Countdown to the 9th Beyond Borders ​​International Documentary Film Festival in Kastellorizo

Under the patronage of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou

A Documentary Film Festival Beyond Screenings!

In just a few days, the 9th Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival will begin, where captivating documentaries from around the world and their creators will finally meet their audience. Alongside the screenings in the Main Competition, the μicro Competition, and the Panorama, Beyond Borders also organizes a variety of other activities focused on documentary production and co-production, history viewed from a different perspective, as well as the education and networking of individuals—both professionals and non-professionals—who seek the truth beyond borders.

Strategic Partner of Beyond Borders is PPC, the leading energy company in Southeast Europe that actively supports arts and culture. As an integral part of the social and economic fabric of the country, PPC strengthens the dialogue with culture and art, supporting everyone and what leads us to the future, a better future for everyone, where culture has the first say.

Let’s take a closer look at the Parallel Activities of the festival:

Co-Production Forum: “Meeting Your Next Co-Producer in Kastellorizo”

This year marks the launch of Beyond Borders’ new initiative, the Co-Production Forum: “Meeting Your Next Co-Producer in Kastellorizo.” Most of the films presented at Beyond Borders tackle universal issues and are often co-productions between multiple countries. However, from the initial idea of a film to its creation and screening at the festival, there is a long and demanding journey. Peers—filmmakers, screenwriters, directors, producers, and executive producers—will hold two-hour midday meetings from August 26th to 29th to present their projects, share their experiences with completed films, and support at least one documentary project in its co-production efforts, with a preference for underrepresented countries.

Critics’ Corner

During the screenings, and on a daily basis, three distinguished film critics—members of FIPRESCI, Giorgos Papadimitriou from Greece, Marina Kostova from North Macedonia, and Peter Kremski from Germany—will engage in discussions with professionals and the audience about the films that were screened the previous night in the festival’s competition sections.

Beyond Storytelling

“Beyond Storytelling” enters its second year, a filmmaking workshop with the participation of students from partner Film School Networks, filmmakers, and academics. Each year, the workshop focuses on a thematic core related to Kastellorizo, introducing its members to all stages of film production, from development to post-production, culminating in the creation of a short documentary. This year, the workshop will focus on the stories of the Kassie community and one of the artists whose works are carved into the island’s rocky terrain. The workshop is held in collaboration with Tel Aviv University and Queen’s University in Kingston (Canada), under the guidance of academic Uri Cohen, director Danae Elon, and Liselle Mei, an award-winning director, writer, and photographer.

Masterclasses

As in previous years, unique Masterclasses will be conducted by distinguished documentary filmmakers:

• Documentary Filmmaking in the Age of Misinformation with Mitzi Goldman, co-founder and CEO of Documentary Australia, a nonprofit organization established in 2008 to create a new model for documentary funding and audience engagement. With over 35 years of experience as a documentary filmmaker, Goldman will discuss the Australian model of partnerships with the philanthropic, social, and governmental sectors to support the creation and distribution of impact films. Emphasis will be placed on uniting audiences through storytelling and forming partner coalitions to support socially conscious initiatives, which may include fundraising, hosting screenings, raising awareness, exchanging ideas, volunteering, or aligning with NGOs in their work.
• Twice a Stranger with Bruce Clark, author and journalist, former International Security Editor for The Economist. Using his book Twice a Stranger: How Mass Expulsions Forged Modern Greece and Turkey as a starting point, participants will explore a compelling narrative that intertwines human tragedy with diplomatic purpose. Against the backdrop of the two World Wars, the masterclass will unveil the complexities of this human drama while shedding light on the political motives behind the diplomatic negotiations in Lausanne. Through a blend of firsthand accounts and archival research, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how historical events shape narratives and influence the human experience.
• Working on the Edge: Documentary Production and Ireland with Alan Gilsenan. One of Ireland’s most experienced filmmakers, Gilsenan will explore his evolution in documentary filmmaking—from a naive young filmmaker who considered drama the only cinematic genre to someone who has tackled some of the most sensitive subjects. He will also reflect on the evolution of documentaries—focusing on the ethics of film production—from the mid-1980s to what is now known as the “Golden Age of Documentary.” Finally, he will explore the possibilities for collaboration and co-production between filmmakers from Southeast Europe and their counterparts on the Atlantic edge of the continent, working on the edge, both geographically and metaphorically.
• From Disappearing World to Meeting Zelenskyy: 50 Years in Documentary Production with André Singer. The Emmy-winning filmmaker and anthropologist will reflect on a career in film and anthropology spanning five decades. He will discuss how anthropology led him to documentary filmmaking, starting with his time on Granada Television’s groundbreaking anthropological series Disappearing World, where he began as a researcher for documentary filmmaker Brian Moser and evolved into a producer and director. Later, he headed the Independent Unit of the BBC’s Documentary Department and founded Fine Cut, which later became the internationally renowned Storyville. André will share insights from his collaborations with world-renowned filmmakers such as Jean Rouch, D.A. Pennebaker, Robert Drew, Mike Grigsby, Fred Wiseman, and especially Werner Herzog, with whom he has collaborated on 17 films over the past 30 years. In this masterclass, we will learn how he approaches sensitive and historically significant topics as a director and executive producer in documentaries ranging from the Peabody and Emmy-winning Night Will Fall to the surreal and astonishing diptych The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence by Joshua Oppenheimer, an Oscar nominee, and the compelling portrait Meeting Gorbachev, which André co-directed with Werner Herzog. Finally, André will discuss his latest film, Meeting Zelenskyy, which chronicles the remarkable journey of Volodymyr Zelenskyy through 30 years of Ukrainian history since independence.

Audiovisual Pitching Lab

An integral part of the Festival is the two-day Audiovisual Pitching Lab, held online on August 28th and 29th. During this event, documentary film projects from around the world are presented and discussed with top professionals from the film industry, who play a crucial role in shaping and realizing the future of cinema. The Head Moderator of the Lab is Claudia Schreiner (University of Cologne, Columbia University, Head of the Masterschool at Documentary Campus, based in Berlin and Munich). The jury consists of undergraduate and graduate students from the Festival’s partner Film School Network: Flore Vallery-Radot, Dorin Filimon, Nikos Kihem, and Melis Terlemez. The Beyond Borders Pitching Lab stands as the only domestic audiovisual Lab conducted remotely, providing participants with the opportunity to present their core ideas to a team of experienced professionals from the international television and film industry, thus gaining access to knowledge and learning without borders or limitations.

Moreover, starting this year, Filmiki Productions, one of the largest production companies in Greece, in collaboration with Beyond Borders, will offer an award to the best project selected by the Lab’s jury. This award includes a mentoring package with personalized advice on funding and development, valued at €1,500.

The projects participating this year include: Society of Dolphins (Vicky Markolefa), Grandma (Aspasia Kazeli), Everything We Need is on Earth (Elena Kollatou, Leonidas Toumpanos), Who Killed Jackie O? (Sophia Farantatou), Apollo on Earth (Radek Sevcik), Big in Gazi Baba (Pauline Blanchet), Condemned to Dream: A Palestinian Theatre in Resistance (Muallem Ashtar), Let them Hug (Jemma Potgieter), Menes-Take 5 (Rola Shamas), The Rabbi’s Wife (Charlotte Peters), Reminiscing Kanat (Can Ture), and The Winged (Ines Perot).

International Film School Network

In its commitment to encouraging and training new creators, the Festival continues for a second year with the International Film School Network, which includes the following schools: Stavrakos Film & Television School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s Film Department, Polish National Film, Television and Theatre School in Lodz (Poland), National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts “Krastyo Sarafov” (Bulgaria), Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade (Serbia), Beirut Film Institute (Lebanon), Academy of Performing Arts, Sarajevo (Bosnia), Academy of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade (Romania), UBB Cluj School of Theatre and Film (Romania), University of Television and Film Munich (Germany), Film Academy Baden-Württemberg (Germany), Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, Tel Aviv University (Israel), and Maltepe University Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema (Turkey). This year, with the honored country being Australia, the Australian Film Television and Radio School has also joined the network. It is the only Australian school included in The Hollywood Reporter’s annual list of the top film schools worldwide. The collaboration with these film schools includes, among other activities, participation in the micro-competition scene, through which selected films will be screened on Phoenix—one of the largest European documentary television networks—participation in the Pitching Lab and its jury, involvement in the international group of film students aimed at learning the stages of production (documentary studio), participation in the Festival’s programming teams, and more.

Parallel Cultural Activities of the Festival

In addition to the aforementioned activities and workshops for film professionals, the Festival annually organizes parallel cultural activities, transforming the remote island into a global cultural meeting point for people of all ages.

During the week of screenings and between breaks, the program will be enriched by musical interludes from the Aeolian Duet (Michalis Kontos and Rea Moraiti), who will transport us with the sounds of piano and cello, from the romantic melodies of Chopin’s nocturnes to operatic arias and romantic pop songs with a retro flair.

EKOME Film Workshops

During the Festival week, two experiential film workshops by EKOME will take place, coordinated by Dimitris Papacharalambous and Matoula Papadimitriou:

• “And yet… we move!” In collaboration with the French organization Films pour enfants, this workshop includes twelve award-winning short animation films without dialogue, aimed at children aged 4-15. The films are accompanied by activity suggestions for school and home, through creative and experiential exercises—movement, music, visual arts, theater pedagogy, expression, storytelling, crafts, role-playing, experience sharing, group collaboration, and more.
• “Are you in the media?” Starting with a fun digital interactive quiz on topics related to the media, various activities (expression, reflection, movement, creation, play) are organized, with an emphasis on digital playful tools.

Shadow Theater

Alexandros Melissinos and his Shadow Theater will provide plenty of laughter for both young and old with performances such as “Karagiozis and Odysseus on the Cyclops’ Island,” “The Labors of Hercules,” “Alexander the Great and the Cursed Serpent,” and “Karagiozis at Sea.”

Traditional Dances

Nikos and Evangelos Tzellos will teach children traditional dances from across Greece, from Issos in the Dodecanese, Hasapiko from Asia Minor, and Syrtos found throughout Greece, to, of course, Susta from Kastellorizo.

Fairytale Musical Journeys

Inspired by a fairy tale, children up to 10 years old and their parents will embark on a journey into the world of music and dance, accompanied by live music (guitar and piano), learning songs with Lili Tegou and Niki Gkountoumi. The children will participate with percussion instruments from the Orff system, creating a small orchestra.

Sculpture Exhibition “Sculpting the Land”

We will get to know the work of artist Alexandros Zygouris, who carves stone on his distinctive rock above the sea.

Book Presentations

Every day, journalist and author Pavlos Methenitis and academic Matteo Compagnolo will present books with historical, literary, and cinematic content:

• Bruce Clark, “Twice a Stranger” (Granta Books London): On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne, this reprint delves into the complexity of Greek-Turkish relations, offering an in-depth exploration of the challenges and opportunities in charting a sustainable path toward mutual understanding and cooperation in the Aegean region.
• Tatiana Stavrou, Hellenic Literary Society of Constantinople, 1967 (reprint by IDISME): Within the rich mosaic of intellectual and cultural life in 19th-century Constantinople, the Hellenic Literary Society of Constantinople emerges as a beacon of enlightenment and scientific inquiry. The Society, founded during a flourishing era of cultural renaissance and educational reform, not only symbolized but actively promoted the revival of the Greek language, history, and identity throughout the Ottoman Empire.
• Nikos Papanastasiou and Nikos Vogiatzis, “At the Edge of the Aegean – Kastellorizo, 1890-1948.” This historical album, featuring rare photographic and archival material, documents the island’s great prosperity, highlighting the importance placed by the Kastellorizians on education, literacy, and social welfare, even during challenging times.

You can find the detailed Festival program here.

Photos from the Festival are available here, along with stills from the films.

The trailer for the 9th edition can be found here.

For more information, you can visit the website at www.beyondborders.gr or contact the Festival at [email protected].

Stay updated on all Beyond Borders activities and news by following the Festival on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Organized by: The Hellenic History Foundation (IDISME) in collaboration with the French organization Ecrans des Mondes.

Co-organized by: The Region of South Aegean, with the support of the Hellenic Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of National Defense, the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Island Policy of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, the Greek Film Centre, the Embassy of Australia in Athens, the Embassy of Germany in Athens, the Embassy of Austria in Athens, and the Embassy of Spain in Athens.

See the detailed Festival program here: https://beyondborders.gr/documentaries/main/