PANAGIOTIS KOUNTOURAS is a top graduate of Film Studies Department (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki). His films Heroes of the Flicks, A Box Made of Wood and Emoticon Man have been officially selected and awarded in several film festivals around the world. His latest short IVAN premiered in Leeds Film Festival 2018 and received the Jury Recognition Award in Bucharest Shorts. He has directed more than 60 commercials and corporate videos in advertising business, 120 TV show episodes and music videos for acclaimed Greek and international artists (Gus G., Dimitris Maramis, Firewind, Outloud). In 2017 he collaborated with Thessaloniki International Film Festival for the European program EUFORIA, directing 15 short documentaries and receiving 4 Jury Awards. Moreover, with the documentary TV series My Name is not Refugee he was selected to participate in INPUT 2017 (International Conference of Public Television). For the last three years he was head of cinema education in Mantoulidis Private Schools, being one of the 6 finalists in Medea Awards 2018 for his innovative method of using video in media education. He has hosted & directed the SELFIE TV show in Public Television of Greece (ERT2). He is the Creative Director of Vibrand Media Agency. In August 2020, he was selected to participate in Sarajevo Talents (by Berlinale Talents), in directors summit programme, with acclaimed Hungarian director Gyula Gazdag as his mentor.
ARISTARCHOS PAPADANIEL studied Tourism Business Administration, Graphic Design and Animation. Author of the book “Greek Political Caricature. The Serious Side to a Funny Art”. Creator of the flipbook series “Pocket Cinema” and the poster book “A Comics Artist on TV”. In 2005 he co-founded the creative studio/production company Syllipsis Ltd., where he produces visual communication through animation, illustration and graphic design. A number of his illustrations have been published by magazines, exhibited on galleries and broadcasted on various TV series and shows (e.g. “The X Factor”). Co-creator (direction-animation) of the awarded educational animated TV series “A Letter – A Story” which is produced by the Educational RadioTelevision of the Greek Ministry of Education. Based on the TV series a digital interactive learning environment is being developed [Medea Awards 2012 (highly commended), Seal of Good Digital Practice for Education (University of Athens)]. Co-editor of the edition “70 Years of Greek Animation” published by ASIFA Hellas in collaboration with Greekanimation.com funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Founding member of ASIFA HELLAS Hellenic Animation Association. On 2020 his animated short film “The Song of the Fates” (Syllipsis productions) was selected to be funded by the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Greek Film Centre (WIP 2021).
Director Statement
“C. P. CAVAFY | THE CITY (Wherever I Turn My Eyes To)” introduces the genre of audiovisual epigram.
In this poetic live-action documentary the 2D animation -having a strong imprint upon abstraction- is used as a medium in three revealing shots. The poet’s gaze appearing as a dead Fayum portrait is the first shot. And the other two shots depict the souls procession at fire-stricken town of Mati, where in July 2018 the deadliest fire in Greece, and internationally in the last decade, took place.
Environmental Film and Screenplay Festival 