Tag Archive for: DISFF

SNFCC Youth Council | The Drama Festival Travels to SNFCC

SNFCC Youth Council

SNFCC Youth Council | The Drama Festival Travels to SNFCC

The series of thematic screenings “The Drama Festival Travels to the SNFCC,” presented by the SNFCC Youth Council, in collaboration with the Drama International Short Film Festival, concludes with an event dedicated to the multiple dimensions of the queer experience.

This final round of screenings seeks to explore the journeys of identity discovery, the longing for true acceptance, and the fight to reclaim one’s self in a world that too often marginalizes difference.

In the films being shown, the protagonists face family conflicts, endure the pain of rejection, and navigate the delicate balances of coexistence and love. Through their stories, the need for societies that recognize and respect each person’s uniqueness becomes clear — societies that embrace individuals living and expressing themselves beyond traditional norms of gender identity and sexual orientation.

The screenings will be followed by brief discussions with the filmmakers.

The SNFCC Youth Council was created and has been organizing its activities thanks an exclusive grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).

Program of Screenings

Mauve, 2024, 17’, Dir. Tzo Kapralou
Two plants in the same pot are suffocating—their roots are tangled. In a house that feels like a jungle, a couple—Iris and Danae—prepares for a journey. We witness the last minutes of their relationship, their transformation into wild creatures, and their eventual separation. Like plants needing space to bloom, they too reach a moment of necessary transplanting.

Honeymoon, 2023, 24’, Dir. Alki Papastathopoulos
After a traumatic run-in with the police, Fay decides to leave Greece for good. Sandra accompanies her to the bus station for their farewell journey. As they travel across the country, a transphobic attack by two fellow passengers leaves them stranded, alone, on a highway in the middle of nowhere.

Pigeons are Dying When the City is on Fire, 2023, 21’, Dir. Stavros Markoulakis
One night, two boys meet. In the morning, a pigeon is trapped with them. On the hottest day of the summer, everyone dreams of escaping the burning city.

Driving Me Crazy, 2024, 18’, Dir. Meni Tsilianidou
Nina knows why her grandfather doesn’t like her—obviously, it’s because she’s a lesbian. It’s time for a reckoning. On the most unexpected journey of their lives, Nina and Stathis are forced to understand each other, whether they want to or not.

OPEN CALL – Pitching Lab DISFF48

p2025

OPEN CALL

12TH DISFF PITCHING LAB
48th Drama International Short Film Festival

The Drama International Short Film Festival, as part of the activities of the Short Film Hub, organizes DISFF PITCHING LAB for the twelfth consecutive year, aiming to train young film professionals in pitching techniques, present their projects to potential funders, and network with industry professionals.

DISFF PITCHING LAB is a five-day workshop that takes place during the Drama International Short Film Festival, which this year will be held between September 8-14, 2025.

Participation in the workshop is free of charge. Participants are offered accreditation, which provides them with free entry to screenings, masterclasses, and other activities of the Festival.

Physical presence in the city of Drama is mandatory throughout the duration of the workshop, as well as participation in two (2) online sessions that will take place before the Festival.

Deadline for applications:
April 30, 2025, 23:59 EET

About DISFF PITCHING LAB

DISFF PITCHING LAB is an intensive workshop for presenting film projects (pitching), designed for directors, screenwriters, and producers who wish to develop and promote their projects both in the Greek and International market.

Participants receive specialized training in pitching techniques, as well as guidance for developing their film ideas. The workshop focuses on short fiction films, documentaries, and animation projects.

Upon completing DISFF PITCHING LAB, participants present their film projects to Greek and international industry professionals, such as producers, financiers, distributors, and festival programmers.

Additionally, cash prizes are awarded for at least two (2) of the participating projects.

Here you can watch four (4) educational videos discussing the art of pitching, and get introduced to the trainers of DRAMA PITCHING LAB, Barbara Dukas, Georgina Kakoudaki, and John Stephens.

Submission Process & Required Documents

All project submissions must be completed by filling out and submitting this online form.

No other submission methods will be accepted.

Deadline for submissions: April 30, 2025, at 23:59 EET.

Required info/materials:

  1. Logline (max. 40 words)
  2. Synopsis (max. 200 words)
  3. Director’s note (min. 300 words)
  4. Director’s, producer’s and scriptwriter’s CV (max. 200 words each)
  5. Director’s, producers and scriptwriter’s contact details (if applicable)
  6. Genre, duration (approx.), production country/ies
  7. *Script with max. duration 20’ (for fiction projects) or film treatment with max. duration 30’ (for documentaries). The script can be a first draft. Animation projects are accepted in both categories

*Scripts must be sent in a single PDF file, named after the project title. The attachment should not exceed 15MB in size.

Additional materials (if available):

  1. Audiovisual material in support of the project (i.e. moodboard, teaser, shooting locations, cast etc.)
  2. Links from director’s filmography

 The selection of the projects is made by the trainers of the workshop, with an emphasis on the following:

  • Originality and narrative virtues of the script
  • Artistic approach
  • Feasibility of the project

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Applications are accepted for short film projects with a duration of up to 20 minutes for fiction or 30 minutes for documentaries. Animation projects are accepted in both categories.
  2. Applicants must have an excellent command of the English language, as the workshop is conducted entirely in English.
  3. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2025, at 23:59 EET. Late submissions will not be accepted.
  4. Applicants are allowed to submit only one proposal. Proposals that have been resubmitted in previous years or different versions of them will not be accepted.
  5. The Festival covers accommodation costs, and applicants are responsible for their own travel expenses.
  6. Applicants must be the holders of the intellectual property rights for the proposal they submit. In case the submitted script is based on an existing source, they must have secured the relevant rights from the rights holder.
  7. Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
  8. The names of the participants will be announced by May 31, 2025, on the DISFF website. The Festival may select up to ten (10) projects for participation in the LAB.
  9. By submitting the application, applicants agree to the use of their names and any promotional material related to their project for publicity purposes.

The Festival reserves the right to alter the above terms if deemed absolutely necessary for the smooth running of the workshop.

All the way from Drama to the Oscars

Από τη Δράμα στα ΟΣΚΑΡ

All the way from Drama to the Oscars

All the way from Drama to the Oscars

We were delighted and honored to see the film “In the Shadow of the Cypress” win the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the Αcademy Awards Ceremony! The film had its Greek premiere at the International Short Film Festival of Drama in the #animation program (Head programmer Spiros Siakas) and won the Best Animation film Award. The team of the DISFF congratulates the directors Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani and all the film’s contributors.

In the Shadow of the Cypress / Dar Saaye Sarv Iran
Animation

Directed by: Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani | Screenplay: Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani | Animation: Azad Maroufi, Hessam Javaheri, Hossein Molayemi, Reyhaneh Sadat Mirhashemi, Sepehr Momeni, Mehdi Torabi | Editing: Hossein Molayemi | Original Music: Afshin Azizi | Sound Design: Hossein Ghoorchian | Production Design: Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani | Producers: Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani | Production Company: Barfak Animation Studio

A captain suffering from PTSD, lives with his daughter, struggling with a harsh life. He wants to be a caring father… One day, something unexpected happens. It can be either a new trouble or a blessing in disguise.

Από τη Δράμα στα ΟΣΚΑΡShirin Sohani was born in 1986 in Tehran, Iran. She graduated from Tehran University of Art with an MA in Animation Directing. She started her professional career in 2012. She works as concept artist, background artist, scriptwriter, and production manager. In the Shadow of the Cypress is her first professional film. Her graduation animated film, The Fan (2014), won national and international awards.

Από τη Δράμα στα ΟΣΚΑΡHossein Molayemi was born in 1982, in Shiraz, Iran. He graduated from Tehran University of Art with an MA in Animation Directing. He started his professional career in 2004. He works as director, character designer, storyboard artist, animator, and university lecturer. In the Shadow of the Cypress is his second film. His first film, Run Rostam Run (2017), was selected in Annecy, Warsaw and several other Oscar-qualifying film festivals, winning national and international awards

Yorgos Angelopoulos is Drama Festival’s new Artistic Director

Γιώργος Αγγελόπουλο

Yorgos Angelopoulos is Drama Festival’s new Artistic Director

Drama Festival is happy to welcome Yorgos Angelopoulos at the helm of our institution.

Drama International Short Film Festival’s board of directors has unanimously decided to accept the decision made by the evaluation committee and appoint Yorgos Angelopoulos as the new Artistic Director.

The board consisted of: Panagiotis Iosifelis, screenwriter and professor at the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Spyros Siakas, associate professor of 3D Animation and Gaming at the Department of Graphic Design and Visual Communication of the University of West Attica, and Eleftheria Kavaka, manager of Drama Festival.

Yorgos Angelopoulos is a young and talented creator with experience in filmmaking and important institutional roles, as he has served as Director of Development & Production at the Greek Film Centre. DISFF’s new artistic director comes with a strong résumé and his fresh, youthful creativity is essential for an institution as great as Drama International Short Film Festival.

We welcome him, greatly optimistic for DISFF’s future editions.

YORGOS ANGELOPOULOS

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.

Statement by Yorgos Angelopoulos:

“With a sense of responsibility and great excitement I accept the position of artistic director to an institution that is a benchmark and starting point for filmmakers in Greece. I am confident that through teamwork and dedication to the Festival’s important mission we will continue the significant work accomplished in recent years under the direction of Yannis Sakaridis and will further develop the Festival into a global platform for cinematic creation. The Drama International Short Film Festival has been and will always remain a refuge for diversity, inclusivity, and the need for free creation and expression.”

Announcement On behalf of the DISFF Administration

Announcement

On behalf of the DISFF Administration 

The Drama International Short Film Festival Administration would like to inform the audience, our partners, and all artists that the process of selecting our new Artistic Director has started.

Our present Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, is completing his tenure on December 31, 2024, after five years of service. For the first time in the history of the festival, the selection for our next Artistic Director will be done through an Open Call for Expression of Interest. This decision is based on the basic principles of transparency and equal access for all candidates, a procedure followed by important festivals all over the world.

The process is open to all participants who meet the standards that will be soon announced in a new press release.

This decision is part of a renewal process for the Drama Festival that aims to maintain its innovative and competitive edge in the artistic world. We believe that every big institution can grow and evolve through open and transparent procedures that promote polyphony, novelty, and participation. The open competition process reflects our commitment to continuous progress.

In respect to recent statements and publications, the Administration wishes to clarify that the decision regarding the open call is in no way related to the current Artistic Director’s creative course. On the contrary, it is merely one more step towards promoting transparency and polyphony in our institution.

Drama International Short Film Festival remains dedicated to supporting art and its creators and is committed to remain a point of reference in culture. We call upon the artistic community to embrace this process, to view it as a chance to participate and contribute to further developing this institution that we all love and support.

Appreciatively,
Drama International Short Film Festival Administration

National student, International student & Animation competitions awards

Βραβεία Εθνικού Σπουδαστικού Διαγωνιστικού Προγράμματος

NATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION PROGRAMME AWARDS

Jury:
Aris Katopodis (President), Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival
Stylianos Zerefos, Professor at the School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design of the Hellenic Open University
Vania Turner, Director, documentary filmmaker

Head Programmer:
Panagiotis Iosifelis

“Frieda Liappa” Best Greek Student Film Award

The award is accompanied by a 5,000-euro prize. The award is also accompanied by provisions for laboratory and post-production activities, offered by the company Stefilm for the director’s next film.

pop, by Lina Kountoura

The award goes to a film which offers an unexpectedly fresh directorial perspective and captures the imagination by taking us on a journey into the new world it has created.

Best Direction Award

The award is accompanied by a 3,000-euro prize, offered by AMKE Bodouroglou.

Driving me crazy, by Meni Tsilianidou

For its honesty, simplicity, acuity, and humour.

Documentary Award

The award is accompanied by a 3,000-euro prize, offered by AMKE Bodouroglou.

Stelianna, by Yannis Bletas

For the creator’s sensitivity and courage, which were necessary to approach such a difficult subject and to win the trust of both the family and the main character.

Best Script Award

The award is accompanied by a 1,500-euro prize, offered by the ANT1 Screenwriting Academy.

Earthbound, by Vangelis Dikopoulos

script: Vangelis Dikopoulos

Through the film’s hyper-realistic mosaic of stories, the hilarious everyday life of Greek people is brought face to face with an extraterrestrial reality.

Student Drama Queer Award

Alles Gut, Pavlos Paraskevopoulos

For the creator’s honest, direct, and daring decision to confront us with the stereotypes of Greek society.

Best Male Performance Award

Driving me crazy, Meni Tsilianidou

awarded to Dimitris Naziris

The film’s two performances masterfully uncover an array of emotions and revelations, while fully supporting the film’s script and the creator’s cinematic vision.

Best Female Performance Award

Driving me crazy, Meni Tsilianidou

awarded to Iro Tsamoglou

The film’s two performances masterfully uncover an array of emotions and revelations, while fully supporting the film’s script and the creator’s cinematic vision.

“Dinos Katsouridis” Photography Award

The award is accompanied by full technical coverage for the production of the photographer’s next film, courtesy of the Katsouridis family.

The gardener’s death, by Christina Spiliopoulou

photography direction: Thanos Athanasiou

In this film, photography is the main character. The shots are combined with various shades of ochre, red, and brown, composing a palette of emotions, which transport the viewer inside the film’s narrative.

Editing Award

The company Telmaco offers its award-winning film and video editing software Avid Media Composer, provided by Avid Technology.

The River Runs Through the Village, by Xenophon Nikolakopoulos

editing: Yorgos Pavloudis

In this film, the use of editing works as a parallel for memory loss, and the mixing up of times, places, and emotions.

Set Design Award

pop, by Lina Kountoura

set design: Katerina Perdikouri-Papadopoulou, Panos Sellas, Stella Deliantoni

Through its imagination, innocence, and playful character, this film transports us to its thrilling cinematic universe, where an impressive result is achieved with the use of colour, movement, and architecture.

Best Sound Design Award

Dracaena, by Sofia Priovolou and Ioannis Panagiotidis

Sound design: Kostas Fylaktidis

From the very first still, the sound design shapes the film’s identity and qualities, while directly conversing with the script.

Special Mention

Acheron, by Konstantina Papadopoulou

The jury gives the special mention award to a film that moved us and brought us face to face with loss, through a masterful cinematic experience.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION PROGRAMME AWARDS 2024

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

Head programmer:
Thanasis Neofotistos

GRAND PRIX STUDENT “Almost Famous” Award

The award is accompanied by a 1,500-euro prize offered by the Metropolitan College

No Future Kids, by Eleni Poulopoulou

From its immersive and impressively captivating cinematography, its sensitive yet vibrant direction and its fiery performances, this film truly embarked us, along with its protagonists, on a road trip with its infectious energy. Pardon the lack of eloquence, but this film is a vibe!

Special Jury Award “Rising Star”

Falling, by Anna Gyimesi

This year’s Jury Award “Rising Star” goes to a film that, through a simple cinematic approach, managed to move us deeply by illustrating the vibrations caused by the conflict between two roles: that of a mother suffering and that of a woman longing to live.

Queer Student Award “Loud & Proud”

Slimane, by Carlos Pereira

Through a puzzling narrative structure, this excellent piece of slow, minimalist cinema paints a bleak world where queer resistance lies in bodily movements. Against the social stagnation ignited by the threat to LGTBQIA+ rights, this film cleverly deconstructs our perceptions of time and space and ultimately delivers what one could call “cinematic queerness”.

Special Mention

Leli‘s Friend, by Sawanti Das

Through its delicate’s use of animation, this film conveyed the emotional depth of the unconventional bond between a boy with cerebral palsy and his aging grandmother.

Distribution Award

The Distribution Award is sponsored by Radiator IP Sales and is presented to a Greek film of the programme. The award offers representation for the development of a comprehensive commercial strategy targeting buyers abroad (TV stations and platforms).

No Future Kids, by Eleni Poulopoulou

INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION PROGRAMME 2024 AWARDS

Jury:
Dr Lamprini Trivella, PhD researcher, University of West Attica
Vasilis Galopoulos, audio engineer
Marineta Kritikou, Agora Coordinator at Animasyros Festival

Head Programmer:
Spyros Siakas

Best Animation Film ASIFA HELLAS YANNIS VASILEIADIS

The award includes a one-year free membership at ASIFA HELLAS, with the full privileges of a registered member (information, visibility, participation in extroversion animation missions at international forums and festivals, etc).

In the Shadow of the Cypress, by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani

For its groundbreaking narrative, its excellent sound and image, its animation aesthetic, and the delicacy with which it approaches the human psyche.

Special Jury Award

Underground, Yiannis Christoforou

For its innovative approach to storytelling through the use of stop motion animation, a challenging technique which was successfully mastered in both sound and image.

International participants in the competiton programmes

OΛΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΔΡΑΜΑ

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMPETITION PROGRAMMES

The Drama Short Film Festival has in recent years acquired a new, dynamic and broader cinematic identity, which distinguishes it as an extroverted festival – a nursery for young and talented filmmakers, both within and outside the borders. This year, once again, the Festival’s team has worked for another dynamic event, which will constitute an essentially creative meeting and gathering of young, emerging, but also more experienced and established filmmakers, both from the domestic and the international film scene.

As we have already announced, the 47th DISFF will screen a total of 62 Greek films in all its competition sections, which will be premiered nationally and worldwide.

Since last year, the films that receive the top awards in both the National and the International Competition section each September, automatically secure the coveted “ticket” to participate in the Oscar® selection process. The link with the Academy® Awards highlighted the international character of the Festival and was an attraction for even more entries in our international programmes.

These are the short films that will compete internationally this year in the programmes of the 47th Drama Short Film Festival (2-8 September 2024):

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

  1. If the sun drowned into an ocean of clouds by Wissam Charaf
  2. Las Memorias Perdidas De Los Arboles by Antonio La Camera
  3. fishing by Josie Charles
  4. Lovin’ Her by day
  5. Clamor by Salomé Da Souza
  6. A Bird Flew by Leinad Pájaro De la Hoz
  7. The distance between us by Léo Fontaine
  8. Madwoman in the attic by Tamara García Iglesias
  9. Abraham by Elnaz Ghaderpour, Reza Gamini
  10. Workers’ wings by Ilir Hasanaj
  11. What we ask of a statue is that it doesn’t move by Daphné Hérétakis
  12. The Voice of Others by Fatima Kaci
  13. Pena’s Special Hauling by Anssi Kassitoni
  14. Céline on a Cloudy Day by Can Köroğlu
  15. Numb by Despina Kourti
  16. What Mary Didn’t Know by Konstantina Kotzamani
  17. Unwanted Kinship by Pavel Mozhar
  18. The House by Carl Olsson
  19. looking she said I forget by Naomi Pacifique
  20. Silent Panorama by Nicolas Piret
  21. The Oasis I Deserve by Inès Sieulle
  22. Montsouris by Guil Sela
  23. Cross My Heart and Hope to Die by Sam Manacsa
  24. Dreams Like Paper Boats by Samuel Suffren
  25. Milk by Miranda Stern
  26. So Long by Jiaqi Yuan
  27. Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way by Hao Zhou

The International Competition of the Drama International Short Film Festival, led for the fourth consecutive year by filmmaker Giorgos Zois, is excited to announce this year’s lineup. The program features 27 films from 21 countries. This year’s international competition focuses on coming-of-age stories of youth and teenagers, as well as their integration into a rapidly evolving world, both materially and virtually. It also addresses the rising social class disparities that affect people of all ages, leading to a constant struggle for survival and testing their human behavior.

The 27 films come from the following countries: Colombia, France, Haiti, Estonia, Sweden, Kosovo, Lebanon, Philippines, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Iran, Belgium, USA, Spain, Italy, Finland, China, the Netherlands, Peru, and Greece. Many of these films will have their world premiere at the festival, while others have already received acclaim at major international film festivals.

These short films present a distinct narrative perspective and personal style, transforming each into a truly unique piece of filmmaking. Even if some demand more focus and attention due to their length or format, they will definitely pique your interest, charm you, and reveal new visual pathways.

Head programmer: George Zois

DISFF47 | INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION

  1. Sea Salt by Leila Basma
  2. Leli’s Friend by Sawanti Das
  3. Rising Above by Natálie Durchánková
  4. Falling by Anna Gyimesi
  5. Renaissances by Naomi Noiret
  6. Slimane by Carlos Pereira
  7. No Future Kids by Eleni Poulopoulou
  8. Say Wuff by Fabian Podeszwa
  9. Dracaena by Sofia Priovolou, Ioannis Panagiotidis
  10. Obituary Service For You by María Salafranca
  11. Vic by Luis Schubert
  12. The Sea in Between by Lun Sevnik
  13. As if Mother Cried that Night by Hoda Taheri

For the 5th consecutive year, the programme of the International Student Section of the 47th Drama Festival will feature exciting films by young artists! This year’s topic is “Human Relations & the Sea”! Lots of love, but also violence. Films about the much-discussed diversity and human sexuality, with its various manifestations. Whatever their themes, for me my great joy comes from the fact that we found films, once again, that approach their topics in an authentic, contemporary and artistically daring way. We met young filmmakers who are worthy representatives of their time and generation and who, I hope, will continue to tell film stories with the same sensitivity and interest.

Head programmer: Thanasis Neofotistos

SHORT AND GREEN

  1. Bios Beneath Blind by Kim Allamand
  2. Goodbye Sun by Hakim Atoui
  3. Greenwash by Andres Bronnimann
  4. Wavering by Fanny Chesnel
  5. The Generators by Georgie Cowan-Turner
  6. Guardiani Del Lago by Alice Gagliardi
  7. Plantasia by Angelos Gourzis
  8. I Would Rather Be a Stone by Ana Husman
  9. Know Your Stones by Katarina Jazbec
  10. Enjoy your meal by Sofie Kienzle, Christian Manzke
  11. Las Memorias Perdidas De Los Árboles by Antonio La Camera
  12. Hikuri by Sandra Ovilla
  13. For You by Luca Paulli
  14. On the 8th Day by Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois
  15. Guardians by Julián Stubbs Generali

The Short and Green international competition programme is now in its 4th year. And if anything  shows the urgent need for such reflections and stimuli for the film-loving audience, it is the changes that we are clearly experiencing in the climate of our country and the planet and, consequently, in our lives and everyday life.

This year’s programme features 15 films -5 animation films, 5 documentaries and 5 fiction films- 15 small pieces, which form a colourful, multicultural, and inclusive mosaic and create a special polyphony of cinematic storytelling.

From Italy to Mexico, and from France to Costa Rica, young filmmakers around the globe are inspired by and create with the environment and the climate crisis in mind. And even if film is not a powerful enough medium to change the course of events, it can at least serve as an indirect warning. As long as it’s not too late.

Head programmer: Vassilis Terzopoulos

KIDDO

  1. The Man in the Blue Suit by Evan Patrick Adams
  2. Porcelain by Annika Birgel
  3. Mao Lucky by Luis Carlo Caballero Arguelles
  4. Trinkets by Elli Fotiou
  5. I Loved to See You by Ricardo Garcia
  6. A Deer Died Here by John Giordano
  7. Tamagoyaki by Meg Igarashi
  8. Gaomei Fantasy by Juo Wen Chin
  9. Childhood Colors by Alexandre Labarussiat
  10. Healer by Mackenzie Leigh
  11. Tremolo by Leonard Mink
  12. Dusk by Awa Moctar Gueye
  13. Beromut by Pola Rader
  14. Snowglobes by Gregory Vardarinos
  15. In Sickness and in Health by Devina Vassileva
  16. Game Rules by Christian Zetterberg
  17. Love Photosynthesis by Alisa Zolonz

Kiddo’s competition section is open to filmmakers of films for children and teenagers with contemporary themes that speak about the school years, adolescence and adulthood. About gender equality, racism and young people’s motivations for life. Fiction and animation, drama and comedy films. 17 films in total, from many countries, including two Greek entries.

In this section, younger filmmakers are given the opportunity to screen their films, but also to compete, as these are films made by adults for children, and by children for children. The ultimate aim and objective is to trigger the artistic spirit of young people and develop their aesthetic perception. To cultivate their imagination. To motivate them to become actively involved in the art of cinema.

For this reason, the film evaluation committee consists of children from the city of Drama. Kiddo is the new section of the festival and it is in its second year of operation this year. We hope and believe that it will flourish and develop into an important programme for the children who compete as well as for the children of the city of Drama who will attend it.

Head programmer: Elena Mavridou

ANIMATION

  1. Two One Two by Shira Avni
  2. chicken by Anna Benner
  3. The Girl Who Walked On Snow by Bruno Carnide
  4. Dodeca – the womb by Daniele Charasanakis
  5. Underground by Yiannis Christoforou
  6. G3N3SIS by Antonis Doussias
  7. Echoes by Robinson Drossos
  8. Plantasia by Angelos Gourzis
  9. Don’t Forget to Take Medicines on Time by Xiaoxuan Han
  10. P by Stelios Koupetoris
  11. 74 by Charalambos Margaritis
  12. In the Shadow of the Cypress by Hossein Molayemi, Shirin Sohani
  13. WAN by Victor Monigote
  14. Asotos by George Nathenas
  15. The Mushroom Man by Petros Niamonitakis
  16. Percebes by Alexandra Ramires, Laura Gonçalves
  17. Nabu by Joanna Rusinek
  18. The Wild-Tempered Clavier by Anna Samo
  19. La Voix des Sirènes by Gianluigi Toccafondo
  20. Darwin Story by Natasha Tonkin
  21. SHORTS FROM THE BOX / modern times by Géza M. Tóth
  22. Flower Show by Elli Vuorinen
  23. Little Fire by Chen Wu

Animation, as a medium of visual communication, combines a variety of expressive media from all art forms to convey a message and generate corresponding emotions. This year’s event saw a record number of submissions to the animation programme, as part of a broader trend of increased participation in all of the festival’s programmes. However, the films submitted were of high quality, both technically and narratively, and it is worth noting that this year saw a significant increase in the number of Greek animation films with a plethora of techniques and of excellent quality.

The selection of the final programme was really difficult and was made, as every year, based on the plurality and variety of creative techniques and narrative approach. The main objective remains, always, the development of audiovisual animation literacy towards the active participation of the audience of Drama and the promotion of animation films in general.

Head programmer: Spyros Siakas

The Festival’s programming teams watched and evaluated more than 4000 films in total. We invite you to discover them up close in Drama and online during the 47th edition (2-8 September 2024).

The Drama Festival is realized with the full support of the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Hellenic Parliament, and of course the Municipality of Drama.

Selection results for the Pitching LAB 2024

Pitching Lab

Selection results for the Pitching LAB 2024

We are thrilled with the response of filmmakers from all over the world who have honoured us with their trust by sending us really interesting and original projects.

As expected, the concerns and anxieties that are spread all over the planet are reflected in the stories of the creators, and so, apart from the always topical personal stories, projects for coming-of-age films, social issues such as the displacement of populations and impoverishment, 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 thriller, sci-fi, metaphysical and poetic elements, as well as the management of landscapes and areas far from the big cities, leading to atmospheric contemporary westerns, projects that take into account the new data in social consciousness about the need to include and accept people with special needs and illnesses that once even their name 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 it hard for us to choose.

So out of almost 100 entries, the 10 projects that will compete in Drama are the following:

  1. Broken Honor by Arthur De Weerdt και Daniel de Weerdt – The Netherlands
  2. Gazelle by Saman Hosseinpuor – Iran
  3. The Unseen Battles by Sennet Ntimane – South Africa
  4. The Prodigal 12% by Megan Smith – United Kingdom
  5. Taxi Driver’s Turn or 24 Hours without Popi by Karina Logothetis – Greece
  6. 15:16 by Konstantinos P. Kakarountas – Greece
  7. Meadow Mice by Ilayda Iseri – Turkey
  8. Another Day of Something Unusual by Sesarini και Ali Azca – Indonesia
  9. Blühen by Kostis Charamountanis – Greece
  10. Clinic by Penelope Mavropsaridi – Greece

We have also selected 6 Greek projects for the Athens Pitching Lab, which will be held for the third consecutive year, accompanying the award-winning films of Drama to Athens, a promising event that emphasizes the development of the projects’ scripts, aiming to boost Greek production. The 6 projects:

  1. Dreams of Copper by Spyros Christoforatos
  2. Disowned by Anna Maria Dimitropoulou
  3. Meridian by Markela Kontaratou
  4. Adespotos (Stray) by Anastasia Gkivalou
  5. Feride, My Love by Dina Koumbolis and Christos Dimas
  6. Hot Water by Krysianna Papadakis

Barbara Dukas
DISFF Head of Educational Programme

Florian Fernandez named Head of the Short Film Hub

Από τις Κάννες στο Φεστιβάλ Δράμας ο νέος επικεφαλής του Short Film Hub

Florian Fernandez named Head of the Short Film Hub

The Drama International Short Film Festival is pleased to announce that Florian Fernández, Industry coordinator for the Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Indsutry at the Festival de Cannes.

The Oscar® qualified Drama International Short Film Festival continues its steadily upward path, with the new mayor of Drama, George Papadopoulos, as president and Petros Paraskevaidis as vice president of DISFF. The new leaders of the Cultural Organization of the Drama International Short Film Festival, along with the artistic director Yannis Sakaridis, welcome to the festival family an important and internationally renowned film professional who will contribute to the festival’s wider outreach, strengthening its international dimension and impact.

The Short Film Hub aims to connect talented directors, screenwriters and producers with the international and national film industry. It functions as a space of creation, continuous exploration, and freedom, through which the young creators will have the opportunity to meet well-known film professionals and learn about the countless possibilities of their art, promoting a film project, developing a screenplay and building a network of contacts.

Every September, professional meetings, workshops, seminars, and endless discussions transform the city of Drama and the Drama International Short Film Festival into the perfect destination for every film professional who loves short films.

According to Florian Fernández, «It is a tremendous joy to join Drama International Short Film Festival, in a country very dear to my heart and as part of an inspiring team carried by a lot of passionate, dynamic and talented people!

I’m impatient to pursue the effort newly initiated in 2023 and give more space to the Short Film Hub, a central platform aiming at developing industry opportunities for short films and their makers. Beyond the screenings of the selected short films, the HUB – standing for Harmony | Unity | Bravery – is a key initiative to forge bonds, to bring more individual guidance, and to focus on talent development as well as on the support & the travel of projects. With the ambition of slowly widening the possibilities for filmmakers from Greece and abroad, this year’s program will explore new paths of cooperation and will celebrate the many inspiring ways of creating through the short film format.

To celebrate this new impulse for the Short Film Hub, we are glad to introduce a new partnership between DISFF and Talking Shorts! This online magazine dedicated to short films aims to produce universally readable content that can inspire, cultivate, and educate a broad range of audiences, from students and scholars to non-cinephile readers.

A new collaboration that makes a lot of sense for a festival that has been created by filmmakers and for filmmakers, and who puts discussions & creation at the heart of its ambitions!».

Bio

Holding a Master’s degree in Film Studies, Florian coordinates the various industry initiatives elaborated as part of the Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry. This four-day forum organized by the Festival de Cannes aims to highlight short film forms, emerging talents and facilitate the interactions between the filmmakers and the industry. Florian is also involved in the pre-selection of short films for Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, for the Doc Shorts section of SXSW, and formerly took part in Encounters Film Festival pre-selection team (2021-2023). He yearly collaborates as part of The Short Film Lab training program and the European Short Pitch reading committee. Since 2023, he has partnered with Protest Studios to take care of the festival distribution & sales of a handful of short films carried by unique voices.
In 2024, he has joined Drama Int’l Short Film Festival as the Head of the Short Film Hub.

SAVE THE DATE: the 47th Drama International Short Film Festival will take place from 2-8 September 2024.

 

Τhe Short Film Hub is supported by Creative Europe Media

DISFF in Athens with Student Films

Το DISFF στην Αθήνα με Σπουδαστικές Ταινίες

DISFF in Athens with Student Films

and together
A TRIBUTE TO GERMAN SHORT FILMS
Iris Cinema
19-21 APRIL
FREE ENTRANCE
Drama Festival travels to Iris and student films are honored in the most youthful cinema in Athens!

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday 19-21 April, the historic cinema, corner of Hippocrates and Academia, where the Film and Photography Section of the Cultural Club of Students of the University of Athens (IRIS Cinema) operates, will host the DISFF in Athens programme with the student films that competed last year in the National Student Programme in Drama (46th DISFF, 2023).

At the same time, the Hamburg Short Film Festival (following the tribute screened at Drama Festival last September) will present Focus on Germany, a tribute to selected German short films from the 1980s to the present day.

On Friday 19 April and Saturday 20 April, the screenings start at 19:00 with the German tribute and continue at 20:30 with the films of the National Student Programme. Friday will feature iconic German films produced in the 1980s (i.e. under the German Democratic Republic), followed on Saturday by films from the 1990s to the present day showing the evolution of German short films over time since the fall of the Wall..

On Sunday 21 April, both screening zones will be dedicated to Greek student films. The films cover a particularly wide spectrum of themes (relationships, identity, inclusion, social criticism), unfolding the concerns of young children with remarkable freshness, sensitivity and insight. And they reveal the great potential of Greek cinema today: a potential that has been visible from the very first steps of Greek filmmakers.
Screening times: 19:00 and 20:30.
Free entrance.

The event is organized in cooperation with the Iris Visions Festival and supported by the members of the Cultural Club of Students of the University of Athens.
The timetable per day and detailed information about each film and its cast and crew are available here:
https://www.dramafilmfestival.gr/ath-stud-films

Το DISFF στην Αθήνα με Σπουδαστικές Ταινίες