The awards to be presented are as follows:
- Award for Best Film
- Award for Best Director
- Award for Best Screenplay
- GSC Award for Best Cinematography
- People’s Choice Award
- Theodoros Angelopoulos Award
- K.L.E Award
*The Award for Best Film is accompanied by an Є1000 reward.
Shirin’s Bitter Tears, Amin Fallah – Iran
Shirin, a female filmmaker under a travel ban due to restrictions on artistic activities, has turned to street vending and in order to reclaim her confiscated items, she enters the cold and harsh environment of the municipal office.
Three, Amie Song – USA
At her birthday party, a Chinese woman who has recently moved to the United States to live with her daughter tries to keep her daughter’s secrets from her new friends.
Across the River, Shengjie He – China
Two men start a random conversation after one of them saved the life of the other man’s son.
Everything seems going well between them as they keep talking by the lake but beneath that calm water there is a surging wave.
The Surrogate Girl, Onur Güler – Turkey
Due to the fact that abortion is frowned upon and especially single women go under difficult procedures in Turkish government hospitals, high school student Mira is forced to hide her pregnancy for 9 months. She decides to sell her baby to a couple that live in the same neighborhood who cannot conceive. The couple lies to everyone for 9 months saying that Serpil (the wife) is pregnant. Mira arrives at the couple’s house for the labor but things don’t go as planned and the three have to face a deep secret.
Scorched Earth, Markela Kontaratou – Greece
It is summer in Greece, and Stela escapes to her summer house in coastal Attica. Procrastinating while writing her thesis she starts spying on her neighbour and his girlfriend. Before long, Stela will bear witness to a horrible crime.
The Tooth And The Rock, Kostis Alevizos – Greece
Margarita and her father, returning to Pylos, they will be confronted with the rapid tourist transformation of the place.
Margarita will become the cause for those old friends of his to mingle again and claim a spot, in the shade of the plane tree, taken over by tourists.
Reminiscence, Kristijonas Dirsė – Lithuania
Eleonore and Jonas, an elderly couple, invite a real estate agent to sell their flat. While Eleonore barely speaks, Jonas reminisces about their first encounter, which happened 60 years ago in this very flat. Two versions of the past reach us simultaneously – his story via sound; hers via images.
Abraham, Elnaz Ghaderpour και Reza Gamini – Iran
A transsexual teenage boy named Abraham was murdered and burned in a cave out of a small village. The main suspect is his religious father who prays in a small mosque every day.
On the way, Samir Karahoda – Kosovo
Amid bureaucratic obstacles, with little or no hope for real political and social changes in the country, a father and son find comfort and strength in their shared optimism for the future.
MJ, George Fourtouni – Greece
Michalis or MJ is obsessed with fame, wealth and Michael Jordan. He is a trap rapper. “I am destined for greatness! I am already Number One! But why don’t they love me?”
That’s How I Love You, Mário Macedo – Croatia, Portugal
While spending holidays at his grandparents’ place in the countryside, a boy learns a cruel lesson of mercy.
Sonido: Ivans & Tobis, Diogo Baldaia – Portugal
Several children are subject to an exhaustive sound experiment. Tested through a long and insensitive survey, they are victims and witnesses of different forms of violence. Ivan, one of the children, overcomes it all by mysteriously transcending himself. Tobi dares him and they transport themselves into an idyllic world where it is possible to live in harmony.
Mira, Orfeas Peretzis– Greece
She is a maid at a hotel in the center of Athens. In her spare time she is a rapper.
The Third Dimension of Impact, Valentin Devriès – France
A company seminar is starting, providing an opportunity for a ‘collective deep breath.’ To reflect together on the company’s values, the facilitators have planned a playful yet serious exercise. Acting as a talking stick, a plastic ball circulates among the colleagues, some more motivated by the exercise than others.
Άβελ, Konstadinos Karamagkiolis – Greece
A priest, who lives in the countryside with his family, is about to receive an unexpected call from a woman that is going to upset him. A journey to the capital city, a Holy Communion and one last football match.
Boris & I, Haris Raftogiannis – Greece
Two men working at the big Motorway, wondering about the sky & the sea, the birds & the fish.
Luca, out of sync, Alessandro Marinaro – Italy
Luca has been speaking out of sync for many years. One day, he invites a girl to lunch and doesn’t know how to behave to hide his absurd handicap.
Roger, Thanos Mitsios – Greece
Heavy dark clouds covering the sky. Kostis comes back from the grocery store when he gets attacked by a bunch of local kids who rule the area. Following his father’s indifferent stance about him having troubles and not standing up for himself, Kostis attempts to approach the local gang in search of a new family where he will feel accepted and strong while at the same time will try and prove to his father that he is the son he always wanted him to be. Will he make it this far or will he cross the line in need of becoming someone he is not?
Menu, Elnaz Ataei – Iran
Pooneh, a girl who wants to live still…
Skeleton Tree, Hairs Zalavras – Greece
One guy, one decision, one half cooked food and the belief that some things are so insignificant and oddly bitter, funny.
Vox Humana, Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan – Philippines, Singapore, USA
In the aftermath of an earthquake, the police find a man in the woods. A zoologist, a sound recorder, and a news team grapple with the truth that he may be the cause of all the natural disasters that devastated this small mountain town.
Jungle Law, Madli Lääne – Estonia
Beginning of the summer break in Estonia: warm white nights, fresh lush nature, long-awaited freedom. Three teenagers meet while hanging out at the seaside. They start to seduce and challenge, dominate and obey each other to hide their own insecurities in this intense triangle that unfolds over one evening. The playful provocation leads to humiliation and the inexperienced youngsters are taken over by feelings and instincts that are out of their control.
New, Zhenia Kazankina – Russia
Outskirts of Moscow. A girl comes to an unfamiliar apartment to look after a dog. After a while, she realizes that the owner of the apartment has disappeared. She finds herself into a series of people that have been taking care of the dog for years in that same apartment, creating a weird community around this strange absence of the owner.
Notes from a Sea Voyage, Argyris Germanidis – Greece
The passenger regularly consults the name written on his ticket. He wants to make sure he is not travelling in somebody else’s place.
