PODCAST COMPETITION SECTION www.filmfestival.gr Nine Greek-speaking and one English-speaking podcasts are setting their eyes on the Best Podcast Award, accompanied by a 2,000-euro cash prize. All podcasts taking part in the Podcast Competition are available for hearing at the Festival’s website throughout the entire duration of the 27th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (6-16 March, 2025). A Personal Lightning Podcaster: Spyros Skandalos. Production: Assumed Position Films, Spyros Skandalos. Script-Sound editing-Narration: Spyros Skandalos. Original music: Myrto Zavou. Consultant: Stratis Chatzielenoudas. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 30΄ Α Personal Lightning narrates the podcaster's experience with trigeminal neuralgia, a rare and extremely painful condition. It traces his journey, from the first attack to managing the pain, and seeking others who face the same challenge, focusing on the power of understanding and community. Are You Ztuffed? Podcasters: Gina Georgiadou, Anna Podara. Production: Gina Georgiadou, Anna Podara. Script: Anna Podara. Sound Engineering-Mastering: George Kalliris. Sound editing: Gina Georgiadou. Original music: Legacy of Rossini, Barber of Seville, Background music for video, White_Records, Countdown, Kaden Cook. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 20΄ As online content grows, so does the challenge of choice. Does it grant freedom or foster passivity? Anna Podara, a generation Z researcher, discusses with Aristotle University students Marianna, Christos, Elissavet, Manos, Yorgos, Elli, Paris, Konstantina, Aliki and Christina and wonders herself: What do you do when you’re stuffed? Blind Fascination Podcasters: Michail Agrafiotis, Stella Kantartzi, Eleftheria Avgerinou. Production: Public School of Advanced Vocational Training for the Disabled, Michail Agrafiotis. Script: Michail Agrafiotis, Stella Kantartzi. Sound engineering: Thanos Papathanasiou. Sound editing: Michail Agrafiotis. Original music: Johnny Funk, Stefanos Andritsoudis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 24΄ Eight people of different ages, genders and minds. What do they have in common? Visual impairment. What are they discussing? Social relationships. Through words, reactions and even silence, each reveals their own aspect, the true colors of the spectrum called “blindness”, as well as stereotypes and our common fascination with seemingness. Frida Liappa, Filming The Soul As Matter Podcasters: WIFT GR - Liza Themeli, Maria Chatzigianni. Production: WIFT GR, Maria Chatzigianni. Script-Narration: Liza Themeli. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Maria Chatzigianni. Speakers: Nikos Smaragdis (DoP), Takis Giannopoulos (editor), Kyriakos Angelakos (film director, partner in life of Frida Liappa), Yannis Bakogiannopoulos (film critic), Mirka Papakonstantinou (actress), Pemi Zouni (actress), Nena Menti (actress), Sofia Seirli (actress). Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 25΄ The podcast delves into the life and work of the renowned director Frida Liappa, a pivotal figure in Greek cinema. Highlighting her unique directorial vision, it showcases her contribution to women's creativity and cultural heritage. Discussions and analyses illuminate the timelessness of her work through a contemporary lens. Give Voice! Podcaster: Yorgia Karidi. Production: Yorgia Karidi. Script-Sound engineering-Sound editing-Narration: Yorgia Karidi. Language: English. Greece, 2024, 30΄ How shall a voice be when it wants to reach others? Can our voice, the most unique musical instrument, bring us closer? A sound project on proximity and the ways we share music together. The podcast negotiates the voice in performance art through the works and personal stories of artist Yorgia Karydi in an experiential audio essay of four chapters. If I Was Born Today… Podcasters: Afroditi Kerameos, Sofia Vafeiadou. Production: mousoutou productions by Dream On-Line. Script: Afroditi Kerameos, Faidra Stylianou. Sound engineering: Sofia Vafeiadou, Afroditi Kerameos, Vassiliki Parisi, Faidra Stylianou. Sound editing: Sofia Vafeiadou. Original music: Γιώργος Σαλτσίδης. Narration: Faidra Stylianou, Afroditi Kerameos. Graphic design: Daphne Mesochoriti. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 22΄ The women in this podcast are our grandmothers. They talk about their origins, their memories, the life they lived, and all the lives they wish they had lived. What do our grandmothers dream of? What would they do differently if they were born today? The Lotus Eaters Podcaster: Maria Apostolakea. Production: Maria Apostolakea. Script-Sound engineering-Narration: Maria Apostolakea. Sound editing: Alexandra Verykokkou. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 21΄ When space acquires uniqueness, history and meaning, place is created. Is a place that no longer exists, as it once was, still a place? A person who was in our life, but is no longer in it, is still a person? What is the sound of a damaged place? Does it have sound? The Trauma Between Us Podcaster: Despina Sotiropoulou. Production: DS Productions - Despina Sotiropoulou. Script-Narration: Despina Sotiropoulou, Renia Kouvelioti. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Antonis Gasparinatos. Original music: Eva Loukatou, Eleni Lagou. Other participants: Sotiria Sousani (song performance), Stella Panou (song lyrics), Dimitris Papadimitriadis (interviewee, psychotherapist & psychiatrist). Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 21΄ The diagnosis of early memory loss of journalist Rena Kouvelioti and the reaction of her brotherly friend and journalist Despina Sotiropoulou, which became the trauma between them. An experiential narrative that describes denial, conflict and reconciliation with an immeasurable future, experiencing it even before it comes… Voices of Vindication Podcaster: Andreas Vagias. Production: Frenel. Script-Narration: Andreas Vagias. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Kostas Tsiolis. Original music: Kostas Grountas. Illustration: Martha Kolokotroni. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 30΄ For about a decade, a Taekwondo coach from Ilioupoli sexually assaulted underage female athletes as young as 12. He was sentenced in July 2024. The victims – women deceived, abused and vindicated are speaking out publicly for the first time. An audio documentary about the trauma, struggle and redemption of the victims. Zanana Podcaster: Konstantinos Vrettos. Script: Konstantinos Vrettos. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Leandros Ntounis. Narration: Martha Frintzila. Poster: Drinkdamilk. Language: Greek. Greece, 2025, 20΄ Zanana, this incessant sound that tears through the night of Gaza, is not just noise, but a fear that never fades. Two journalists broadcasting live from the frontlines and two Palestinians who escaped just before the chaos erupted, share their stories, while a voice fades into the echo of war.
