On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the journalistic research TV show Time Machine presented on Saturday, March 15, at John Cassavetes Theater, in collaboration with the Film Office of the Region of Central Macedonia, well-known and lesser-known landmarks of the region that have "starred" in its stories. The event was attended by Vicky Hatzivassiliou, Vice Governor of Tourism of the Region of Central Macedonia, Akis Sakellariou, President of the Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, and Athina Kartalou, General Director of the General Film Directorate of EKKOMED-Creative Greece.
The audience was welcomed by Lina Milonaki, Head of the Film Office of the Region of Central Macedonia. Then, Vicky Hatzivassiliou took the floor and noted: "It is a great pleasure to welcome you to yet another special event dedicated to cinema, organized by the Region of Central Macedonia and the Vice-Governorate of Tourism, in collaboration with the Film Office. Together with the much-loved Time Machine, our aim is to shed light on the history and culture of our region through famous and lesser-known locations of Central Macedonia. As the title suggests, today’s protagonist is our very own land. Central Macedonia. A place wonderful and inexhaustible, rich in landscapes, people, stories, and memories, a land that the lens of documentary cinema can showcase and bring to life in a unique way," she emphasized.
She then went on to thank the creators of Time Machine, the Festival, and COSMOTE TV for their invaluable support: "I would like to warmly thank the creators of Time Machine, my fellow journalists Christos Vassilopoulos and Dimitris Petropoulos, for our wonderful collaboration and for giving us the opportunity to watch selected excerpts from 20 years of documentary filmmaking in Central Macedonia. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Festival, its management, and its staff. Their support is equally invaluable. Moreover, this year’s Festival tribute 'Geography of the Gaze' and its focus on the Greek countryside ties beautifully with the theme of today’s event. Last but not least, many thanks to COSMOTE TV, whose support has made this event possible."
Taking the floor, Christos Vassilopoulos began by reflecting on the importance of journalistic research: "Historical subjects, such as wars of independence, citizen persecution, forced migration, and their consequences on society, open up an important debate, one that, unfortunately, is not often given much space in mainstream media like television. There is, however, a positive aspect to this: these subjects create a challenge for the professional journalist who wants to explore them and narrate them to the public, a professional who wants to take on this task in a way that is captivating, while also respecting the audience's need for high-quality image and sound. Channels such as COSMOTE HISTORY and ERT are two notable exceptions to this reality. They have given us the opportunity to search for and discover the most fitting locations in Macedonia, enriching our content in every possible way," he noted.
He then pointed out the challenges of journalistic research: "First and foremost, we believe that what we are doing is a form of transcendence. We are delving into topics that, for many decades, have been buried and suppressed within Greek collective memory because they were causes of division, they stirred great passions, and they revived violence and death, bringing traumatic memories back to the surface. Moreover, since some of these events took place during periods of national tension, history has been recorded with bias, and what we now call 'collective memory' was shaped by the victors, or by those who had the means or the power to define and impose it. Another major issue is the fragmented nature of collective memory. These events were experienced differently by rural communities, differently in urban environments, and differently by politicians and military officers. So, the challenges in journalistic research are many and require enormous care and thorough cross-referencing."
Regarding the methodology he follows, Mr. Vassilopoulos emphasized: "When it comes to researching and documenting these events, we seek the help of historians who are unquestionably well-informed and possess specialized knowledge and experience. Of course, there are always different perspectives. We present them all and leave it to the viewer to decide. This is a traditional and democratic method, ensuring that all opinions are heard, and in many ways, all of them may hold their own kind of truth.” Finally, referring to the importance of locations, he added: "A key tool in shaping a compelling television narrative is identifying the right locations for filming. Naturally, we choose the places where the events actually unfolded."
Later on, speaking about cases where the landscape has changed dramatically, Mr. Vassilopoulos cited the example of Ano and Kato Kerdylia, in the region of Serres, the first villages in mainland Greece to be wiped off the map following ruthless Nazi reprisals. “The pretext for this atrocity was that the villagers were allegedly aiding the local resistance fighters. On October 17, 1941, an order was given to gather all men aged 15 to 60. After forcing them to dig a large pit, they were executed en masse. The dramatized reenactments for the episode were filmed in the abandoned village of Palia Mesolakkia, in Serres, whose architecture resembles that of the vanished village of Kerdylia,” Mr. Vassilopoulos stressed.
He then referred to another case, Lakkos of Serres, where the ruins of abandoned houses were turned into a film set. “It is a little-known deserted village, featuring a beautifully restored chapel dedicated to Saint Demetrios, surrounded by a stone enclosure that resembles a small fortress. The scene is enriched by a river and a single-arch stone bridge running alongside. There, we filmed dramatized battle scenes for the 1821 Macedonian uprising. In this case, we had the rare and fortunate collaboration of the local Municipality, which supported us during the shoot. Another exceptional location for filming is the Potidea Canal in Halkidiki, which uniquely combines land, sea, and canal,” Mr. Vassilopoulos pointed out. “There, we incorporated stories of the 1821 uprising and the battles fought in Halkidiki.”
He then focused on the Monastery of Timios Prodromos in Skiti, near Veria. “One of the issues we already mentioned was the need for alternative landmarks, places that resemble our topic and can provide the appropriate backdrop for filming, interviews, and dramatized scenes. For instance, we needed to depict the rebellion of the monks of Mount Athos during the Greek War of Independence. Given the special status governing the monasteries and the technical difficulties of traveling and shooting there, visiting Mount Athos was not possible. Therefore, we carried out the shoot near Veria instead,” he added.
Mr. Vassilopoulos then referred to Mount Pieria, describing it as “an unusual and harsh setting for a documentary focusing on psychiatric asylums in Greece. The series presented a century-long history of psychiatric care, from the foundation of the modern Greek state to the sweeping reforms of 1983 that led to the closure of asylums such as Leros. The revealing story of the asylum was filmed in the authentic location of the now deserted psychiatric hospital.” He also mentioned the city of Naoussa, explaining that “the uprising of March 1822 and the subsequent massacre of its inhabitants by the Ottoman army remain an overlooked chapter of Greek history. Our research explored why the city was so strategically important for the Ottomans.”
The discussion continued with a reference to Nyseli, Imathia. “In our attempt to recount the story of the legendary Lake Giannitsa and the struggle of the Macedonian fighters, we faced a peculiar dilemma: there is no lake! The vast swamp that once covered the area was drained and gradually transformed into fertile land. The solution came from an unknown landmark, a place I doubt even has a pin on the map. It is called Nyseli, located near Alexandria.” At that point, he added: “Lake Giannitsa played a pivotal role in the struggle of the Greek populations of Ottoman-occupied Macedonia against the Bulgarian komitadjis. A unique form of guerrilla warfare was developed there, with battles fought on plaves, wooden boats, and fighters living in makeshift floating huts.”
The discussion then shifted to Kromni, Giannitsa. “In May 1824, Karaiskakis tried to reclaim the Agraphon region, but faced fierce resistance from both friends and enemies who had formed an alliance against him, supported by the dervenaga of Trikala. A great scene, you might say, but how and where could we recreate it? The answer came from our friends in the historical reenactment group of Giannitsa, who suggested we head north towards Kromni and find an abandoned stone village. We knew there was a good chance we would have to cancel filming due to rain, but we wished for a miracle, for good weather, for Time Machine. And the miracle did happen: we were greeted by a stunning fog,” he recounted.
The next filming location mentioned by Mr. Vassilopoulos was Chionochori, in the region of Serres. “The stone-built village of Chionochori became the backdrop for a documentary about Markos Botsaris. Our research shed light on the life and military action of the Souliote chieftain, as well as his heroic death, which deeply moved Europe and fueled the Philhellenic movement. The documentary explored his lesser-known strategic tactics and military clashes. The Chionochori Cultural Association, established in 1977, plays a key role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the village, organizing a wide range of artistic and cultural events,” he noted.
Taking the floor, Ms. Milonaki highlighted that “the benefits of a film production for a location are both short-term and long-term. On the one hand, there are measurable and tangible benefits experienced by the local community, and on the other, the lasting cultural footprint that forms a legacy of audiovisual heritage.” The event was concluded by the Vice Governor of Tourism, who thanked Christos Vassilopoulos, stressing that “with his journalistic rigor and clear perspective, he managed to create powerful images that will leave their mark over time.”
