A tribute to the Anthropocene Epoch
How does the human presence on Earth unsettle the balance and endanger the future of our planet? The 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival explores a topic of geological, environmental, social, philosophical, political and cultural facets, through an original and provocative tribute on the Anthropocene Epoch.
In 2000, Nobel Prize winner, physicist Paul Crutzen introduced the term to describe the geological epoch following the Holocene Epoch. When the word “Anthropocene” came to life, the broader conversation begun about what it means, if it is valid and what kind of imprint it will leave on our planet in 2000 years.
Today no one can question climate change, the rapid extinction of species from the planet, the ecological damage, the consequences of nuclear tests, the excessive use of plastic and the uncontrollable meat consumption. Humans have created a novel, horrific reality that threatens the existence of life itself on Earth.
All of the above have left their traces on culture, art and cinema, not only because they document humans’ invasive behavior towards nature, but also because they change one’s way of thinking, expression and creation.
It is exactly this aspect that the tribute’s documentaries examine. Among them, we find the moving opening film of the 22nd TDF, My Octopus Teacher by Philippa Ehrlich and James Reed, which will have its world premiere in Thessaloniki.
The Festival also presents a bilingual special edition, titled “Anthropocene”, in which scientists, film and art historians and philosophers attempt to answer the various questions that arise from this new reality. “Anthropocene” will be available at the TDF shops and at selected bookstores.
My Octopus Teacher by Philippa Ehrlich and James Reed
#environment #animals #portrait
South Africa – Netherlands, 2020, 89΄
When experienced sea diver and director Craig Foster decided to skin-dive in the Cape of Storms, he could not have imagined the intimate relationship he would build with an octopus. The octopus guided him through unexplored sea depths and taught him to navigate himself within a seaweed forest, to engage with the fish and shells. It also taught him that we are not the dominant species on Earth. An unexpected adventure, a story of friendship, a tender lesson about respect, freedom and cosmology.
Anthropocene: The Human Epoch by Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky and
Nicholas de Pencier
#environment #scienceandtechnology #society
Canada, 2018, 87΄
The filmmakers travel around the globe for almost four years, documenting the ways in which humans affect the planet and alter its future. Drawing inspiration from the Anthropocene Task Group which requires from the scientific community to acknowledge the epoch we live in as the Anthropocene, the directors created an impressive documentary of mental power and surreal, stunning beauty that conveys simultaneously the fear and the beauty, often via the same image. Narrated by Oscarwinning actress Alicia Vikander.
Northern Drift by Alexis Destoop
#environment #memory
Belgium – Norway, 2020, 57΄
Anthropological travel diary meets retro-futurist science fiction in the cold, sterile landscape, north of the Arctic Cycle. At the north end of Europe, at the Russia-Norway borders, there is one of the least inhabited areas of the world. Even so, the human interference is visible in almost every fascinating image captured by the director.
Ghost Strata by Ben Rivers
#memory #environment
United Kingdom, 2019, 45΄
Ghost Strata refers to the elements missing from the rock strata. Despite the absence, there are traces of what was once there. Shot in various parts of the world, mapping the personal mobility of the director, Ghost Strata explores the different levels of consequences that human presence has on the past, present and future of the Earth. Sounds and text compose a meditation about time, memory, what is left behind and extinction.
iHuman by Tonje Hessen Schei #scienceandtechnology #society
Norway – Denmark, 2019, 99΄
The clash between the human and the non-human, as well as the limits of virtual intelligence are explored in this daring and politically charged documentary that unfolds as a thriller and raises thorny and painful questions. With unique deep access to the inside of the booming AI industry, iHuman shows how the most powerful and far-reaching technology of our time is changing our lives, our society and our future.
Frem by Viera Čákanyová
#environment #scienceandtechnology
Czech Republic – Slovakia, 2019, 73΄
Humankind has begun to understand its insignificance and impermanence while the human identity is in crisis. Abstract poetic thoughts and parts of dialogue, music that gets interrupted by fluctuations and errors and the uninhibited, but cautious camera movement create a restless, philosophical reflection about the limits of human thought.
Earth by Nikolaus Geyrhalter
#environment #scienceandtechnology
Austria, 2019, 116΄
Every year, with different means, shovels, excavations, or dynamite, billions of tons of the earth’s land are moved and cut off from their natural environment. An engaging documentary that visits mines, quarries and construction sites, depicting the wounds caused by humans on the surface of the planet. A wake-up call in seven chapters, that warns us about the destructive consequences awaiting us.
Inland (Tierra Adentro) by Mauro Colombo
#environment #society #politics
Panama, 2018, 70΄
A jungle separates Colombia from Panama. Here, is the meeting point or rebels, drug dealers, refugees, indigenous people, farmers, wild animals and natives. The documentary observes more than the people in this no man’s land and focuses on the search for meaning in the jungle as a metaphor for the wilderness within. A political documentary that records the deforestation that affects not only the people living there, but also the whole planet.
Safety 1,2,3 by Julia Gutweniger, Florian Kofler
#environment #society #politics
Austria – Italy, 2019, 72΄
The human fight against nature takes center stage in Safety 1, 2, 3. In its visual journey through the Alps, the documentary observes the work and research processes of scientists, technicians and disaster relief agencies. The resulting stream of measurements and simulations provides deep insight into a massive yet largely invisible security system.
Dawson City: Frozen Time by Bill Morisson
#environment #memory
USA, 2016, 120΄
How did the virgin land of the indigenous Han turn into a badland? The intensive gold mining between 1910 and 1920 lead to the destruction of Dawson City in only a few years. Rare films that were buried in a pool at the depths of Yukon in Canada reveal the human interference with the environment, as well as the history of a whole city. Dawson City is also an emblematic film about cinema itself, narrating the odd but true story of a valuable cinematic collection.
Feature Length International Competition
For the first time in its history, the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presents a feature length international competition section, where 12 films – among them three Greek documentaries - over 70 minutes in length will vie for the Golden Alexander and Special Jury Awards. The documentaries convey the fragile reality of everyday life in the most remote places in the world and consist of true stories that exceed the boundaries of imagination.
The Golden Alexander award is accompanied by a €15,000 cash prize. Τhe Special Jury Award is accompanied by a €5,000 cash prize.
Discover the documentaries of Feature Length International Competition:
Acasă, My Home by Radu Ciorniciuc, Romania – Finland - Germany)
In the wilderness of the Bucharest Delta, just outside the bustling metropolis, an 11-member family lives in total harmony with nature, following the cycle of seasons. When the area is transformed into a national park, they are forced to abandon their unconventional modus vivendi and adapt to the alienated modern world, where fishing is replaced by texting. As they strive to find a point of reference and remain united, they begin to question their place in society and dread the future. An empathetic glance at an unorthodox family that seeks acceptance and claims its own share of freedom.
The Fourth Character by Katerina Patroni, Greece
The parallel monologs of three people bring to light issues such as loss, guilt, faith, and the pursuit of atonement. Their confession-like stories are interweaved into the city, in a cinematographic arrangement of the characters’ inner world with the city’s landscape. Our heroes wander through the city, performing their small rituals.
Idomeni by David Aronowitsch, Sweden
In the village of Idomeni, in the borderline between Greece and North Macedonia, time seems to have come to a halt, as if trapped in a never-ending limbo: it is forbidden to move forward, it is unthinkable to take the long way back. Α heart-wrenching documentary that explores the parallel lives of two families that have fled the Yazidi genocide in Iraq. A tale of patience, resilience, hope, and indelible scars, set against a backdrop of torturing temporality.
King of the Cruise by Sophie Dros, The Netherlands
A rich and extravagant Scottish Baron spends his time on “love boats,” taking luxury cruises, surrounded by romantic couples, well-to-do families, hard-working staff, and retired elderly people. In this floating micro-community – steadily attractive to some, but irrevocably repulsive to others – the man who would be King is naked, even though he wears a cape. In the end, even amidst a sea of people, the man is left alone with his desire. A story about our need for recognition, the illusions of grandeur that serve as a defense mechanism but mostly about our passion to share our stories.
Meanwhile on Earth by Carl Olsson, Sweden
Death, in all its bare finality, triggers a series of practicalities that need to be taken care of, before our time with the living is over and out. Funerary rituals include a set of standardized procedures that tone down even the shattering realization of mortality. An elusive and idiosyncratic documentary built in a world of biting symmetry and eerie ambiance, which navigates through the invisible pathways of Sweden’s “last residence industry.” Illustrating a wide specter of subtle contrasts, such as juxtaposing the banal everyday noise and conversations with the mournful silence, this tale of transit unites the sacred with the profane.
The Music of Things by Menios Carayannis, Greece
Three people completely focused and dedicated to what they do. A musician, a carpenter, and a photographer invite us to their world and reveal the most sensitive aspects of their work. In the absence of words, images and sounds obtain a different meaning, while music becomes an offspring of togetherness. The film takes us on a journey with no destination, to a haven of details where the universe hives in.
The Painter and the Thief by Benjamin Ree, Norway
Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova was quite disappointed to see that two paintings of hers, stolen from an art gallery in Oslo, were nowhere to be found despite the arrest of the perpetrators. In an attempt not so much to trace the missing paintings but reconcile with the feeling of loss, Barbora approaches one of the thieves and asks him to pose for a portrait. An endearing tale of reaching out, forgiveness, and reciprocal understanding begins to unfold as two fragile souls let go of their preconceived roles and discover in each other a reflection of their inner scars, defeats, and gaps.
The Prophet and The Space Aliens by Yoav Shamir, Israel – Austria - South Africa – Canada
Religious cults have been associated with delusional megalomania, human naïveté, and blatant proselytism. What about religions, though? Why is it easier to accept the tale of a celebrated prophet summoned by a burning bush than the story of a man who received a calling by extraterrestrials? Had there been documentaries about holy men of ancient times during their lifetimes, what kind of uncomfortable secrets and inconvenient truths would they reveal? A thought-provoking and humorous documentary that trails along Rael, founder and leader of the world’s most popular UFO sect, contemplating on the notions of faith and salvation.
Sing Me a Song by Thomas Balmès, France – Germany – Switzerland
A nuanced portrait of a young man’s introduction to the world, the film follows a teenager who lives and studies in a picturesque monastery deep in the Himalayas. In this remote area, where technologies like Internet or TV were only recently allowed, daily pedantic rituals – such as candle lighting or the recitation of prayers – compete with the powerful lure of smartphones. Privately, the boy is passionate about love songs and forms a relationship with a young singer on WeChat. Unexpected and profound, this documentary provides an eye-opening lens on the effects of technology and challenges us to reassess our own perceptions of human relatedness and self-worth in an age of unparalleled connectivity.
Slow News by Alberto Puliafto, Italy
In this brave new world we’re living in, the unbearable overload of information we are daily fed has given birth to a dystopian paradox: we believe everything and we believe nothing at the same time, as our mind is drowned in a whirlpool of tweets, posts, videos, hoaxes, and fake news. Over the last years, in different parts of the world, islets of resistance have come to surface. Small crews of independent journalists are striving to build an alternative model based on a crystal-clear principle: we need to slow down. A militant documentary that hails journalism as the key pillar of democracy.
The Unknown Athenians by Angeliki Antoniou, Greece – Germany
The documentary follows the daily routine of stray dogs struggling in the center of Athens and the people who take care of them, in the course of five years. A hidden world emerges from the routes of these unknown Athenians, unveiling the unexpected face and the heart of Athens in the midst of change.
Welcome to Chechnya by David France, USA
Employing a guerilla style, this highly charged documentary slips inside the fraught day-to-day struggle of an underground pipeline of activists, who undertake unimaginable risks while striving to rescue LGBTQUIA+ victims from Chechen government’s “cleansing” campaign. In an environment of oppression and hatred, where countless members of the LGBTQUIA+ community are detained, tortured, gone missing, executed or, in the best-case scenario, living in the utmost terror, a vast network of solidarity works in the shadows. A searing journey through the darkness of obscurantism that uncovers unreported atrocities while lauding the astonishing courage of an extraordinary group of people.
Awards
Competition Sections
The 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will present four international competition sections.
Feature Length International Competition
Participating documentaries of over 70 minutes in length. Among them, up to three Greek documentaries will have the opportunity to take part, and to compete for the “Golden Alexander” and the Special Jury Award. The “Golden Alexander” Award is accompanied by a cash prize of 5,000€.
Newcomers International Competition
Participating documentaries of over 50 minutes in length, that constitute the first or second films of emerging filmmakers. Among them, up to three Greek documentaries will have the opportunity to take part, and to compete for the “Golden Alexander Newcomers” and the Special Jury Award. The “Golden Alexander Newcomers” award is accompanied by a cash prize of 8,000€. The Special Jury Award is accompanied by a cash prize of 3,000€.
Film Forward International Competition
Participating documentaries of under 45 minutes in length that experiment with the concept of form, examining documentary filmmaking through a radical prism. Among them, up to two Greek documentaries will have the opportunity to take part, and to compete for the “Golden Alexander Film Forward” Award. The “Golden Alexander Film Forward” Award is accompanied by a cash prize of 3,000€.
Virtual Reality International Competition (VR)
Participating virtual reality documentaries from around the world. The VR Award is accompanied by a 3,000€ cash prize, funded by the Greek Film Centre.
The FIPRESCI Awards
The International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI, which comprises of distinguished professionals from the field of film criticism, will present two awards: one for the Best Documentary from the Feature Length International Competition and one for the best Greek film that participates in the international festival program.
“Human Values Award” of the Hellenic Parliament
The television station of the Hellenic Parliament (Hellenic Parliament TV) presents its “Human Values” award to a Newcomers International Competition section film.
Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Awards (ERT)
Within the framework of the 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, ERT will present its first award, which is accompanied by a 3,000€ cash prize, to the Greek production that will win the FIPRESCI Award. The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation will present the “ERT – Thessaloniki Pitching Forum” Award, which is accompanied by a 2,000€ cash prize, to the best Greek project participating in the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum, which will be selected by the Forum committee.
Greek Film Centre Awards
In the framework of the 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Greek Film Centre will award three prizes: A 3,000€ prize award to a documentary participating in the VR Competition, a 3,000€ prize award to a documentary participating in Agora Docs in Progress and a 3,000€ prize award to a debut documentary feature (min. 50 minutes) that premieres in the Greek Program.
Amnesty International Award
The Amnesty International Committee which comprises of experts within the field of human rights, will this year present its award to a documentary from the festival program with the hashtag #humanrights.
Fischer Audience Awards
Two Audience Awards for films over 50 minutes in length (one Greek and one foreign) and two Audience Awards for films under 50 minutes in length (one Greek and one foreign). All Greek films having their first public screening at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, either in the Official Selection (the International, Platform, or Screen to Screen programs), are all eligible for the Fischer Audience Αward for a Greek Film. All foreign films are eligible for the Fischer Audience Αward for a Foreign Film, except for those presented as part of the tributes.
Kids Audience Award
The «Kids Audience Award» will be presented to the film selected by the kids who will attend the Docs for Kids educational screenings.
Youth Jury Awards by the Students of the Thessaloniki Universities
The Youth Jury comprises of students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Macedonia and will be presenting the Best Film Award and the Special Jury Award. Eligible for these awards are the Greek films participating in the International Program.
The “Mermaid Award”
The Mermaid Award is an independent award presented by the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival to the best LGBTQI+ - themed film from the Festival’s official selection. The prize will be awarded to a documentary with the hashtag #LGBTQI+.
WIFT GR Award
The WIFT GR Award is presented by the Greek Chapter of WIFT (Women in Film & Television) to a woman filmmaker of a film selected from the official program of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
Greek Association of Film Critics Award (PEKK)
The Greek Association of Film Critics (PEKK) awards the Best Greek Film that is screened in the official selection of the 22nd Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. The decision is made by the General Assembly of the members that have attended the Festival.
The Agora Awards
Agora Docs in Progress
Presented to documentaries, at the final stage before competition, from the Balkans and the Mediterranean, are:
- the 2|35 Award (post-production services)
- the MuSou Music Company Group Award (post-production services for sound or original composition)
- the Greek Film Centre Award of 3,000€ to a selected film
- free accreditation to the Visions du Réel Festival and a three-day accommodation to Nyon, Switzerland in April
- the Neaniko Plano Award (film subtitling services)
Thessaloniki Pitching Forum
The Thessaloniki Pitching Forum is the newly formed TDF co-production and co-financing platform for creative and television documentaries, as well as for new media (virtual and augmented reality) documentaries, that are heading towards film distribution, TV screenings and other forms of artistic exposition.
This year, the following awards will be presented:
- the Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award (2,000€)
- the ERT - Thessaloniki Pitching Forum Award granted to a Greek project (2,000€)
- the Mediterranean Institute of Cinema Award (MFI Script2Film Workshop), a Doc Lab Scholarship of 2,500€ and accommodation at Nisyros and Rhodes for the year 2020 to one of the selected projects
- the DAE – Documentary Association of Europe Award (counseling sessions and a free member subscription)
- the Aylon Productions Digital Services Award (digitalization of material by Aylon Productions)
- The Beldocs Award (accommodation and accreditation for the upcoming Beldocs International Documentary Festival).
