National Competition

43rd Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF)

275 is the number of applications for this year’s festival in the National Competition.

Despite the adverse conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, application numbers for the National Competition of the Drama Short Film Festival were at an all time high, reaching 275 versus last year’s 240.

This new record reveals the steady upward trend of Greek short film production, and, in this particular instance especially, the new creators’ need for artistic expression under unprecedented circumstances.

The new Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, and his team, would like to thank Greek short film makers for their voluminous participation in the event and look forward to welcoming them to Drama.

The 275 applications comprise 153 fiction films, 53 documentaries, 51 experimental films, and 10 animation films. Of the 285 directors who applied, 193 (67.72%) are men, and 92 (32.28%) are women.

Drama Film Festival, the “natural” space of the short film, and the recipient of the total annual production, is here to spotlight new cinematic talent in the making, as well as promote the creation of short film as an autonomous category for filmmakers of all ages, and will always stand as supporter and advocate.

Out of all the 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 preselection committee consisted of:
Sofia Exarchou, director, producer.
Yorgos Makris, actor, screenwriter.
Afroditi Nikolaidou, assistand professor at the University of Athens.
Panagiotis Fafoutis, director, producer.
and Drama Film Festival’s Artistic Director, director, and producer, 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′

Material Delivery

The delivery of the film material that has been selected for the final screening must take place by 27th August 2020.
a)The final screening copy and the other material described below will have to be submitted to the Festival offices in Athens (Em. Benaki 71 Str. 10681 Athens) by 27th August until 17.00.
The following material is to be delivered:
1) Screening copy in one of the following acceptable formats:
– DCP subtitled in English or Greek for non – greek speaking films.
– H264 subtitled in English or Greek for non – greek speaking films.
– Apple ProRes 422 subtitled in English or Greek for non – greek speaking films.
– MPEG4 subtitled in English or Greek for non – greek speaking films.
2) Signed Solemn Statement of final technical check by the film’s technical supervisor and by the director.
If not, the film is excluded from the festival screening and the contest.
b) The user license for each film submitted is the responsibility of the producer under the copyright law.
c) The return of the films will be carried out by the Festival secretariat (offices in Athens or Drama, after consultation), under the responsibility of the directors, in 15 days at the most after the end of the event: ‘’The Festival in Drama travels to Athens.’’ The Festival is not responsible for the keeping of the films beyond the aforementioned return time limit of 15 days.
Exceptionally, a film may be returned earlier, after the end of the Festival, from Drama, provided that there is a request of the producer or director in writing.
d) The schedule and the screening order for the films are defined by the Festival’s Artistic Director.

Jury - Prizes

The Artistic Director exclusively selects and sets up the Jury, which consists of at least 5 members and appoints its Chair.
The Jury give the following awards:
GOLDEN DIONYSUS
1st Best Film Prize
DIRECTION PRIZE
2nd Best Film Prize
‘GREEKS OF THE WORLD – Socrates Dimitriades’ PRIZE
DOCUMENTARY PRIZE
TONIA MARKETAKI PRIZE
The Prizes are awarded to one director or film and cannot be shared.
The Jury can award honours and commendations for individual artistic virtues (script, photography, male and female performance, sound, editing, music, sets – costumes, special effects etc.)

Other Terms

a) One digital copy of the final copy of the film is required for the Film Market and it remains in the Festival archive.
b) The Festival retains the right to digitize the submitted films for the needs of the Film Market and its Archive.
c) For the promotion and advertising of the programs, the Festival can show snapshots of the films on TV or on the internet, which will not exceed the 10% of the total film duration and, in each case, not over three minutes.
d) The Festival retains the right of the publication of film data, including the contact information of the director and the producer.
e) The Cultural Organisation – Short Film Festival in Drama hosts the director or an artistic factor from each contestant film during the Festival.
f) The Cultural Organisation – Short Film Festival in Drama is charged with the transportation and insurance expenses of the films, both during their shipment (Athens – Drama) and their return (Drama – Athens), and during their stay in its headquarters for up to 15 days after the Festival’s end, as well as during the event ‘The Festival in Drama travels to Athens’.
In case of loss or damage of the copy with the Festival’s responsibility, the Festival is obliged to compensate the value for the printing of the specific copy.
g) The Festival Chairman is responsible for resolving every matter relating to the implementation of the Regulation and the provisions enforced.
h) The Courts of Drama are appointed responsible for settling any possible disputes.