5th Evia Film Project: Day 3 Highlights

The 5th Evia Film Project, the green initiative of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, funded by the Ministry of Culture, went in full bloom on Thursday June 25th, featuring screenings in Edipsos and Limni, a children’s screening in the presence of the film’s creative team, two open discussions, the screening of the film Digger in the presence of the director Tzortzis Grigorakis and the two stars Vangelis Mourikis and Argyris Pantazaras, as well as a special screening of the film Bathers by Eva Stefani in the presence of the director, in Edipsos.

Open Discussion “Arthouse vs Commercial: Incompatible Notions?”

The open discussion, titled “Arthouse vs Commercial: Incompatible Notions?”, was held at the Cultural Center “Melina Merkouri”, in Edipsos. The panel of speakers included Yorgos Zois (filmmaker), Maria Karagiannaki (producer, Chase the Cut), Orsalia-Eleni Kassaveti (educator-consultant at the Hellenic Open University-documentation curator at filmography.gr) and Alexandros Papageorgiou (film critic-translator), whereas the discussion was moderated by Nektarios Sakkas, Coordinator of the EFP5 Open Discussions. This ensemble of cinema theoreticians and film industry professionals discussed the distinction, collision and co-existence of arthouse and commercial cinema.

Open Discussion: “Seriously Now? The Liminal Art of Comedy”

The open discussion titled “Seriously Now? The Liminal Art of Comedy” was held at the Cultural Center “Melina Merkouri”, in Edipsos. The panel of speakers included film critic Yannis Kantea-Papadopoulos, stand-up comedian Ira Katsouda and actor Thanos Tokakis, whereas the event was moderated by Nektarios Sakkas, Coordinator of the EFP5 Open Discussions. The discussion revolved around the mechanisms of humour, issues of gender representation in comedy, as well as today’s stance on jokes and comic plots that were once accepted but are now considered offensive.

Screening and discussion with the children actors of the film The Day We Became Heroes

The educational screening of the 15-minute short film The Day We Became Heroes by Selini Papageorgiou was held at the Youth Municipal Library of Istiea-Edipsos, followed by a discussion with the three children who starred in the film.

Screening of the film Bathers by Eva Stefani, right next to the thermal springs at the Municipal Beach of Edipsos

The screening of the short film Bathers by Eva Stefani was held on the same location it was shot: the very heart of Edipsos’ thermal springs. The film was screened in a loop from 21:00 to 01:00, and the director attended the screening to present her film.

Film screenings in Edipsos and Limni

Within the framework of the EFP5 Day 3, one of the most iconic and awarded Greek films of the last few years was held at the packed open-air cinema “Apollon” in Edipsos, Digger by Tzortzis Grigorakis. The director of the film and its two stars, Vangelis Mourikis and Argyris Pantazaras, honored their screening with their presence. The Oscar-nominated film Deliverance (1972) by John Boorman, came up next at the open-air cinema “Apollon”, an unforgettable gem of the 1970s.

Moreover, the screening of the beloved film Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo Del Toro was held at the open-air cinema “Elymnion”, in Limni. The film, winner of three Oscars and three BAFTA awards, interweaves a sense of fairy tale, horror and political allegory.

The Evia Film Project is carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture. Highly important is the contribution of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT). Valuable is the support of COSMOTE TELEKOM, the Festival’s Grand Sponsor, and Fischer, a consistent supporter of the Festival. The 5th Evia Film Project is held in collaboration with the Municipalities of Istiea-Edipsos, Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna and the Evia Island Ports Authority.