The Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF) will include 27 films from 21 countries including Greece and take place from September 2 to 8, its organizer and cinematographer Giorgos Zois said on Wednesday.
Greek directors, established and emerging, will participate with a total of 62 films that will premier both nationally and internationally in Greece’s northeastern city of Drama.
At a press conference to present its program, Zois said that this year the international section of the festival is focusing on growing up stories for teenagers and young people and their integration in society, as well as on a rising economic class gap that condemns people of all ages to an endless struggle for survival.
Besides Greece, the countries competing under the international section of DISFF include Belgium, Canada, China, Colombia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Haiti, Iran, Italy, Kosovo, Lebanon, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States.
As of last year, Greek and international films that receive awards will be automatically eligible to run in the annual Academy Awards, in the process leading to an Oscar.
DISFF sections
Speaking of the international student section of Drama Shorts Festival, Thanassis Neofotistos said the theme was “Human Relations & the Sea” and will screen 13 films by new artists.
In addition to other categories, the Short and Green section will include 15 films (5 animation, 5 documentaries, and 5 fiction) focusing on climate changes in both in Greece and abroad, and their repercussions on people’s daily lives.
DISFF’s Kiddo section focuses on films for children and teenagers (17 entries, including 2 Greek ones) on contemporary issues relating to school years, growing up, equality between the sexes, racism, and life motivation for young people. The section is open to young competitors as well, encouraging them to develop their technical and narrative skills. The judging panel consists of young residents of Drama.
The section with a sharp rise in the number of entries this year was animation, with what organizers said were high-quality films both technically and narratively. A total of 23 animation films will be screened.
In addition, DISFF is collaborating with Hellenic Open University’s (HOU) program that trains students for work in audiovisual and film production sectors, screening a number of student projects carried out in the 2023-2024 academic year. HOU Provost at the School of Applied Arts and Sustainable Design Stelios Zerefos welcomed the joint hosting of the 1st Scientific Conference on Cinema Screenplay, Practice, and Research that will be held in hybrid format in Drama and online on December 12-14 (for more information, see: icc.eap.gr).
The Drama International Short Film Festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Greek parliament, and the Municipality of Drama.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
