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 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.
Yannis Sakaridis
In the words of the new Artistic Director of the Festival, 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, assistant 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 are the following:
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′
Elena Topalidou in “Bella” (2020) dir. Thelya Petraki
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′
Thanassis Neofotistos
43rd Drama International Short Film Festival will be the debut of the new Artistic Director, Yannis Sakaridis, as well as Thanasis Neofotistos who is responsible for the International Student Competition. The International Student Competition is a brand new initiative and one of the most promising programs of the Drama International Film Festival. Film Schools from around the world and Greece will participate. It’s an ambitious step/project aiming to underline the outwardness of the DISFF and goes hand in hand with the outwardness characterizing 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. The new festival aims to be a forum for young promising 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 enhance the DISFF status as one of the leading Short Film Festivals in Europe.
International Student Competition will take place along with the National, and the International Competitions of the 43rd Drama Short Film Festival from 20th to 26th September 2020.
F.K.
