Patras International Panorama Awards

Awards of International Film Festival of Patras city
10th International Panorama
“…a celebration of culture... a celebration of freedom of speech…”

208 films – 55 countries
The International Film Festival of Patras city – 10th International Panorama (www.independent.gr) having existed for 10 years hopes that it had presented an effluence of sounds and pictures which united various cultures and promote diversity. Our goal is to continue "the dream of art’s freedom ". In the 10th International Panorama people met and bonds made in a cultural event which took place in the city where it belongs, far from the fake star system, in the era of globalization, demonstrations, street fights between protesters and the police, in a time when freedom in expressing oneself is not truism.
The 10th International Panorama took place in Patras from the 3rd till the 11th of October 2008, with the ultimate goal of becoming the “International Film Festival of Patras”. Patras is a city with a long history in international festivals and it is high time it hosted it’s very own film festival.

Our participants have already sent us 208 movies from 55 countries, including feature films, short films, cartoons, animations, documentaries, video art, video clips and internet experimental videos. The festival divided in 5 parts: “Cinema, sea of peace”, “Greek Panorama”, “In the ends of the world”, “Walking through Europe” and “Balkan neighbourhood”. The films competing for the prizes are divided in two categories: Greek and international.

Believing in the freedom of expression, and in the right every director has to speak their mind, all films projected without a preliminary committee, and we did not exclude anyone. We respect each culture and each nation’s values as well as those of each director individually.



On Saturday the 11th of October the awards of the 10th International Panorama (www.independent.gr) were given and the curtains feel in a festival mood. The festival was organized by the urban not-for- profit organization “International Panorama of Independent Film & Video makers” in co-operation with the editorial committee of the on-line magazine for alternative culture “Cineek” www.cineek.gr in the theatre of “INTEAL”.

Special awards were also given as well as the awards for the Photography Contest which was themed “filming”.

The Photography contest awards:

Awarded projects
1st award “Venic” by Zaverdas Vasilis
2nd award “Wind” by Tita Mponatsou
3rd award “Karavo-Kavo-Karnavalo” by Kserizotis Odysseas
Special award “Plous skias” by Pappas Vasilis, “Finale” by Athanasopoulou Vali, “Anagennisi” by Thanopoulou Athina

The International Panorama showed that it has a great and fruitful future by giving the chance to video and film makers from all over the globe to express themselves freely, respecting each one individually. It is the only festival (a pioneer at it’s kind) in South and Eastern Europe which allows all films to be played without preliminary committees, without censorship and control.

Lest we forget, many organizations have expressed their interest to show the award winning films of the 10th Panorama in more than 40 cities and municipalities in Greece.

First Mr. Aleksis Gklavas (member of the critics committee) read the decision:
The “10th Panorama of independent film and video makers – World Cinema Festival of Patras” is closing today its gates, opening a new route for the 11th which will take place next year under the auspices of the University of Patras as we were informed and we happily welcome. The gates of the 10th Panorama opened approximately four months ago, when the members of the judging committee started watching the first films.
Different people, “carrying each one of them his weapons” as the poet says, the members of the judgment committee had to co-exist, to co-operate and co-ordinate their thoughts, aesthetics and preferences in order to decide. Each one of us had to introduce his opinion according to his personality, his own knowledge, his own sensitivity, his own political, social, religious attitudes, his background and his conception. We watched 208 films from 55 different countries. Some of them were sensitive and tender some others were realistic and tough. There were films which were presenting their messages either in a simple or in a special way and some others which didn’t succeed to transfer or communicate their messages.
There were films with interesting points of view, films of young creators who rejected the alienation of everyday routine and films which were making the poetry, pictures.
Our choices, beyond aesthetic, wholeness, script and photography, were based on the sensitivities we have as active citizens. We support the art and the creators who, with their turn, focus on contemporary issues giving an answer to the “fast food” art and tv “clamp” which make us suffocate.
Maybe another judging committee had other choices and was awarding prizes to different films.
For the majority of films we had long discussions during our meetings and we spent a lot of time to decide, except two of them. This task was not easy. We are sure that for some of them we have already changed our minds and we are sure that we are not sure for our final decisions. Maybe you have realized that many of the films deserved an award and most of the documentaries were very good. It was also a big surprise for us to discover that Greek productions were not only equal to the foreign ones, but sometimes better.
The “10th Panorama of independent film and video makers – World film festival of Patras” is ending today. We hope that the 11th will bring a new capable batch of creators who will have been able to support their ideas and implement them. We also hope that the authorities and institutions of Patras will support it.

The members of the Judging Committee
Attaleiadis Nikos - Relevant for cultural activities of the Non Governmental Organization “Citizens in Action”.
Vlachos Ioannis - Αnimator in theatrical play and expression- - Theatre educator- Counselor of Environmental Education in Prefecture of Achaia.
Gklavas Aleksis - Cultural journalist and radio producer.
Kaliafas Argyris - Assistant professor of the University of Patras
- Member of the Cultural Development Committee of the University of Patras. - Vice Chairman of Cultural Development Municipality Enterprise of Patras- Responsible of the Cine-club of Patras University.
George Kanellis - Teacher in secondary education
- Representative of The Ecological Movement of Patras
Passa Angela - Educator
- Director of the Centre of Creative Occupation of the NGO “Movement PROTASI” – President of the International Network of Productive Schools (INEPS).

And then the awards were given by:
Mr Dimitrios Dougenis (Vrector at the University of Patras city
Mr George Zepatos (President of Achaias Chamber)

The award winning films are the following:
International competition
• Best Video Dance - Conexiones by Lidice Abreu Brazil
• Best Video Art - The Gaze by Morteza Akoochekian Iran
• Best Animation - Lumen by Wilian Salvador Santos Brazil.
• Best short film - Occupied by Christian Filek Austria
• Best documentary - The caravan of the manuscripts from Al-Andalus by Lidia Peralta Spain
• Special award - Flight by Biju Viswanath India.

Greek competition

Special Awards
Special award for short film “Vlant the Daemon” by Mihalis Pougounas
Special award for animation “Paradise los or found” by Artemis Alcalay
Special award for video art “Searching” by Margarita Kotsilini
Special award for the music to Mr Vasilis Dimitriou for the film “Apoxairetismos sta opla” by Nancy Spetsioti
Special award for the sensitive for handicap people “Adynami…dynami” by Nikolaidis Athanasios, Sotiria Drivalou, Iosifidis Aleksandros, Louvaris Giannis

Awards
Best female actor to Mrs. Aleksandra Aidini for the film “Lykayges” by Mihas Nikos
Best male actor to Mr. Takis Vogopoulos for the film “Piso apo ta synnefa” by Giorgos Dimitropoulos
Best video art “Fuga” by Tita Mponatsou
Best video dance “The lady of Late” by Natassa Zouka
Best animation “Construction of Citizens” by Moatsos Michalis
Best short film “Peek a Boo” by Cristos Seitaridis
Best documentary “Poli milas, poli klais” by Dimitris Kitsikoudis
Best feature film “Athens Blogs” by Aleksandros Papailiou, Lena Voudouris, Despoina Karvela, Giorgos Karypidis, Thanasis Skroubelos
Best film which supports the human rights “Ston isto tis arachnis” by Nikos Vezyrgiannis with scenario and search by Pavlos Nerantzis
Best antiracist film «So you Can Dance!» by Stelios Apostolopoulos and Nikos Ntagiantas
Best film for ecological message “Mystika ke psemata” by Stavros Stagkos
Best poetry film “Lila Mantilia” by Kelly Stamoulaki


The 10th International Panorama was supported by volunteer directors, designers, photographers and musicians and by the aegis of University of Patras city www.upatras.gr . Friendly support from N.C.O. www.politesendrasei.gr