Where Shadows Rest

Elias, a small farming village in central Greece, is dying out. But two cousins team up with the village grannies to cultivate the tomato seeds they have kept for hundreds of years. With a little help from Wagner’s music –which they use to help their tomatoes grow– the team succeeds to export little jars with organic tomato recipes across the world. The film follows the protagonists of this unlikely quest, as they struggle to survive and make their dream come true. Humorous and bittersweet, this is a story about the importance of reinventing oneself in times of crisis and the power of human relationships.

The all embracing love of the Greek mother stretches around the globe. However far away her child may be, she will always make sure that he will have a good supply of mother’s food! Food in the hands of Greek mothers is a powerful practical and symbolic tool that bridges any geographical and emotional distance and keeps the family bonds tight forever! By focusing on three Greek mothers and their use of food, the documentary opens a window onto the particularity of the Greek family with the powerful mother figure at the center and the children as kings and queens!

Jasim and Alsaleh are underage refugees in a Greek prison. Coming from Syria and Iraq, they were arrested and accused of smuggling illegal immigrants. With unique access in the juvenile prison and court room, the film follows the two friends closely while in custody, during the trial and after the verdict, through a narrative of suspense which reveals how youngsters are forced to transport migrants across the border to Greece while the smugglers stay behind and continue their job uninterrupted. If Jasim and Alsaleh are found guilty, they will face extremely long prison sentences. Phone conversations between the imprisoned young boys and their mothers at their war-stricken countries accentuate the double enclosure that these families experience. No one knows how and when their long run will end.

Filmmaker Marianna Economou was given complete carte blanche to follow the conceptualization and realization of the Dior Cruise 2022 collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri. The result is 'The Greek Bar Jacket', an all-encompassing and yet intimately personal exploration of the collaborations, influences, moments and emotions that have made this Greece-inspired collection so unique. Highlighting the specialized savoir-faire of a number of Greek artisans along with that contained in the House's own ateliers, it also reveals the role played by the art and architecture of antiquity in this cross-cultural exchange.

In "Spaces #1", 8 beloved Greek directors shot, after commissioning by the Festival, a short film at home, making their own timely comment on the new reality that we live in. The project is inspired by the book "Species of Spaces" by the French novelist, filmmaker, documentalist, and essayist, Georges Perec and the days of quarantine. The idea is to create a film at home, using the environment, the people or the animals in that space. The only outdoor areas that may be used are outdoor living spaces, such as the terrace, the garden, the balcony and the stairwell. "My other lives" is Marianna Economou's submission.

An accidental discovery in an Athenian hospital reveals a personal and collective trauma about hundreds of patients who died from tuberculosis between 1945 and 1975 and were buried unnamed in mass graves on the hospital grounds. Eighty years later, their controversial story comes to light through their personal belongings and the search for living relatives.

How was everyday life in Ancient Greece? Did it have anything in common with our lives today? With the help of specialized scientists and a rich audiovisual material, a journey back in time begins!