“The cinematic penetration of space, recording of human behaviour, and unpredictable sound landscapes inside and outside the camera frame compose the documentary body, often traumatic but always revealing.”

Tonis Lykouresis

The Greek Directors Guild organised the first Emerging Documentary Filmmakers Festival, “Moments of truth”, from 31 January to 3 February 2020 at the historic building that houses the Guild, “Nikos Koundouros” on 11 Tositsa street.

The Festival presented 22 films (short, medium or feature-length) by 24 young documentary filmmakers who have already accomplished a lot despite their young age. After each screening, the audience had the chance to talk to their favourite creators. The Minister of Culture, Mrs Lina Mendoni, attended the screenings, stating her interest in finding an effective way for the Ministry to support young independent filmmakers financially.

The topics covered by the films are in line with the concerns of today’s society. The refugee crisis and the large migration waves were prominent. Other thematic areas included the large fire in Thessaloniki in 1917, trash pickers, disabled dancers and the visually impaired people, tortures during the Collonels’ Regime, the missing people of Cyprus, the Nazi crimes, the Greek Resistance against them, love during Greece’s Occupation years, centuries-old grandmothers in Evrytania, tender grandfathers in Epirus, elderly couples in Ikaria, singing shepherds and people of Amorgos that foresee the weather. 

The directors that took part in the festival are: 

Thanasis Neofotistos, Haris Raftogiannis, Haris Gioulatos, Vivian Papageorgiou, Timon Koulmasis, Nikos Pilos, Gregory Vardarinos, Angelos Rallis, Vicky Arvelaki, Maro Anastopoulou, Chrysanthos Konstantinidis, Ioanna Neophytou, Dimitris Stamatis, Nikos Zappas, Thanos Tsantas, Anna Antonopoulou, George Bisdikis, Loukas Palaiokrasas, Stavros Petropoulos, Antonis Kitsikis, Xenofon Vardaros, Giannis Xydas, Yorgos Kyvernitis, and Katerina Kalketenidi. 

Except for the screenings, the festival hosted two open discussions:

1. The cinematic documentary today: Production, distribution and dissemination. 

Christos Pitharas, Nikos Zappas, Angelos Rallis, Giannis Vamvakas

Την προβολή των ταινιών συνόδευσαν δύο ανοιχτές συζητήσεις με θέματα:

1. The role of the screenplay in the documentary.

Christos Karakepelis, Elias Giannakakis, Lefteris Charonitis

Discussions coordinator: Tonis Lykouresis

The Greek Directors Guild organised the festival to offer young documentary filmmakers the opportunity to show their work. Haris Papadopoulos, president of the Guild, noted: “Our Guild aims to support documentary production in many ways. This festival is merely the beginning. We have many new initiatives planned.”

The competitive part of the festival:

The jury bestowed three awards and three praises to support the young documentary filmmakers at the festival's ending. 

The awards were composed by sculptor Aspasia Papadopetraki and included a cash prize. All the participants received sculptures of Papadopetraki honorarily. 

Members of the jury were directors Lefteris Charonitis (President of the committee), Evi Karampatsou, Antonis Boskoitis, Dinos Yotis, and Christoforos Christofis. They discussed the 21 competing films and unanimously agreed on the winners. 

Awards:

First prize:

Angelos Rallis and Loukas Palaiokrasas 

Second prize:

Chrysanthos Kontantinidis 

Third Prize:

Nikos Pilos and Yorgos Kyvernitis 

First praise:

To Xenofon Vardaros and to Giannis Xydas 

Second praise:

To Maro Anastopoulou 

Third praise:

To Vivian Papageorgiou

Stergios Papaevaggelou, Manos Spitalas, Panagiotis Skordilis, Rania Tsekoura, Angelos Semelas, and Makis Savvas worked for the festival.

Nikos Zappas created the poster and the trailer. Thodoris Xydias composed the trailer’s music.

Giannis Kanellopoulos photographed the event. 

No Budget Films Festival

Short Film Panorama