Athens International Digital Film Festival AIDFF

Artistic Inspiration and Heartfelt Moments at the Athens International Digital Film Festival 2024 Awards Ceremony For the 13th consecutive year, the Athens International Digital Film Festival (AIDFF) took place from December 12 to 18, 2024. The closing ceremony marked the culmination of a successful week in a packed auditorium (Studio New Star Art Cinema) filled with artists and film enthusiasts. The atmosphere was warm and festive as the festival honored iconic creators alongside emerging artists from around the globe.
The evening began with two exceptional video presentations, honoring two legendary figures of Greek cinema: Vasilis Georgiadis and Dimos Theos, whose contributions are indelibly etched in the history of the seventh art. In a touching moment, Erato Georgiadi, the daughter of Vasilis Georgiadis, accepted the award on behalf of her father, while Yiannis Theos, the brother and close collaborator of Dimos Theos, accepted the award for the late filmmaker, who had also been a teacher to many of the festival’s organizers during their time at film school.
The awards were presented by director and president of the “ERMIAS ”, – the Organization for the Collective Management and Rights’ Protection of Motion Pictures Producers, Vasilis Vafeas, who spoke about unforgettable moments in Greek cinema and emphasized the importance of festivals like AIDFF in supporting independent productions.
The evening continued with a captivating musical introduction by Angeliki Mouriki, who performed on the cello, delivering a unique rendition of a variety of pieces ranging from Baroque to compositions by Charlie Chaplin—who, as many may not know, wrote the music for his own films. The event was masterfully hosted by actress Lizeta Spanou. A heartfelt greeting was delivered by Haris Papadopoulos, president of the Greek Directors Guild (GDG), who expressed his appreciation for the Athens International Digital Film Festival’s contribution to cinema. Diomides Nikita, Director of the Spiti tis Kyprou, House of Cyprus, honored the festival with his presence.
One of the evening’s most moving moments was the presence of Russian actress Elena Tonunts, star of the film Leo Tolstoy: Beyond Photography by Russian director Dmitry Novikov. Despite significant challenges, she managed to travel from Moscow to Athens and touched the audience with her words and graceful presence.
The festival’s artistic director and filmmaker Christos N. Karakasis addressed the audience, enhancing the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the evening. Vasiliki Kappa, producer of the festival and artist, emphasized the significance of artistic creation and motivated creators to forge ahead despite the challenges they encounter. The closing ceremony celebrated not only the winners but the entire artistic community gathered in Athens, reaffirming the role of AIDFF as a cultural lighthouse that inspires both creators and audiences alike.
Over the course of these seven days, we had the opportunity to enjoy films by new directors in the 'New Directors' category, which the festival has established over the past 12 years. The festival also showcased a wide range of films by established directors, ensuring a diverse and inclusive selection. This year’s festival continued its tradition of curating an artistic choice of films from across the entire spectrum of cinematic art, spreading its wings throughout Athens and Piraeus
At the closing ceremony of the 13th AIDFF, many distinguished creators from the artistic world attended, honoring the event with their presence. Among them were director Dimitris Athanitis, who delivered a warm greeting; director Giorgos Konstantinopoulos, accompanied by a large group of students; director and cinematographer Giannis Klados; director Vasilis Kesisoglou; director Vasilis Loules; cinematographer and director Menelaos Kyrlidis; director Thanasis Papathanasiou; director Kostas Alefantis; director and composer Nikos Papakostas; the renowned actress, director, and artistic director of the Entropia Theatre, Marilli Mastrantoni; author Marianna Kyriakaki; actress Dimitra Michailidou; screenwriter Andreana Sapriki; actress and soprano Sofia Berati; as well as representatives from educational and cultural organizations, including Michalis Patseas, conductor and director of the Kodály Conservatory; Kostas Moraros, Director of Development at Omega Academy; and Kyriakos Eleftheriou, President of TAO CLUB Chalandri and Kung Fu master.
Greetings at the festival were delivered by Theodora Giannitsi, Director of the Greek Cultural Center in Moscow; Panagiota Botsiou, President of the Ekpedeftiki Enosi Canadian director-producer Sam Luk; and Ioanna Siotropou, President of Omega Academy.
The festival was also honored by the presence of dozens of artists throughout its duration, including renowned sculptor Theodoros Papagiannis, actress Maria Kappa, well-known painter Vasilis Stavrou, distinguished actress Nadia Mourouzi, sculptor Giorgos Lenis, who also crafted the festival's trophy, and other distinguished guests such as lawyer Marina Markouti, Emmanouil Vardavakis of Geoterra, Giorgos Grigoriadis, founder of the theatrical group Delfinaki, journalist Dimitris Kannavos, and Vincent Weberink, President and founder of the smart platform for filmmakers, Pzaz.
The AIDFF continues to inspire and motivate both emerging creators and audiences, encouraging dialogue about cinema and art. Every year, the evolution of digital reality drives us to reconsider the medium we use to create films and to define the boundaries of new technologies, so that we can be creative users of new media and not let these technologies define how we use them. The search for aesthetics remains at the core of AIDFF, while independent production continues to shape the art of cinema.
A large number of films will be distributed by New Star at the welcoming Studio Cinema.
The AIDFF is supported by: Hellenic Film & Audiovisual Center Creative Greece
Athens International Digital Film Festival www.aidff.com

Studio New Star Art Cinema
BlackBox Theater Cinema

Organized by: Kouinta Organization
Tickets Tickets Culture Company
BlackBox Theater Cinema

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