26/06/2024 - The environmentally conscious initiative launched by the Thessaloniki Film Festival makes a comeback to Northern Evia from 2-6 July, with a renewed emphasis on the essential role of water

The third edition of the Evia Film Project, scheduled from 2-6 July, is an eco-friendly initiative associated with the Thessaloniki Film Festival. Its objective is to revitalise Northern Evia, which was severely impacted by the 2021 wildfires, and to make it into a global centre for environmentally conscious filmmaking. This year's event in Edipsos, Limni and Agia Anna will explore the theme of water's indispensable role in human life, highlighting the sea, rain and other water sources, and addressing the significant environmental challenges now facing them.

Six master classes will be held in Agia Anna from 4-6 July, as part of a specialised workshop tailored for students from the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, situated in Psachna, Evia. Yolanda Markopoulou's master class will concentrate on the creative challenges of her mixed-reality project Paradise Lost, exploring technical solutions in Greek production, such as programming and 3D animation. Emin Alper and Yorgos Tsourgiannis will collaborate on a master class titled “Burning Days: Filmmaking in the Drylands”, delving into their creative processes amidst challenging geographical settings. Additionally, Katerina Bei will lead a master class on scriptwriting titled “The Art of the Feasible”, examining the complexities of translating ideas onto paper and the dynamics between screenwriters, directors and producers across various cinema genres.

The Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People will present a session with artistic director Pantelis Panteloglou, titled “Child and Cinema: A Constant Relationship”, exploring cinema's enduring connection with childhood and education from the interwar period to today, particularly within the context of Greek film. Following this, Kostis Maraveyas, known for his work on the score of the TV series Milky Way [+see also:
interview: Vasilis Kekatos
series profile], will conduct a master class on the role of music in cinematic narratives, detailing his collaborations with directors to enhance visual storytelling through music. Finally, Fokion Xenos will lead a session titled “Heatwave: Combining Animation Techniques”, discussing his journey from VFX artist to stop-motion filmmaker, and the innovative mixed-media approaches he utilised in his graduation short, Heatwave.

This year’s film line-up revolves around the theme of water and its absence, featuring a diverse array of genres. Noteworthy movies include Jérôme Salle’s The Odyssey [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, Emin Alper’s Burning Days [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Emin Alper
film profile], Kathryn Bigelow’s The Weight of Water, Aïssa Maïga’s Above Water [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Lin Alluna’s Twice Colonized [+see also:
film review
interview: Lin Alluna
interview: Lin Alluna
film profile], among others. The festival continues to push boundaries with cutting-edge VR technologies focusing on humanity’s interaction with the environment. As part of the Immersive: All Around Cinema section, the event will showcase three XR films and an original installation.

The Agora of the Evia Film Project is structured around four thematic pillars: Mind, Body, Spirit and Discovery, all anchored in sustainability principles. This innovative framework promotes a circular economy by encouraging industry professionals to explore Greek projects previously featured at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) and Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (TIDF) Agoras. One key aspect of the initiative includes exclusive one-on-one meetings with Ieva Ūbele, an experienced producer and freelance consultant specialising in green productions. The programme is enriched by a special panel hosted by the Greek Film Centre, titled “For Certified and Environmentally Sustainable Filming”, organised by the Hellenic Film Commission. This session delves into sustainable filmmaking practices, featuring insights from Stavroula Geronimaki, of the Greek Film Centre; Linnea Merzagora, of Green Film (Trentino Film Commission); and sustainable filmmaking expert Dimitra Tenta. The panel introduces the European Green Film certification system and its implementation in Greece.

For the second time, the Evia Film Project also hosts the CIRCLE Women Doc Accelerator, a specialised workshop aimed at women-identifying film producers and directors. This documentary development programme brings together ten global participants to collaborate with industry leaders, gaining expert guidance on project development and career advancement. As part of the accelerator, tailored master classes for workshop participants and a public case study will be conducted during the event. Notable instructors include Heidi Fleischer, Brigid O’Shea, Joanna Solecka and Dana Bunescu. Furthermore, filmmaker Lin Alluna (Twice Colonized) will participate in the festival, engaging in an open discussion about her film.

Here is the list of projects featured at the third Evia Film Project:

Home Court - Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernández (Greece/Spain/USA) – documentary
Producers: Elpida Nikou, Rodrigo Hernández (SVg)
Co-producers: Rea Apostolides, Yuri Averof (Anemon Productions), Kellen Quinn (Hedgehog Films)

In the Shadow of Lazika - Nikos Kostopoulos (Greece) – documentary
Producer: Viki Zioga (PHENO)

Mignon - Sofia Georgovassili (Greece/Romania/France) – fiction
Producer: Antigoni Rota (Foss Productions)

Station Athens - Yolanda Markopoulou (Greece) – documentary
Producer: Dafni Kalafati (Savefrag Productions)
Co-producer: Polyplanity Production

They Come Out of Margo - Alexandros Voulgaris (The Boy) (Greece) – fiction
Producers: Nicholas Alavanos, Christina Stavropoulou (Filmiki Productions)

True to Our Inner Daemon - Tassos Gkoletsos (Greece) – documentary
Producers: Tassos Gkoletsos, Vangelis Papoutsis, Klodiana Camati (Das Paradiso Films)

Yiannis - Kyros Papavassiliou (Cyprus/Greece) – fiction
Producers: Maria Varnakkidou, Kyros Papavassiliou (Drytree Film)
Co-producers: Konstantina Stavrianou, Rena Vougioukalou (Graal)

Your Delicate Friend - Alkistis Efthimiou (Greece) – documentary
Producer: Mina Dreki (Marni Films)

The Evia Film Project of the Thessaloniki Film Festival is carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication, the Greek Film Centre, the Municipalities of Istiaea-Edipsos and Mantoudi-Limni-Agia, and the Port Authority of the Regional Unit of Evia.