Exciting musical meetings, workshops for children and adults and surprising tours in Northern Evia are in store for the audience of the 3rd Evia Film Project, the green initiative launched by the Thessaloniki Film Festival and carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture, from July 2nd to July 6th 2024 in Edipsos, Limni and Agia Anna.
Lena Kitsopoulou - Doros Dimosthenous concert
The 3rd Evia Film Project will call it a wrap on Saturday July 6th, in the open-air cinema “Apollon” of Edipsos, with a special concert held by Lena Kitsopoulou and Doros Dimosthenous, accompanied by a group of distinguished musicians and featuring a pastiche of time-honored and beloved songs of the Greek folklore repertoire, written by iconic composers-songwriters and performed by legendary singers.
Eleni Psyhouli and Ioanna Stamoulou introduce us to the delights of the Greek “mezes”
Flavor journalists Eleni Psyhouli and Ioanna Stamoulou will join us in Northern Evia to introduce the delights of the Greek “mezes” to the international guests of the 3rd Evia Film Project, while discussing with them on the issues of sustainability and gastronomy.
“If we had to come up with one identifying feature of the Greek food table, above anything else, that would be no other than the love for shared tastiness and joint delight. The Greek traditional ‘mezes’ serves on small plates the Ancient Greek notion of “living in pleasure”, the habits of jest and joking, the outgoing and hearty enjoying of life under the sun, the blessing of being in the company of people, the act of sharing,” says Eleni Psyhouli. “‘Mezes’ equals sustainability and locality, embraces a ‘from farm to table’ approach, respects food miles and seasonality and applauds zero food waste, as it recycles everything and throws nothing away.”
Activities for children and young people
Hunters of the Green Treasure
WWF Greece will host a children’s workshop titled “Hunters of the Green Treasure” in Edipsos, on Thursday July 4th, inviting children to discover the hidden green treasure. During a fascinating walk in Edipsos, children are called to discover the next station, while solving puzzles, passing through tests and making it all the way to the finish line as winners. The workshop is carried out by WWF Greece animator Eleni Svoronou, in collaboration with preschool teacher Lilian Douma and thanks to the valuable help offered by volunteers and friends of the festival from Edipsos.
Making my own film
At the age of just 17 years old, Pablo Soto González is a filmmaker, screenwriter, actor, musician, choreographer while still a highschool student at the Athens Art School. His short films are a pure delight, always endowed with a social background, addressed to all ages and reflecting the aesthetic, the humor and the communication codes of the original gen z. His film The Ball is Mine was awarded within the framework of the Greek section of the 22nd Camera Zizanio, at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People. The upcoming film director will join us in Edipsos, on Wednesday July 3rd, to share his own experience and knowledge in an open discussion, stating his views on how to write, direct and complete your own film, and most importantly how to promote it in film festivals and online. Manolis Melissourgos, Camera Zizanio’s artistic director, will also take part in the discussion.
XR experiences
The 3rd Evia Film Project yet for another year brings along the most up-to-date VR technologies in Northern Evia. Focusing on mankind and its relation to the environment, three XR films and an original installation will be showcased within the framework of the Immersive: All Around Cinema section of the festival, offering the audience a breathtaking viewing experience. The films of the XR selection will be screened in a specially configured venue at KYMA (Edipsos), from Tuesday July 2nd to Saturday July 6th, with daily working hours from 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm.
The movies screened portray diverse aspects of an extended reality, transcending film genres and immersing the viewer to the environment of each creation.
21-22 CHINA
Thierry Loa, Canada, 2022, 24΄
We live in the Anthropocene epoch, marked by the human impact on the planet. Entirely filmed from the Earth to the sky in virtual reality, this work takes us on an immersive meditative journey for a rare and profound look inside China: a land where rapid urbanization, major industrial development, and massive changes are transforming its landscapes.
Wild Immersion: Aqua
Raphaël Aupy & Adrien Moisson, UK-France, 2018, 13΄
The Wild Immersion is the first virtual nature reserve of global biodiversity, supported by Jane Goodall Institute. Dive into the ocean and contemplate a colorful school of tropical fish, peaceful sea turtles, intimidating sharks and various whales. A sight to behold but also a habitat threatened with extinction.
MYRIAD. Where we connect
Christian Zipfel, Michael Grotenhoff, Germany, 2021, 31΄
Using an ultralight aircraft, humans guide the Bald Ibises over the Alps, encouraging them to readopt historical migration patterns. The viewer follows the birds on this gripping and emotional journey, learning about the special characteristics and migration routes of the animals, the factors impacting their flight, and the challenges they have to overcome on the way.
XR installation
Ed n’ Ocean
Thibault Joyeux & Julien Kadouri, France, 2022
A unique experience of augmented reality (AR) that studies the issue of sea pollution under the guidance of a group of weird robots. Posters will be placed in Edipsos, encouraging the audience to scan them through a smartphone or a tablet equipped with an AR app. The creations are brought into life, transferring the viewers into a world of animation and bringing them face to face with the problems triggered by sea pollution.
Podcast by the sea
In an idyllic spot at KYMA, in Edipsos, where the landscape and the sound of the sea rest our gaze, we invite you to make yourself comfortable on the Podcast Bench, enjoy the view, scan the QR Code and listen to the outstanding – and totally compatible with the relaxing scenery – podcast by Konstantina Stavropoulou. An exciting story against the backdrop of the sea, based on the tale of the renowned Italian writer Dino Buzzati, fitting like hand to a glove with the main theme of the 3rd EFP, which is no other than water.
Colobro
Creator: Konstantina Stavropoulou. Production: Sonic Orb, Konstantina Stavropoulou. Sound engineering-Sound editing-Original music: Konstantina Stavropoulou. Narration: Diamantis Adamantidis. Cover photo: Stelios Papardelas. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 20΄
Two profound human emotions, fear and futility. The story of a man who let fear dictate his life's course, yet never ignored the allure of the abyss. A sea-themed tale based on the classical tale by Italian writer Dino Buzzati.
Let’s meet Northern Evia
The 3rd Evia Film Project introduces unique locations and points of interest, while hosting a series of guided visits and tours for the accredited guests attending the festival.
Hiking in Mount Xiro: Destruction and Rebirth
What were the repercussions of the 2021 wildfires in Northern Evia? How does the forest bounce back following the destruction? What needs to be done from this point forward? These are some of the questions raised and addressed by the guests and friends of the Evia Film Project who will take part in the hiking tour in Mount Xiro, during which they will be guided through the fire-stricken areas. With the mesmerizing landscape of the Drymona waterfalls as a starting point, they will have the chance to take a close look at the impact of the fire on species that lack the possibility of natural regrowth, but also at how nature has begun to regenerate. Members of the scientific team of the Overland Program held by WWF Greece, headed by WWF Greece’s Forest Fires Actions Coordinator, Elias Tziritis, will serve as our our guides in this unique mountainous route with the breathtaking view – from the Euboean Gulf to the Aegean Sea and from Dirfi to Pelion and Athos.
We thank the Association of Volunteer Forest Fire Fighters Rescuers of North-Central Evia
NOT A TRACE: Recording and mapping ecological imprints
A pioneering guided tour for accredited guests at the Folklore Museum of Agios, inviting us to track down the imprint of mankind on the planet through our folklore culture.
1954: Human activity appears to be practiced on the grounds of self-sufficiency and sustainability.
2024: Human activity exerts a systematic and ever-growing pressure on planet Earth.
How can we measure the impact of human activity and map out its imprint? This guided tour is an exercise of observation, exploration and trace recording in contemporary and non-contemporary versions.
The Evia Film Project is the Festival’s third pillar of activities, adding its name to the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, held in November, and the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, held in March. Its goal is to consolidate Northern Evia, a region severely hit by the 2021 calamitous wildfires, as an international hub of green cinema. This year, the Evia Film Project focuses on water as its core theme. The sea, rain, all water resources, and their pivotal and life-defining ties with mankind take center stage, along with the agony triggered by their destruction.
The Evia Film Project is carried out thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture. Valuable is the support of COSMOTE TV, the Festival’s Grand Sponsor, PPC, the Festival’s Strategic Partner and Fischer, a steady companion of the Festival. The 3rd Evia Film Project is held in collaboration with the Greek Film Centre, the Municipalities of Istiea-Edipsos and Mantoudi-Limni-Agia and the Port Authority of the Regional Unit of Evia. We wish you all a wonderful green festival!
