pantelis Alexis, fiction, 15′
13. OLD WEST by Kourti Despina, fiction, 18′
14. IN HER STEPS by Kratidi Anastasia, fiction, 24′
15. 54 / THE BLIND TURTLE AND THE ENDLESS SEA by Margara Isabella, fiction, 13′
16. MADONNA F64.0 by Markoulakis Stavros, fiction, 17′
17. BOURN by Moutsiakas Dimitris, fiction, 17′
18. WHEN I SMILE MY EYES CLOSE by Bolda Daniel, fiction, 17′
19. DAKAR by Moraitidis Stelios, fiction, 12′
20. HANSEL by Papageorgiou Vivian, fiction, 17′
21. ANAPAFSIS by Papagiannopoulos Dimitris, fiction, 17′
22. THE MEANING OF AUGUST by Papadakis Manos, fiction, 26′
23. MELATONIN by Pastras Nikos, fiction, 13′
24. BELLA by Petraki Thelyia, documentary, 24′
25. PREMIER AMOUR by Raftogiannis Haris, fiction, 15′
26. ANTIVIRUS by Sima Anastasia, fiction, 15′
27. HARMONICA MAN by Skouras Alexandros, fiction, 19′
28. THE WHEEL by Stefanakis Yannis, animation, 4′
29. QUALIA by Tatavlalis Thanasis, fiction, 17′
30. DEAR JOEL by Trouboukis Thanasis, documentary, 18′
31. ESCAPING THE FRAGILE PLANET by Tsimpinis Thanasis, fiction, 17′
32. ANTHOLOGY OF A BUTTERFLY by Charamountanis Kostis, experimental, 7′
33. THE MOUSE STORY by Christides Miltiades, fiction, 15′
34. THE CALL by Psaras Marios, fiction, 10′

digitally

Everything you need to know about the platform

DISFF43  HYBRID EDITION 2020
Physical & Online Screenings!

The Drama Festival 2020 returns with relief to its natural environment, the movie theatre, and looks forward to welcoming its audience to the Alexandros Summer Cinema, Olympia and the Municipal Conservatory of Drama. At the same time, for the first time, a Drive-in will be set up next to the Krachtidis Stadium (the indoor gym of Drama).

However, given the new unprecedented conditions of the pandemic, the Drama Festival offers its audience, for the first time in its history, the opportunity to also watch online all of this year’s program through its new online platform, to which the official page of the Festival (https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/) leads by clicking on Online Festival.

In detail:

    • For the first time, the online platform of the Drama Short Film Festival becomes available to the Greek public, and everyone, by just sending a single email, can create their personal account for FREE and watch the Festival online.
    • Users will have access to all the films participating in the festival (in all three competition programs), will be able to get to know the directors and their cast and, of course, to watch all the films (whichever they choose out of the 89 selections).
    • They will be able to vote for the best film for the Audience Award for all three competition programs of the Festival (only one vote is allowed, for each competition program, for each unique user).
    • They will be able to leave comments for each movie and interactively chat with other users (users’ emails are not displayed or shared with third parties).
    • They will be able to watch on live streaming the most important moments of the Festival, such as the opening-closing ceremonies, the award ceremony, speeches, masterclasses, etc., as well as the Pitching Lab that will be held online this year.
    • They will have the additional opportunity to watch selected animated films through the program “Greek animation. From education to professional short film production,” in the section Focus on Animation.
    • And, of course they will have access to the detailed program of the Festival which, for the first time, will be accessible to every Greek, from every corner of Greece, who wants to watch it.

“It should be noted that for those users who live outside Greece, a special permit from the organizers is required, therefore, they should contact the Festival.”


More info:

info@dramafilmfestival.gr (Drama Festival Secretariat)
Drama office: tel. +30 25210 47575
Athens office: tel. +30 210 3300309

Pawel Pawlikowski

The Drama Film Festival’s Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, is delighted to announce that Oscar-winning Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski will be a member of the jury of the International Competition at the 43rd Short Film Festival.

Pawel Pawlikowski

Pawel Pawlikowski

The internationally acclaimed creator’s film “Ida” won the 2015 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, five European Film Academy Awards, one BAFTA and a Goya Award. His film “Cold War”, which premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, won him the Best Director Prize. Amongst others, the film earned three nominations at the Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film, Best Achievement in Directing, and Best Achievement in Cinematography).

Our team is looking forward to welcoming him to the Festival.

The renowned director will take part in an open discussion on his last film, “Cold War”, moderated in Drama by cinematherapist Denise Nikolakou. The film serves as a springboard for the audience to understand the value and function of cinematherapy, and the manner in which we can process cinematic works in order to garner therapeutic elements. The Drama Film Festival is hosting this project for the first time, aiming to highlight the psychotherapeutic effect a film can have on the viewer.

THE JURIES

Pawel Pawlikowski will be accompanied in the International Competition’s jury by actress Themis Bazaka, director Lefteris Charitos, author Lena Divani, and director Stergios Paschos.

Pawel Pawlikowski

As previously announced, the Chairman of the National Competition jury is director Argyris Papadimitropoulos.
The other members are: Actor Yannis Stankoglou, set and costume designer Alexia Theodoraki, director Evi Kalogiropoulou, and actor Romanna Lobach.

Pawel Pawlikowski

In the newly-established International Student Competition, the jury consists of: Journalist Aleandros Diakosavvas, directing duo Lida Varzioti & Dimitris Tsakaleas, and screenwriter/director Alki Politi.

Pawel Pawlikowski

43rd DISFF AWARDS

This year we are announcing some changes to the Festival Awards:

As a tribute to beloved set and costume designer Ioulia Stavridou, who left us so unjustly, the Festival is naming a new award after her: Honorary Distinction for Costume Design “Ioulia Stavridou”.

Four new (monetary) prizes by the Greek Film Centre are added to the categories Golden Dionysos, screenplay, direction, and documentary.

Lastly, the “Dinos Katsouridis” award is reallocated to the International Student Competition to support participating Greeks and give incentive for their next project.

Specifically:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Grand Prix
The award is accompanied by a prize of, 4,000 euro, offered by Raycap.

Award for Best Direction

Nomination EFA short films Awards 2020

Special award for Best ProductionTV5 MONDE

Best Southeastern European Film Award

Best Animation Film Award

#ThisisEU- European Values

FIPRESCI Award

“Human Values” Award of the Hellenic Parliament

Special Award “Environment & Climate Change”,
offered by “Cyclops”

*NATIONAL COMPETITION

Golden Dionysos 2020
The award is accompanied by the following cash prizes:
€4,000, offered by Finos Film
€3,000, offered by ERT
€2,000, offered by the Greek Film Centre

Tonia Marketaki Award for Best Director
The award is accompanied by:
Lab provisions and post production services to the value of €2,500, offered by Stefilm and a cash prize of €3,500, offered by the Greek Film Centre.

Documentary Award
The award is accompanied by:
A €1,000 cash prize offered by ERT
and €3,500 offered by the Greek Film Centre.

Best Screenplay Award
Accompanied by a cash prize of €3,500, offered by the Greek Film Centre.

Honorary Distinction for Costume Design “Ioulia Stavridou”
Accompanied by:
A cash prize of €2,500, offered by TRIANON Cinema and a sponsorship by the Greek fashion firm ENJOY, which will provide clothing for the costume designer’s next film.

Best Cinematography Honorary Distinction

Honorary Distinction for Actor in a Leading Role

Honorary Distinction for Actress in a Leading Role

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION

GRAND PRIX STUDENT: “Almost Famous”

Special Jury Award “Rising Star”

“Dinos Katsouridis” Award
Automatically awarded to Greek students in the competition, as incentive for their next project. Prize: Complete technical coverage of the production of their next film.

DRAMA PITCHING LAB

«PITCHING LAB» Finos Film Award
The Finos Film Award for best project is accompanied by a cash prize of €2,000.

«PITCHING LAB» Authorwave Award
Accompanied by post production services (DCP)

The 22 selected films from the initial 700 applications for the International Student Program of the 43rd Drama International Short Film Festival

The applications for the newly-established International Student Programme of the 43rd Film Festival in Drama reached 700, a number that reveals the dynamics of student film.

22 films from 16 countries were chosen– including 3 Greek films. Of the 22 competing directors, 12 are men, 9 are women, and 1 is gender non-conforming.

They are students from 21 cinema schools around the world, 12 of which are internationally renowned. The festival has secured 7 international premieres, 2 European, 4 Balkan, and 9 Greek.

According to the International Student Programme, Thanassis Noefotistos:

 “this year’s programme comprises films that inspired us, gave us a very relieving feeling of creative envy, and which we would love to see reach the festival’s audience”.

Among the 700 films we received for the International Student Competition, there were numerous interesting short films, many more than we could choose from. This made our job more difficult, on the one hand, but gave us great joy, on the other, to see commendable film from students who have something to say, and are trying to forge a distinct cinematic voice. We are reassured that as long as there are people like these students, who feel the need to tell their stories, cinema will prevail- even in the most adverse of circumstances”.       

                                

THE 22 SELECTED FILMS      

  1. Violetta by Fivos Imellos, Fiction, 15’, GREECE – New York College
  2. Rosa Kairo by Jacques Simha, Fiction, 14’, GREECE Kapodistrian University’s Cultural Society’s Cinema Section
  3. The Jar by Kyriakos Rontsis, Fiction, 10’, GREECE/UK – Bournemouth Film School (AUB)
  4. The Best Orchestra in the World by Henning Backhaus, Fiction, 14’, AUSTRIA – Film Academy Vienna (UMDK)
  5. Sun Dog by Dorian Jespers, Fiction, 19’, BELGIUM – Royal Academy of Fine Arts / University College Ghent (KASK)
  6. In the Eye of the Beholder by Vanja Victor Kabir Tognola and Jan-David Bolt, Documentary, 8’, SWITZERLAND – Zurich University of the Arts / Department of Performing Arts and Film (ZHdK)
  7. 22:47 Linie 34 by Michael Karrer, Fiction, 10’ SWITZERLAND – Zurich University of the Arts / Department of Performing Arts and Film (ZHdK)
  8. Fire Report by Katarína Jonisová, Documentary, 15’, SLOVAKIA – Academy of Performing Arts / Film and Television Faculty (VSMU)
  9. Fine by Maya Yadlin, Fiction, 9’, ISRAEL – Minshar School of Art
  10. Illusion Bleue by Tea Tannoury, Fiction, 15’, LEBANON / PALESTINE – Notre Dame University – Louaize (NDU)
  11. Last Day by Szu-Wei Chen, Fiction, 11’, USA – Columbia University
  12. Patron Saint by Georden West, Experimental, 8’, USA – Emerson College
  13. Ghazaal by Ragini Bhasin, Fiction, 15’, USA – Aotearoa Short Film Lab in New Zealand
  14. A Mess at Apartment 14 by Radu Barbu, Fiction, 15’, ROMANIA – UNATC, I.L.CARAGIALE
  15. Development by Nikola Vučinić, 21’, Fiction, MONTENEGRO – Faculty of Political Sciences in Podgorica and Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje
  16. Under the Heavens by Gustavo Milan, Fiction, 17’, BRAZIL – New York University (NYU) /Tisch
  17. Austral Fever by Thomas Woodroffe, Fiction, 21’, CHILE – University of Chile’s Institute of Communications and Image / Demre Universidad de Chile
  18. The Insect Women by An Doyeoung, Fiction, 16’, REPUBLIC OF KOREA – Suwon University Film Department
  19. My Fat Arse and I by Yelyzaveta Pysmak, Animation, 10’, POLAND – Polish National Film School Lodz (PWSF TViT)
  20. Something by Kasia Babicz, Fiction, 14’, POLAND – Warshaw Film School BA
  21. The Same Skin by Nina Hopf, Experimental, 5’, GERMANY- B.F.A., Bauhaus-University, Weimar
  22. Senescence by Phoebe Morrison, Animation, 4’, UK – UCA University for the Creative Arts

Information:

student@dramafilmfestival.gr
info@dramafilmfestival.gr (Drama International Short Film Festival Secretariat)
Drama Premises: Tel: (+30) 25210 47575
Athens Premises: Tel: (+30) 210 3300309

7 th edition this year for Drama Pitching Lab and Forum, as part of the 43rd Drama International Short Film Festival – DISFF (September 20-26, 2020). The Pitching Lab/Forum will be conducted ONLINE EXCLUSIVELY in English.

Project Submission Pitching Lab – 43rd Drama International Short Film Festival

A. Pitching Lab

4-day PITCHING Workshop for projects (short fiction or animation up to 20’/documentaries up to 30′). Project Submission (exclusively in English) until July 1, 2020 by mail at pitching@dramafilmfestival.gr

The completed application form:

  • Synopsis up to 200 words.
  • Project description up to 500 words ( a logline of up to 50 words should be concluded).
  • CVs of the project creative team (author/writer, director & producer) up to 200 words each.
  • Audiovisual material.

Selected projects will be announced on July 31, 2020 (up to 12 projects).

B. Pitching Forum

The Pitching Forum will be held on line, on Friday, September 25, with the participation of financiers, producers, festival directors and other experts. The Pitching Forum will be open to the public in live streaming.

Presentation time for each project 5 ’
Q&A time 5 ‘

Awards:

  • Finos Film cash prize.
  • EKK contribution in the production.
  • Authorwave (post production services).

Mentorship Awards

  • Development / script doctoring sessions.

Pitching Lab Conductor: Barbara Dukas

International Student Program

One of the most talented young Greek filmmakers, Thanasis Neofotistos, awarded for several of his short films (among which Greek School Prayer and Patision Avenue) takes over as the head programmer of the new ambitious International Student Competition Program of Drama International Short Film Festival.

New International Student Program Head Programmer: Thanasis Neofotistos

The new student section is initiated by the artistic director of Drama International Short Film Festival Yannis Sakaridis.

We very much encourage film schools and students from all over the world to follow through with their applications.

Application deadline: June 19, 2020.

Τhe International Student Competition is a brand new initiative and one of the most promising programmes of the DISFF. Film Schools from around the world and Greece will participate. It’s an ambitious project aiming to underline the outwardness of the Festival in Drama and goes hand in hand with the outwardness characterising Greek cinema over the last ten years.

The International Student Competition, as well as the upcoming establishment of the Film School in Drama will form an educational background for Cinema. This will offer participants the opportunity to be exposed to one of the major ways in which the Film Industry functions today.

Besides, the new festival aims to be a forum for young talented filmmakers – the future of cinema, to show their work and, hopefully, it will give rise to new film trends. Last but not least, this new department will offer the Drama International Short Film Festival a further enhance its status as asset in its fair claim for a place as one of the leading Short Film Festivals in Europe.

This programme aims at promoting the Greek production of student films within a distinct international context. It will take place along with the National, and the International Competitions of the 43rd Drama International Short Film Festival from 20th to 26th September 2020.

HEAD PROGRAMER’S NOTE:

“My participation in Drama International Film Festival as the Head Programmer of the newly-founded International Student Competition is a very personal challenge!

Back, in 2014, with my thesis film GREEK SCHOOL PRAYER I won the “Golden Dionysus” award for best film in Drama Film Festival. This offered me a great beginning and gave me the strength to continue doing what I love most in this world; filmmaking. Therefore, I know very well how important it is for a student filmmaker to be given the chance to present his work in an important film festival. For me this is the best first step for someone to understand the way the film industry works nowadays.

On the other hand, I envision for the program to be international, because, from my personal experience that I have gained through my next short films (PATISION AVENUE, ROUTE-3, etc), I understand the importance that the knowhow of film networking has. Especially in an extremely competitive but also very hospitable worldwide environment looking for new, meaningful artistic voices.

These thoughts will be my guide, towards a modern, artistically competitive and educationally useful International Student Competition program. A program that will help the students to come in touch with the life after their film school, but at the same time will highlight their raw artistic view with the freshness that this can bring.”

HEAD PROGRAMER’S BIOGRAFPHY

Thanasis NeofotistosThanasis Neofotistos is a Film Director, Writer & Architect from Greece. Berlinale Talents alumnus. His short film, PATISION AVENUE (13’-2018), premiered at 75th Venice Film Festival, won 3 awards at 41st Clermont-Ferrand 2019 (Canal+, Jury, EFA) and is a 2019 Festival-Hit with more than 100 film festival selections. ROUTE-3, his latest film, world-premiered at 44th TIFF Toronto 2019 and then again in 42nd Clermont-Ferrand 2020. GREEK SCHOOL PRAYER (20’-2014) was his successful thesis (“Golden Dionysus” Best Greek short film of 37th DISFF 2014 & over 50 IFF), and SPARKLING CANDLES (9’-2019) is his LGBTQI+ super cute queer short film that premiered at the legendary 43rd Frameline IFF. He is now in the financing stage of his debut feature film, which he envisions as his personal coming-of-age Greek tragedy; THE BOY WITH THE LIGHT-BLUE EYES and he is in development stage of his next feature film project, WILD BOARS.

*For further information:
student@dramafilmfestival.gr
info@dramafilmfestival.gr
Tel. +30 25210 47575 (Drama)
Tel. +30 210 3300309 (Athens)

https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/en/festival/international-student-competition/