Acceptance, inclusion, and historical memory take center stage at the 12th Chania Film Festival awards

After eleven days filled with screenings, seminars, and numerous activities, the 12th Chania Film Festival concluded on Saturday, October 26, 2024, with a grand closing ceremony, attended by the festival's honored guests, its co-organizers, members of parliament, the CEO of H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece, representatives of local authorities.

The main hall of the Cultural Center of Chania was filled with creators and film enthusiasts attending the festival’s awards ceremony, alongside viewers of all ages who enjoyed the Oscar-winning short film Sing with director Kristof Deák in attendance. The screening was followed by a musical performance from the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Municipality of Chania.

As the Festival Director Matthaios Frantzeskakis noted: "Acceptance, inclusion, the value of historical memory and the promotion of our local history were some of the themes highlighted through the award-winning films at the festival, and that brings us great joy. Once again, the Chania Film Festival was a place of gathering and expression for film professionals, the educational community, and film lovers". He also thanked the festival s co-organizers for their support and trust and emphasized that preparations for the 13th Festival begin the very next day after the current one concludes.

Leonidas Christopoulos, CEO of the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center - Creative Greece, expressed his enthusiasm for the Chania Film Festival, and he highlighted that the new organization will have the capacity to provide even greater support for noteworthy initiatives like this.

Chania MP Sevi Voloudaki described the Festival as a persistent and spirited adolescent that grows and matures every year, emphasizing that "In Chania, through the Film Festival, the 7th Art has proven its purpose—to educate and elevate us." In a similar vein, Chania MP Alexandros Markogiannakis noted that attendance at the Festival has exceeded all expectations and that it’s one of those events we eagerly
anticipate each year.

The co-organizers of the Festival, including the Deputy Regional Governor of Chania Nikos Kalogeris, the Municipality of Chania Deputy Mayors of Culture and Finance, Giannis Giannakakis and Tasos Aloglou, the Mayor of Platanias Giannis Malandrakis, General Secretary of the Cultural Center of Chania Manolis Kelaidis, and Regional Councilor Sofia Malandraki, expressed their satisfaction with the Festival’s success,
high attendance, and year-round activities.

Oscar-winning director Kristof Deák expressed his delight at seeing so many students attending the screening of his film Sing and was thrilled when the Children’s and Youth Choir of Chania performed one of the film's songs live on stage.

12th Chania Film Festival Awards
Honorary awards to distinguished guests of the 12th Chania Film Festival:
· Honorary Award to Director of Photography Giorgos Arvanitis for his work.
· Honorary Award to composer Dimitris Papadimitriou for his contributions to
film music.
· Honorary Award to graphic designer Yiannis Kouroudis, designer of the 12th
Chania Film Festival poster.
· Honorary Award to Hungarian director Kristóf Deák, creator of the film Sing
(Oscar for Best Short Film 2017).
· Honorary Award to sculptor Antonia Papatzanaki, creator of the festival’s
artistic poster.

Audience Awards for the 12th Chania Film Festival:

· Greek Feature Documentary, Joint award to the films:
Azititoi (The Unclaimed), directed by Marianna Economou
and
Pes mou to mystiko (Tell me the secret), directed by Maria Pentari and
Elpiniki Voutsa Renzepopoulou
· Greek Short Fiction:
ABEL, directed by Konstantinos Karamagiolis
· Greek Animation:
Anichta ftera (Open Wings), directed by Taxiarchis Deligiannis and Vasilis
Tsiouvaras
· International Animation:
Piano, directed by Marjan Keshani and Shahab Shamsi
· International Short Fiction:
Things Unheard Of, directed by Ramazan Kılıç
· International Feature Documentary:
Nelly and Nadine, directed by Magnus Gertten
· Greek Short Documentary:
Titi – In the Eye of the Storm, directed by Natassa Blatsiou

· Film for Children and Youth:
Max and the Senior Squad, directed by Winfried Oelsner
· Greek Student Short Film:
Katochi - Antistasi - Apeleftherosi (Occupation – Resistance – Liberation),
directed by Ion Efthymiou
· Podcast Award:
Sounds and Whispers, Human Roots, by Konstantina Stavropoulou

Special Awards from Chania Film Festival Collaborating Organizations:
· Educational Creation Award “Walter Lassally 2024”:
Awarded by H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece to The Paths of Life, created by 1st
Vocational School of Evdilos, Ikaria
· Best Greek Feature Documentary:
Awarded by the Federation of Film Societies of Greece to The Red Teacher,
directed by Stelios Charalampopoulos
· “Mikis Theodorakis” Award:
Awarded by the Pancretan Society of Friends of Mikis Theodorakis to The Red
Teacher, directed by Stelios Charalampopoulos
· “History, Culture, and Tradition of Crete” Award:
Awarded by the Historical Folklore Society of Crete to Underwonder:
Elephant Cave, directed by Kostas Karydas
· #ThisisEU (European Values) Award:
Presented by the European Commission Representation in Greece to The
Killing of a Journalist, directed by Matt Sarnecki
· Animation Award from Chania Film Festival and Animasyros Collaboration:
Corvine, directed by Sean McCarron
· “Right to Life” Award:
Loxi, directed by Thanasis Kafetzis and Dimitris Zachos
· Short Documentary Award from gr2me (a new platform promoting Greek
culture worldwide):
Stavroula, directed by Ira Ntika
· Special Mention for a Film Showcasing Local History:
Lefka Ori (White Mountains), directed by Alexandros Papathanasiou
· Honorary Award to the Children’s and Youth Choir of the Municipality of
Chania for its contribution.

Commemorative certificates were also awarded to 16 schools that completed films

as part of the Chania Film Festival's annual educational program. The schools
received mementos from both the Chania Film Festival and H.F.A.C.-Creative Greece.
Finally, commemorative certificates were awarded to 23 schools from across Greece
for their participation in the Chania Film Festival's annual competition, "Stories to be
Heard."

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