29/06/2023 - The Thessaloniki-premiered feature by first-time director Asimina Proedrou has snagged ten of the Hellenic Film Academy’s major awards

Director Asimina Proedrou with one of her awards for Behind the Haystacks (© Nikolas Kominis/StudioKominis)

The Hellenic Film Academy has wrapped the 14th edition of the Iris Awards, where Asimina Proedrou's debut feature, Behind the Haystacks [+see also:
film review
film profile], has received the prestigious Best Film Award along with an impressive total of nine additional accolades. This achievement also marks a record-breaking number of nominations in the history of the awards, as the film got a nod in a whopping 17 categories. Behind the Haystacks, produced by Ioanna Bolomyti, Markus Halberschmidt, Vladimir Anastasov and Angela Nestorovska, portrays a tragic incident on Greece's northern border that has an impact on a local family of three. The film delves into their personal struggles and sees them forced to confront the consequences of their actions on a profound level.

Proedrou was honoured with three awards at the ceremony, including Best Director, Best First-time Director and Best Screenplay. Stathis Stamoulakatos and Christos Kontogeorgis were respectively recognised as Best Leading and Best Supporting Actor, while Dina Mihailidou received the Award for Best Supporting Actress. Behind the Haystacks also claimed three more accolades, such as Best Cinematography for Simos Sarketzis, Best Editing for Ilektra Venaki and Best Sound.

Christos Massalas, another debut director, achieved an impressive feat with his film Broadway [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which garnered 15 nominations. Having premiered last year in IFFR's Big Screen Competition, the film went on to receive four Iris Awards. Gabriel Yared's work on the original score earned the picture the Best Original Score accolade, Anna Georgiadou was recognised with the Best Production Design Award, Marli Aleiferi was honoured with the Best Costume Design Award, and the film also secured the Best Make-up, Hair and Special Effects Design Award.

In terms of other noteworthy performances, Eleni Kokkidou was honoured with the Best Actress in a Leading Role gong for her performance in Black Stone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], directed by Spyros Iakovidis, which was initially nominated for seven awards. Lastly, Dodo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pános H Koútras
film profile], the latest work by Panos H Koutras, received only the Best Special and Visual Effects Iris, despite having accumulated an impressive 15 nominations.

Here is the full list of winners at the 2023 Greek Iris Awards:

Best Film
Behind the Haystacks [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Asimina Proedrou (Greece/Germany/North Macedonia)

Best Documentary Film
Arm Wrestler - Yorgos Goussis

Best Minority Co-production
Burning Days [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emin Alper
film profile] - Emin Alper (Turkey/France/Germany/Netherlands/Greece/Croatia)

Best Short Film
Airhostess-737 - Thanasis Neofotistos

Best Short Animated Film
A Night at the Cemetery - Stelios Polychronakis

Best Short Documentary Film
Memories with a Tail - Dimitris Indares

Best Short Student Film
Hussies - Despina Mavridou

Best Director
Asimina Proedrou - Behind the Haystacks

Best First-time Director
Asimina Proedrou - Behind the Haystacks

Best Screenplay
Asimina Proedrou - Behind the Haystacks

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Stathis Stamoulakatos - Behind the Haystacks

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Eleni Kokkidou - Black Stone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christos Kontogeorgis - Behind the Haystacks

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Dina Mihailidou - Behind the Haystacks

Best Cinematography
Simos Sarketzis - Behind the Haystacks

Best Editing
Ilektra Venaki - Behind the Haystacks

Best Original Score
Gabriel Yared - Broadway [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Greece/France/Romania)

Best Production Design
Anna Georgiadou - Broadway

Best Costume Design
Marli Aleiferi - Broadway

Best Make-up, Hair and Special Effects Design
Ioanna Lygizou, Hronis Tzimos, Hara Vasiliadi – Broadway

Best Sound
Nikos Papadimitriou, Ilektra Venaki, Persefoni Miliou, Kostas Varympopiotis - Behind the Haystacks

Best Special and Visual Effects
Thomas Duval, Fabien Guiliani, Antonis Kotzias, Eirini Vianelli, Michalis Neromiliotis - Dodo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pános H Koútras
film profile] (Greece/France/Belgium)

Honorary Award
Betty Livanou