twenty seventh Thessaloniki Int’l Documentary Pageant Will get Underway In Greece

The 27^th Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant is underway within the Greek port metropolis, a gathering level for a few of the greatest names in nonfiction filmmaking – and younger abilities keen to affix these ranks.

The competition opened Thursday evening with A few Hero, directed by Piotr Winiewicz and “narrated by Werner Herzog” (quotes belong round that a part of the outline as a result of the Teutonic-accented voiceover sounds just like the famed German-born filmmaker, however because the Thessaloniki program notes, “our narrator… shouldn’t be who he appears.”).

If that characterization of A few Hero sounds unnecessarily opaque, think about that TiDF is paying not simply heed however tribute to Synthetic Intelligence at this yr’s competition. “AI, an Inevitable Intelligence” because the theme has been dubbed, “invitations the viewers to embark on an interesting journey that features a collection of eye-opening documentaries, a powerful visible set up, a masterclass, a particular two-language version, in addition to the Pageant’s journal First Shot, co-created this yr with the assistance of AI as a type of experimentation. A cinematic exploration of the brand new actuality, standing within the threshold between the man-made and the digital.”

Together with A few Hero, documentaries with an AI theme embrace:

As well as, TiDF 2025 will showcase a number of AI-themed quick documentaries; the competition has additionally partnered with OpenDocs on “a pioneering program of worldwide scope, providing assist, financing, AI instruments and consulting providers to artists from all around the world. It’s an initiative launched by Anna Giralt Gris and Jorge Caballero that goals at enabling artists from all around the world to include AI instruments into storytelling.” 5 movies made as a part of the TiDF-OpenDocs collaboration will likely be introduced on the competition.

In whole, TiDF will display 261 documentaries – together with 72 world, 40 worldwide and 11 European premieres. Among the many world premieres are Baby of Mud, directed by Weronika Mliczewska. The movie revolves round Sang, “one of many hundreds of undesirable and marginalized kids deserted by American troopers after the Vietnam Conflict.” Now in his 50s, Sang lastly identifies his father, however to take the connection any additional, “he should race towards time.”

Baby of Mud premieres in Worldwide Competitors, as does Supernatural, directed by Ventura Durall. The latter movie facilities on a father and son; the son, a medical physician, adheres to a rational worldview, whereas his father is a religion healer. “The confrontation turns into an exploration of the other beliefs between Science and Magic.”

Queens of Pleasure, world premiering within the competition’s Newcomers competitors, takes place in Ukraine. “Amidst the maelstrom of warfare… three drag queens – Diva Monroe, Marlene, and Aura – refuse to desert their homeland. As a substitute of fleeing, they select to struggle: for freedom, the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, and their very existence.” Queens of Pleasure is directed by Olga Gibelinda.

The Treasure Hunter additionally premieres in Newcomers competitors. Giacomo Gex’s documentary examines a legendary, untold treasure – “Yamashita’s Gold” — “allegedly buried by the Japanese Military throughout the Philippine archipelago throughout World Conflict II… Treasure hunters from all around the world have tried to acquire it, together with Jack and his father, who’ve devoted their lives to this pursuit, spending hundreds of thousands of {dollars} within the course of.”

Vera Krichevskaya’s Related, world premiering within the Open Horizons part, “follows Dr. Dmitry Zimin who stood alone as the first public monetary supporter of Russian opposition chief Alexey Navalny, risking all the things to champion change in his homeland.”

TiDF is screening 4 documentaries by Golden Bear winner Nicolas Philibert as a part of a tribute to the acclaimed French filmmaker. On the competition’s opening evening, he acquired the honorary Golden Alexander in recognition of his contribution to cinema. The competition is also honoring the work of American filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, presenting a full retrospective of her work, together with her most up-to-date challenge – the five-part documentary sequence Social Research that premiered to rave opinions on FX final fall.

Greenfield is ready to ship a masterclass titled “Social Research: The Artist’s Journey” on March 13, in English with a simultaneous translation in Greek. She can also be serving on the Worldwide Competitors jury, together with Dimitris Athiridis, the Greek photographer, documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor, and Signe Byrge Sørensen, the Danish producer and four-time Oscar nominee.

The Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant is led by Basic Director Elise Jalladeau, Inventive Director Orestis Andreadakis, Head of Program Yorgos Krassakopoulos, Head of Agora Angeliki Vergou, and Head of Greek Program Eleni Androutsopoulou.

At a information convention on February 24, they acknowledged the context wherein this yr’s competition is happening, “a vital second for our broader neighborhood, Europe, but additionally for the entire world,” because the competition management put it collectively. “Elementary ideas of our tradition -democracy, freedom, tolerance- have sadly been disputed not too long ago, whereas the cries of hate multiply in probably the most harmful method.

“The 261 quick and full-length documentaries screened on the twenty seventh Thessaloniki Worldwide Documentary Pageant painting and unveil what we expertise in our precarious instances… 4 months have handed because the Pageant’s final press convention and it looks like we’re already dwelling in a very totally different world. Sadly, not a greater one. Some have mentioned that we live in a science fiction movie, however I disagree. It isn’t a science fiction movie, it’s a historic documentary concerning the Thirties, screened backwards, and this time we’re the protagonists, or relatively the victims. It’s an academic documentary that taught us nothing. It’s a gut-wrenching testimony for the horror of fascism and the totalitarianism that it appears we’ve got forgotten. It’s a movie document of a horrific historic actuality that some are attempting to repeat within the worst doable method.”

The forceful assertion from the competition management additionally mentioned the next: “…[T]he Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant has all the time been a spot of dialogue, of freedom, of tradition. Whereas misinformation and distortion of info grow to be instruments of manipulation, documentary filmmaking reminds us of the ability of fact. And in instances of disaster, such an area, the place the ability of fact shines, is extra mandatory than ever.

“All these, after all, didn’t come all of the sudden, however have been in preparation for a very long time. By demagogues who preached hatred, by populists who cultivated hostility, by conspiracy theorists who mocked true science, by producers of lies and simple options who focused artwork and tried to persuade us that it’s ineffective. However Artwork is without doubt one of the strongest weapons of Democracy. Artwork shouldn’t be a luxurious or a impartial zone. It has accountability, it has a say, it takes a stance. And that is what we are going to attempt to show to this yr’s Thessaloniki Documentary Pageant with movies that seize actual tales.”