Parallel Programmes
47th Drama International Short Film Festival 2024
A tribute to Frida Liappa
Thirty years after the death of Frida Liappa (1948-1994), a new and youthful audience of cinephiles and film students are discovering her cinematic corpus of work, which remains moving and stirring to this day.
At the same time, Liappa’s digitalised and restored films are screened at Greek and international festivals, in cinematheques, film clubs, and tributes even as they become the focus of graduate and doctoral theses, imbuing her work with a sense of timelessness.
The six films she has directed, three shorts (After 40 days, I remember you leaving all the time, Renouncement) and three feature films (Love wanders in the night, A quiet death and The years of the big heat) make up a body of work where the secrets of the cinema are infused with the magic of poetry. Herself a poet and writer, Liappa had crafted her personal cinematic tone from early on as a poetic transcendence of realism in order to guide spectators through different narrative paths to the realms of filmic pleasure and existential introspection. The cinema of Frida Liappa shows the coexistence of erotic desire with its socially imposed curbing; of politics and tradition; of frail souls and perishable erotic bodies; female identity and the relationship with the mother; memory and its loss, as well as the climate crisis, about which there is a sense of foreboding in her latest film.
The following films will be screened:
- I remember you leaving all the time, 45’, 1977
- Apetaxamin (Renouncement), 25’, 1980
- After 40 days, 21’, 1972
A TRIBUTE TO CONSTANTINE GIANNARIS
Drama International Short Film Festival celebrates multi-award-winning director Constantine Giannaris by screening four of his critically acclaimed short films made in the 1990s, therefore giving the audience of Drama a rare opportunity to trace the evolution of his unique cinematic gaze. The director’s peculiar filmmaking style, as well as his themes of choice, may be discerned from as early as his first forays into filming with these three films, three of which were made abroad. The tribute includes A place in the sun, a love story between two men, a Greek and an immigrant, against the backdrop of Athens city centre. This film, made in 1995, garnered Best Greek Film and Best Balkan Film awards at DISFF. In 2022, Giannaris was in Drama under another capacity, that of the Jury President of the 45th DISFF edition. A pioneer of queer cinema in Greece, Constantine Giannaris has left an indelible mark on Greek cinema with such films as: From the edge of the city, One day in August, Hostage and Spring Awakening.
The following films will be screened:
- A place in the sun, 45’, 1995
- Trojans, 33’, 1990
- Caught looking, 35’, 1991
- North of vortex, 58’, 1991>
AUTH School of Film: 20 years on
The School of Film celebrates its 20th anniversary! Since its establishment in 2004, the School of Film has trained contemporary professionals of the film and audiovisual sectors, has contributed to practical and theoretical knowledge, and has produced significant creative work, greeted with acclaim in both Greece and abroad. In recent years, the DISFF audience has embraced and awarded the graduates’ latest films within the context of the National Student competition section. Therefore, when asked to present a retrospective of the students’ work, we decided to focus on earlier films, the graduation projects of students from the School’s first decade, from 2009 to 2019. These films were screened to a warm reception at festivals of their time. Now they are screened again within a new frame of mind to new audiences, building a bridge between the present day and the Department’s history and evolution.
The following films will be screened:
- Πέννυ Μπούσκα / Penny Bouska Sitis, η παλινδρόμηση μιας λέξης / Sitis, the palindrome of a word 16΄2009
- Γαβριήλ Τζάφκας / Gabriel Tzafka Λήθη / Oblivion 16΄2009
- Γιώργος Ηλιόπουλος / Giorgos Iliopoulos Ένα απλό σχέδιο / A simple plan 24΄2011
- Άλκη Πολίτη / Alki Politi Ανσάμπλ / Ensemble 22΄2011
- Oliwia-Weronika Twardowska Τελεφερίκ / Téléphérique 12΄2012
- Δημήτρης Ζάχος / Dimitris Zahos Πιγκουίνοι / Penguins 17΄2012
- Κωνσταντίνα Κοτζαμάνη / Κonstantina Kotzamani Ουασινγκτόνια / Washingtonia 21’ 2014
- Θανάσης Καφετζής / Thanasis Kafetzis Ποιος φοβάται το σκοτάδι / Who’s Afraid of the Dark 18΄2016
- Ιορδάνης Θεοδοσιάδης / Iordanis Theodosiadis Νορμάλ / Normal 10΄2016
- Ρούσσος Κασιωτάκης / Roussos Kasiotakis Νοτούρνο / Nocturne 18’ 2018
- Δημήτρης Τσακαλέας/ Λήδα Βαρτζιώτη / Dimitris Tsakaleas / Lida Vartzioti Sad girl weekend 15’ 2019
Filmmaking Workshop
Taking heed to society’s needs and tending to extroversion and inclusion, as a festival, we aimed at therapy through Cinema at schools of the city of Drama (Cinematherapy), the education of students in Animation, and the education of our adult fellow citizens in Cinema through a hands-on Filmmaking Workshop. The genuinely positive impressions and interest in participating in these programmes led to an unprecedented response on behalf of the citizens of Drama at the Festival’s screenings.
DISFF designed and implemented a new free filmmaking workshop with aspiring film directors from Drama, aiming to create six fiction or hybrid short films, selected to be presented at the Festival annually in September in the frame of special screenings.
Conceived and implemented by the Festival’s artistic team, the Workshop was based on a successful methodology and was held in the city of Drama over the course of eight months (two filmmaking workshops per month).
Last year, the workshop welcomed 25 participants who made six short films. At least some 1000 spectators attended the screenings during the festival week, whereas thousands of other viewers watched them on the Festival’s online platform.
This year, we are truly proud to present 12 films created over the course of eight months. During this workshop, I intended to transmit my experience and know-how in storytelling, as well as my knowledge in directing, screenwriting, preparation for shooting, acting directing, set design, production, and editing. In the frame of live group screenings, the team had the opportunity to participate in a critical analysis of the films.
Each of these twelve films was made with passion, great effort, joy, team unity, and tears of joy, yet of stress, too. The result is enthralling and goes beyond my power to listen to, analyse and describe the experience I gained over the course of these eight months.
It is truly important that the local community writes, directs and screens films at Drama International Short Film Festival. The hundreds of Drama citizens contributing in every way to these films are creatively participating in their city’s festival, and have yet another reason to attend the national and international competition sections, as well as the DISFF’s parallel programmes.
I wish to extend my gratitude to the Mayor of Drama, Georgios Papadopoulos; the Vice-chairman of the Organisation, Petros Paraskevaidis; and Pavlos Sidiropoulos for embracing the effort; as well as Raycap, the company sponsoring the DISFF educational programmes.
Yannis Sakaridis
DISFF Artistic Director
The Ring, 12΄
Written by: Avgitidou Stavroula
Directed by: Maria Papadopoulou
Lira 100, 15’
Written & directed by: Manolis Grigoriadis
Momentum, 15′
Written & directed by: Nikos Dortis
Assistant director: Vasilis Kovlakas
Mobious Strip, 15’
Written by: Kiki Tsiridou
Directed by: Tilemachos Yioglaris
Smoke and mirrors, 10’
Written & directed by: Efi Provopoulou
The sketch, 15′
Written & directed by: Nina Dremetsika
ZIZOU, 15′
Written & directed by: Anastasia Agathangelou
MYROFORA, 15’
Written & directed by: Mary Kousta
Kyklos, 15΄
Written by: Alexandra Panayiotidou
Directed by: Anastasia Dinaki & Xenia Petmeza
Look, 15’
Written by: Vassiliki Konstantinidou
Directed by: Themistoklis Kasimidis
02:57, 02:57’
Written by: Konstantinos Pavlidis
Directed by: Konstantinos Pavlidis, Maria Stavria
Shards, 10’
Written & directed by: Nikos Lalos
Tribute to the HOU’s new Programme of Film Studies
The programme “Film Studies: Screenplay, Filmmaking and Research” of the Hellenic Open University’s School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design aims to equip students with the necessary knowledge in order to work in various fields of audiovisual and film production, providing them with theoretical and practical skills in a wide range of cognitive fields within the art of cinema. In the context of collaboration between the Hellenic Open University and the DISFF, graduation films from the first three semesters of the programme’s thematic units on directing (2023-2024) have been selected for screening.
Α/Α | ΤΙΤΛΟΣ | ΣΚΗΝΟΘΕΤΗΣ | ΔΙΑΡΚΕΙΑ (min) | ΕΞΑΜΗΝΟ
1 Η Νύχτα | Αλέξανδρος Τριανταφυλλίδης | 12 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
2 Η Μαγική Πίτσα | Λεωνίδας Σκερλετόπουλος | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
3 | Ο Κήπος των Ψυχών | Παναγιώτης Χρυσοβαλάντης Χάιτας | 6 | ΕΑΡ. 2024
4 | Είσαι Ευτυχισμένη | Νεκτάριος Παναγιώτης Μπουτεράκος | 4 | ΕΑΡ. 2024
5 | Διπλό Νερό | Βάιος Παπαδόπουλος | 3 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
6 | Κάνε ότι δεν Άκουσες | Γιώργος Κεραμυδάς | 4 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
7 | Δύο Κάθετες Γραμμές | Γιώργος Βλάσσης | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
8 | Άριστα 10 | Άγγελος Δελής | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
9 | My First Christmas | Τρύφωνας Ζήσης | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
10 | Δώδεκα και Ένα | Σοφία Σακελλαρίου | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
11 | Ambiguous Threat | Πηνελόπη Καραματσούκη | 4 | ΕΑΡ. 2024
12 | Take My Time | Δημήτρης Τσιάμης | 7 | ΕΑΡ. 2024
13 | Ο Φάκελος | Βασίλης Μπόσμης | 3 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
14 | Solredo | Δήμητρα Πετμεζά | 5 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
15 | Helpless | Νίκος Καραμολέγκος | 4 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
16 | Κίτρινο | Ηλίας Μαρούτσης | 5 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
17 | Το Τελευταίο Κομμάτι | Θόδωρος Τζιάτζιος | 11 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
18 | Ταρίφα | Δημήτρης Χρήστου | 11 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
19 | Με Σπασμένα Φτερά | Νικόλας Δήμου | 5 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
20 | Σε Μια Άλλη Ζωή | Γιώργος Καίσαρης | 5 | ΕΑΡ. 2023
21 | Αμμάργτο | Νικόλαος Κοτσαμπουγιούκης | 5 | ΧΕΙΜ. 2023
“A little Drama in Animapride”
10 years of Animapride
Acclaimed film director Constantine Giannaris (One Day in August, From the Edge of the City, Trojans) selects some of his favourite films that participated in the Animapride competition section during the past few editions of the Animasyros International Animation Festival. The latter will be presented in the frame of special screenings at the 47th DISFF (2-8 September), as well as at the 17th Animasyros IAF (23-29 September).
The Animapride competition section consists of films related to the queer community. The tribute “A little Drama in Animapride” features 12 films from Greece, France, Brazil, USA, and Taiwan, covering a wide spectrum of queer realities. Personal coming-out stories, discrimination against queer persons, nightlife comedies, and other shorts will entertain all audiences!
For more information: www.animasyros.gr | www.dramafilmfestival.gr
The following films will be screened:
Views of the Dome
06’40’’ 2023 GR/EU
Direction: Anna Maria Leventi
Aikane
13’54’’ 2023 US
Direction: Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson
Boundless
09’37’’ 2022 US
Direction: David Chain and «and his many beautiful students whom stories is proud to share»
Coming In
04’08’’ 2022 FR/EU
Direction: Louis Devignes, Alice Florent, Romane Etienne, Camille Devise, Killian Maret
Confusion of the Afternoon
02’50’’ 2023 TW
Direction: Yung-Chieh Lee
L’Esquisse
The Sketch
09’20’’ 2023 FR/EU
Direction: Tomas Cali
Maurice’s Bar
15’00’’ 2023 FR / EU / IL
Direction: Tzor Edery , Tom Prezman
Pipes
04’03’’ 2022 CH
Direction: Kilian Feusi, Jessica Meier, Sujanth Ravichandran
Pussy Love
04’00’’ 2023 DE/EU
Direction: Linda Krauss
Twin Flames
04’38’’ 2022 GR/EU
Direction: Spyros Argyris Soukeras
Um Finde
Night Out
02’10’’ 2022 BR
Direction: Helena Coelho, Rebeca Nigri
Wa Iza?
03’45’’ 2022 DE/EU
Direction: Ali Halawi
Documentary
“Mobile School Travels”
Produced by the Ladies Union of Drama – H.O.H. & directed by Lucas Paleocrassas
The Ladies Union of Drama – House of Open Hospitality presents The Mobile School Travels, a short documentary that tells the story of Roma children living in Drama’s “Filippos Settlement” and working in the streets.
“Mobile School Travels” was shot during the namesake educational project that was implemented in Drama in the context of the Active Citizens Fund programme (Project Promoter: Ladies Union of Drama – House of Open Hospitality), having as participants children from the local community –Roma children that live and work in the streets– as well as volunteers from the Ladies Union. The Mobile School is a rectangular construction on wheels, composed of an educational panel (e.g. maths, grammar, geography etc.) and a discussion panel (e.g. personal hygiene, diversity, school bullying, violence etc.). There are more than 350 panels, alternating with each intervention. The main aims of the “Mobile School” project are to eradicate school dropout and illiteracy, and encourage the participation of Roma children in educational actions that enhance their self-esteem. These goals are conducive to the children’s psychosocial empowerment and the acquisition of basic skills. Through such actions of awareness and involvement, spread by way of this documentary and its future screenings, the audience is expected to gain an insight into questions of equality, diversity, racism, and human rights.
Contributors:
Written and directed by: Loucas Paleocrassas Cinematography: Carlos Muñoz
Editing: Yiorgos Georgopoulos
Sound: Aris Kafentzis
Research and Production Manager: George Perrakis
Produced by: Anemon Productions
FAIR LITERATURE AFTERNOONS
“Alexandros” Open Air Cinema
DIMITRIS PETROU – KYRIAKOS SYFILTZOGLOU
Short and feature-length poems
Two poets hailing from the city of Drama embark on a dialogue on the occasion of their latest books of poetry (in Greek), Twentieth world (Polis editions) and Me Yfos Indianou (In the style of an Indian) (Antipodes editions).
An open talk between the two authors about the raw material of poetic creation, the relationship of contemporary History to “inspiration and its sublimation”, for small and big compositions.
Two poets, two friends, meet each other again in their place of birth to share their common “deeply-rooted” love in the frame of Drama International Short Film Festival.