FEST OF FESTS 2025
TOPIC: NARRATIVE STRUCTURES IN THE DIGITAL ERA
Michael Cacoyannis Foundation
206, Piraeus Str., Tavros 17778, Athens E-mail: fofcoordinator@mcf.gr
Tuesday, May 27 – Day 1, 18:00–20:00 EEST
Moderator: Lena Rammou (Film Festivals, Film & Media Training, MEDIA Program & Audiovisuals Expert)
Greetings by officials
Panel A – This year’s FoF: Models and Workshops
Short retrospective on FoF by Lena (video)
Speakers:
- Katerina Evangelakou (Film Director, Film Educator – she will invite Dionysis Vithoulkas – Principal of the 2nd Experimental High School of Agia Varvara, and a student of her workshops).
- Maria Leonida (Film Director, Film Education Designer – she will invite a High School teacher, and a student of her workshop).
They will present their work for this year’s FoF and show a video from their workshops.
Panel B – Shaping Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in Childhood and Youth through Audiovisual Media
Speakers:
- Maria Louka (Documentarian-Journalist, President of WIFT GR)
- Olga Malea (Film & TV Director, Treasurer of WIFT GR)
- Rea-Emilia-Alexandra Walldén (Filmmaker, Film Theorist, Assistant Professor at the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Niovi Anazikou (Documentarian-Journalist, Vice President of WIFT GR)
Video of WIFT GR festival (two last editions).
Wednesday, May 28 – Day 2, 13:00–16:00 EEST
Panel A – Successful Family Content: Case Studies
Moderator: Joanna Solecka (Film Marketing Strategist and Awards Consultant, Head of Alphapanda Warsaw)
Speakers:
- Pavel Jech (Dean of FAMU International, Professor at Chapman University, California, author of the book “Seven Minute Screenplay”)
- Pantelis Panteloglou (President of ECFA – European Children’s Film Association & Artistic Director of Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People)
- Kristoffer Rus (director of successful children’s films released in theaters and available on NETFLIX, showing clips from his films)
Panel B – Film Education at University Level: How Conscious Is the Choice?
Moderators: Joanna Solecka (Film Marketing Strategist and Awards Consultant, Head of Alphapanda Warsaw) & Carol Colmenares (children’s series producer, contributor to an EMMY Award-winning production)
Speakers:
- Rafael Parra (Professor and Chair of Media Studies at The New School, New York; two-time EMMY Award-winning for children’s series editor)
- George Varotsis (Faculty Member of the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Yannis Skopeteas (Professor and Chair of the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Pavel Jech (Dean of FAMU International, Professor at Chapman University, California, author of the book “Seven Minute Screenplay”)
Thursday, May 29 – Day 3, 18:00–20:00 EEST
Moderator: Carol Colmenares (children’s content producer, contributor to an EMMY Award-winning production)
Part A – Keynote/Lecture by Pavel Jech. Subject: “Writing Short Scripts in the Digital Era”
Panel B – European and Greek Initiatives for Film Education
Speakers:
- Elise Jalladeau (General Director of Thessaloniki Film Festival – will discuss the Festival’s educational policy)
- Isabel Miguillon (Director of NEXTUS [https://nextus.global/EN], implemented in schools at six European countries)
- Eirini Delidaki (educational programs of the Museum of Cinema and NEXTUS in Greece [https://nextus.global/el])
- Kelly Alchanati (Creative Producer, film director & children’s book author)
Friday, May 30 – Day 4, 18:00–20:00 EEST
Moderator: David Kleeman (SVP Global Trends, Dubit [https://www.dubit.io/])
Panel A – Online games and related works (comics, animation)
- Why did DUBIT pivot towards online games?
- What role do online games play in the development and relationships of children?
- Video from ROBLOX game (DUBIT Production)
Speakers:
- Irene Andriopoulou (Media and Culture Expert, Director of Creative Hub GR, Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece – EKKOMED),
- Vasilis Mitropoulos (Senior Software Consultant, IBM Hellas, Gamer)
- Nikos Tsouknidas (Animator, Illustrator, Engineer, will discuss the relationship between comics and audiovisual works)
- Carol Colmenares (children’s content producer, contributor to an EMMY Award-winning production)
Reference to SCREEN DEEP – podcast – reference by David Kleeman or Carol Colmenares– a series of podcasts about the impact of different screen types on children (focus on the episode featuring presenter Kris Perry – to be confirmed if it will be online – in conversation with Dr. Douglas Gentile, Professor at Iowa State University and expert in video games).
Topics include:
- How various aspects of video games can affect children’s health and development.
- The impact of violent media, including video games, on children’s emotions and aggressive behaviors.
- Video game addiction frequency and features that make games potentially addictive.
- Positive effects of video games on social behavior and learning.
- How parents can influence their children’s media use and behavioral outcomes.
Panel B – The Present and Future of Film Education
Speakers:
- Katerina Giotopoulou (Special Teaching Staff, Department of Digital Arts and Cinema, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, specializing in film in education)
- Maria Leonida (CEO of KARPOS)
- Vassilis Karamitsanis (Secretary General at CIFEJ – International Centre of Films for Children & Young People)
- Stathis Kalogeropoulos (Athens Film Officer)
Conclusions by: David Kleeman and Lena Rammou
CLOSING Greeting by Leonidas Christopoulos (CEO, Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece – EKKOMED)