24th INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IN DRAMA. September 16-22, 2018 PRESS RELEASE

Transcription

1 41 st SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IN DRAMA 24th INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IN DRAMA September 16-22, 2018 PRESS RELEASE This year's event is facing the future optimistically, after the launch of the study for the renovation of the Tobacco Warehouse that will finally house the Short Film Festival in Drama, as well as the announcement of its collaboration with the Hellenic Open University. Using the dynamics of the Festival, the Hellenic Open University establishes a Film Studies program in the city of Drama, which will start as soon as the new space is delivered in Perdika Street. President of this year's jury of the Greek Competition will be the President of the Hellenic Open University, Vassilis Kardasis. The 41st Short Film Festival in Drama, which this year will be extended by one day, will be held in the "Olympia" Hall and the Municipal Conservatoire, making its established appointment with the liveliest part of Greek cinema: the young Greek short film directors. But also those who insist on the short form, honouring the short film as it deserves: as an independent artwork. This year's event will feature a total of 195 films from 52 different countries (in all its programs). THE GREEK COMPETITION Out of a total of 227 applications filed (a number that exceeds any previous one), the selection board selected 67 films to claim the 41st I.S.F.F.D. awards. Out of these, 4 are documentaries and 2 animation films. There are a number of old friends who have been awarded in the past but also many newcomers. And in this year's event, about a third of the directors are ladies. This year's "shorts" are mostly independent productions. Among the names of the producers who are participating this year, we meet many who have linked their name with the international appeal of Greek cinema.

2 We will see director Giannis Economidis, the actor, writer and director Lena Kitsopoulou, the musician Argyris Bakitzis and the theatrical director Simos Kakalas in surprising roles, while the 41st I.S.F.F.D. marks the return of popular (also due to television) directors in the short film. The economic crisis continues to concern a great portion of the young creators: unemployment, poverty, professional collapse,braindrain, debt, evictions, consfications and gambling. But the main focus remains on the working conditions that have a leading role this year: unpaid workers who end up in the street and hide it from their environment, employees who starve to death, corrupt trade unionists who are part of the problem, industrial accidents, but also class inequalities, police brutality, political allegories. At the same time, new themes have emerged: the social media generation, the new language of social networking media, internet addiction, selfitis and "like" frenzy, erotic acquaintances through the F/B, and the fake news on a cannibalistic television that reproduces stereotypes towards strangers. Old age, loneliness, dementia, women's abuse, abandonment of children, suicides, difficulties faced by people with disabilities, grandchild and grandparent relations, continue to occupy a significant proportion of the creators themes. Although this year's comedies are few, several directors have chosen to give us post-apocalyptic stories about the grim future of a decadent culture. Human relationships, loss management, family and love continue to inspire creators, while some dare to address taboo issues (such as homosexual love relations between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots). More than ever in the past, there are many popular actors starring in the competing films. It is obvious that they do not just want to help new directors in their first steps, as they did before, but they are now using the short film as a vehicle for showing their talent. Indicatively, we mention: Harry Frangoulis, Maximos Moumouris, Elli Triggou, Georgina Liosi, Romana Lombach, Andreas Constantinou, Iro Bezou, Vicky Papadopoulou, Kika Georgiou, Maria Kechagioglou, Themis Bazaka, Maria Skoula, Yannis Stankoglou, Constantinos Markoulakis, Pigmalion Dadakaridis, Ersi Malikenzou, Alkis Panagiotidis, Sofia Seirli, Stathis Stamoulakatos, Dimitris Tzoukakis, Takis Spyridakis, Sifis Polyzoidis, Marios Ioannou, Kostas Ksykominos, Dimitris Alexandris, Nikos Georgakis, Yannis Tsortekis, Katerina Lypiridou, Vassilis Koukalani, and the young Sofia Kokkalis, who sets a record in participating in short films. This year, at the National Festival, another award for films dealing with climate change and the natural environment is established. The prize will be accompanied by a 4,000 cash prize and offered by "Cyclops". THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

3 The festival, which completes 24 years of turning International, will feature 62 films from 49 countries around the world, from Malaysia to the Faroe Islands. In the International Competition, the following films were selected from Greece: "The silence of the fish when they die" by Vasilis Kakatos "Hector Malo: the Last Day of the Year" by Jacqueline Lentzou "Penal Colony" by Manos Cizek & Lindsey Aliksanyan And from Cyprus: "Beyond the Stars" by Stelana Cleris This year's program presents many surprises as for the cast of the films: * The French film "Detectable you" by Axel Curtier stars Katherine Deneuve * In the Canadian film "Eleftheromania" by David Antoniuk, the Oscar-winning Olympia Doukaki plays a woman who survived the experience of a concentration camp and testifies to the Greek prisoners * Aris Servetalis co-starred with Romanian actress Kristina Flutur in the film from Sweden "If I die the world dies too" by Jennifer Rensford. Flutur became known from the film "Behind the Hills" by Cristiano Mungiu - and for her performance she won the Audience Award at the Cannes Film Festival. * Elli Tringou, who also plays in a Greek film, is also starring in the German film "Excuse me, I'm looking for the ping pong room and my girlfriend" by Bernhard Wenger * Finally, the young Belgian actress, Jonas Bloket, who will be starring in the French short film "By Blood" by Guyom Enar, co-starred in the Hollywood film "The Nun" that will soon be screened in Greece, and has appeared in "Elle" by Paul Verhofen. THE JURY MEMBERS OF THE GREEK FESTIVAL The members of this year's jury are cinematographers who have previously been awarded at the Drama Festival. President: Vassilis Kardasis, President of the Hellenic Open University Members (in alphabetical order): Vangelis Lymperopoulos, director, producer Elena Mavridou, actress Aris Stavrou, cinematographer Yorgos Teltzidis, scriptwriter, director

4 The role of critical evaluation of this year's Greek program (Grand Temoin) has been taken over by cinema historian and cinema history professor Gianna Athanasatou. THE JURY MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL President: Andrew Horton, screenwriter, writer, emeritus professor Oklahoma University (USA) Members: Ovidiu Georgescu, Professor, Dean of the Film School, UNATC, Bucharest, Director (ROMANIA) Gabriele Orrichio, producer (ITALY) Christoforos Christofis, director, dramatist, screenwriter, lyricist (GREECE) Ella Zaharano, director (ISRAEL) The Grand Temoin of the International Program will be given by Manuela Cernat (Romania), University Professor, Writer, Journalist, Historian, Film Critic, Director. DRAMA PITCHING LAB The Short Film Festival in Drama continues to support the production of short films and to train young directors: In the context of its DRAMA MINI TALENT LAB platform, this year it will also hold a workshop for the presentation of short film audiovisual projects to producers and sponsors, while giving participants the opportunity to present their project to major potential sponsors and producers from Greece and abroad (Pitching Forum). The Drama Pitching Lab financially supports the production of the best designs through cash prizes by Finos Film and the Greek Film Center. It will be held daily from Monday 17/9 until Friday 21/9. The Pitching Forum will be held on Friday 17/9 ( ). This year's level was considered very high, so 15 projects were selected to participate in the Workshop (for more information visit The Drama Pitching Lab instructors will be Varvara Doukas (director), Georgina Kakoudakis (dramaturgist) and John Stephens (Professor of Screenwriting)and the Chairman of the Jury of the International Festival, Andrew Horton. Award winning screenwriter Andrew Horton, president of the Jury for the International Festival, will give a masterclass entitled "Creating Unforgettable Characters for an International Audience" on Wednesday 19 September (Municipal Conservatory of Drama, 10.30am).The Masterclass will be open to both filmmakers and cinema-goers.

5 His films include Brad Pitt's first feature film "The Dark Side of the Sun" (1988). Horton is the author of thirty books on cinema and scripts that are considered valuable tools for prospective screenwriters. THE REST OF THE PROGRAM -4th Balkan Panorama It hosts a selection of major production films that have competed in festivals in neighboring countries and includes two sections. 1. Balkan Student Panorama with films of recent production of the most important film schools from Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Albania, Turkey and of course Greece. 2. Focus on Serbia. The country honored this year is Serbia. The focus includes three programs: two selected Serbian films of the last decade in collaboration with the Belgrade Film Archive and one dedicated to the Belgrade Film Academy. - "Whoever can, let them save the short film -sauve qui peut le court-metrage. 40 years of Clermont-Ferrand Festival ". The Drama Festival, which has been collaborating since the early years of its life with the largest short film festival in Europe, presents and honors the Clermont- Ferrand Festival's promoters. A tribute to Clermont's highlights will be presented, while Jean-Claude Saurel, the festival's president, will be present at the opening ceremony, along with Eric Wojcik, a festival executive and elector. The tribute will be presented immediately after the opening ceremony. -SHORT MATTERS! 2017 Special program with the 15 Candidates for the 2017 European Film Academy Awards (EFA awards). -EU and me: Five short films inform us about a number of issues related to the European Union (such as mobility, sustainability and entrepreneurship). One of the films is directed by Giorgos Zois. -Fair literature afternoons (17-21/9), presented and edited by the writerjournalist Pavlos Methenitis. This year we present: Alki Zei, Titos Patrikios, Amanda Michalopoulou, Manos Kontoleon, Dimitris Charitos, Marta Silvia Dios Sans, Vivian Stergiou, Elias Moraitis, Vassilis Tsiaboussis and Polina G. Banas from Drama and the directors Kostas Ferris, Dimitris Athanitis and Elizabeth Chronopoulou, who will present their new books. -A talk of the contestant directors with the audience. Daily Q&A on the atrium of the Festival's offices. -Screenings for children. Six short films for our little friends, from the UK, Germany, Iceland, FYROM and Georgia. -Radio Production Laboratory "We Are Playing Radio!" With the radio producer Anna Paschalidou

6 -Artistic exhibitions in collaboration with independent artists and local actors. RENDEZ-VOUS IN ATHENS In October (11-17/10), the winning films of the International and selected programs will be screened in Athens, at the "Trianon" movie theatre. The "Short Film Festival in Drama travels" program will continue to travel on even more destinations. Last year, the Greek films of the Festival travelled to 80 cities and 6 countries, highlighting the dynamics of Greek cinema within and outside Greece. The Short Film Festival in Drama is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Municipality of Drama. THE SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS OF THE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL IN DRAMA We thank the sponsors and supporters of the Drama Festival Hellenic Parliament Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Development Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy Municipality of Drama ERT S.A. Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Sponsors COSMOTE TV ΤV5 Monde Finos Film Raycap

7 CYCLOPS SteFilm Εnjoy Fashion Point Katsouridis family Supporters Greek Film Center Hellenic Open University EKOME S.A. - National Center of Audiovisual Media and Communication Fipresci EFA European Film Academy Representation of the European Commission in Greece French Embassy & French Consul in Thessaloniki French Institute & French Institute in Thessaloniki Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young people Volunteers Samaritans, Rescuers and Lifeguards Corp - Drama Regional Department Media Sponsors ERT, ERT3, Radio Stations: Deftero Programma, Cosmos, The voice of Greece, 102fm 9,58, ERT Kavala & ERT Serres ΤV5 Monde Hellenic Parliament Television Radio Station STO KOKKINO, Athens Thessaloniki- Kavala

8 Athens 9,84 EFSYN