On Thursday evening, Thessaloniki’s “WE” club was buzzing with activity, but not for one of its usual parties or live music gigs. Instead, the venue opened its doors to the sixth edition of the Thessaloniki Free Short Festival, welcoming film lovers for an evening dedicated to the art of short filmmaking. From the late afternoon onwards, cinephiles flocked to the venue to catch 15 Greek and international short films, all screened free of charge. The turnout was so strong that the event soon reached full capacity, reflecting the city’s enthusiasm for independent cinema and emerging filmmakers.
The Festival’s Vision: Empowering the Next Generation of Filmmakers
Founded in 2021 by graduates of art schools, the Thessaloniki Free Short Festival is an independently organised, self-funded initiative dedicated to promoting emerging filmmakers and showcasing their work free of charge. Beyond providing a platform for young talent without the financial barriers often associated with festival participation, it seeks to foster an international network where filmmakers from different countries can connect, exchange ideas, inspire one another and explore new opportunities for creative collaboration.
True to its vision, the Thessaloniki Free Short Festival dedicated this year’s programme exclusively to student-made short films, giving upcoming filmmakers greater visibility and a free space to showcase their work. Through these screenings, the festival seeks to highlight the creativity, artistic exploration and diverse storytelling approaches of a new generation of filmmakers, offering them the opportunity to share their work with a wider audience. At the same time, it fosters meaningful connections between young creators and filmgoers, helping bring fresh perspectives and new voices into the contemporary cinematic landscape.
The Thessaloniki Free Short Festival has also joined forces with France’s Hallucinea Film Festival, an independently organised film festival that shares its commitment to grassroots filmmaking and emerging talent. The collaboration reflects the festival’s broader ambition to extend beyond local boundaries, connecting young filmmakers across countries and creating new opportunities for their work to reach audiences abroad.
From the US to Palestine: 12+3 Short Films, Diverse Stories and Fresh Perspectives
With stories reaching far beyond Greece, this year’s Thessaloniki Free Short Festival programme brought together a diverse selection of student films from across the world. Six Greek productions featured in the Greek Student Competition section, while the International Student Competition section presented six films from countries including the United States, Spain, Poland, Austria and Palestine. The presence of Palestinian cinema added another perspective to a programme spanning different cultural and geographical contexts, bringing stories from a region whose experiences are often underrepresented on screen. Encompassing different cultural backgrounds and creative perspectives, the selection reflected the diversity of contemporary student filmmaking, offering a platform for young creators to share their stories with audiences in Thessaloniki.
Furthermore, the inclusion of three short films from the Hallucinea Film Festival highlights the close ties between the two festivals and their mutual support, reinforcing the Thessaloniki Free Short Festival’s international character and its connections with independent film initiatives beyond Greece.
The festival’s international connections extend beyond its programme, taking shape through the people who return to it year after year. Its jury, comprising 11 filmmakers and film professionals from eight different countries in this year’s edition, brings together a range of experiences and perspectives in the evaluation of the films. Among its members are award-winning filmmakers who first participated in previous editions of the festival and later returned as jury members.
A Spotlight on the Festival’s Highlights
The festival’s Greek Competition section offered a platform for six emerging filmmakers to present their work and bring fresh perspectives to the big screen. Through their work, they offered a glimpse into the creative impulses and cinematic sensibilities of a new generation of Greek filmmakers, each bringing their own artistic vision to the screen. The six films screened were The Goldfish by Spyridoula Diasparra, The Monsters of the City by Giorgos Vlasis, Sleeppers by Dimitris Konstantinou, As I Am Now, So Shall You Be by Lida Kamperidi, Elati (Fir Tree) by Dimos Gkanas, and Or How to Disappear by Giorgos Angelopoulos.
Among the films screened, several stood out for their distinctive storytelling and artistic approach. One such film is Or, How to Disappear, directed by Giorgos Angelopoulos, who goes by the name Aggelogiorgas. A 23-minute paroxysmal fever dream, bursting with colour and intensity, Or, How to Disappear plunges into the filmmaker’s experiences of depersonalisation, anxiety and body dysmorphia. Its deliberately unfinished aesthetic takes shape through an intricate montage of digital video, Hi8 recordings and 16mm footage.
Another Greek short film that distinguished itself through its narrative techniques and cinematic approach was As I Am Now, So Shall You Be by Lida Karamperi. Starring Elisavet Konstantinidou, the film delves into a mother’s anxieties, innermost thoughts and deepest fears. When her daughter fails to return home on time and cannot be reached, she is forced to confront her worries as they unfold before her in a series of self-contained theatrical vignettes, over which she may or may not have control. A small ode to the complexities of the mother-daughter bond, the film underscores the importance of meaningful communication, mutual understanding and compassion. It reminds us that maternal anxiety, however overwhelming or seemingly irrational it may appear, can be an expression of love struggling to find its way through fear.
Also worthy of mention is The Monsters of the City, directed by Giorgos Vlassis. In this seven-minute short, the Greek filmmaker explores the boundaries of individual freedom against the backdrop of an ever-evolving society. With no actors and relying on three narrative elements, image, sound and narration, the film places the imposing, almost monstrous tower of Elliniko at its centre, raising questions about freedom and autonomy in an era increasingly defined by technological advancement and relentless progress. Despite being the shortest of the evening’s competing films, it left a strong impression on the audience and sparked discussion, thanks to its skilful editing and thought-provoking message.
The International Competition section featured six films from Europe, America and the Middle East: Lo Sfratto by Julian Pixel Schmiederer (Austria/Hungary/Italy), Too Cold for a Storm by Igor Sas (Poland), Tandem by Rafael Karim Kousz (Austria/Germany), Burning Skin by Marcel Ribó (Spain), Song of Silence by Vasilisa Kuzmina (USA) and Restricted by Tamer Zakaria Shawamra (Palestine).
Six particularly compelling entries, each offering a distinct cinematic perspective. One film that merits a closer look is Vasilisa Kuzmina’s Song of Silence.Set in the year 2071, against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic dystopia, the award-winning 15-minute short film envisions a world reshaped by the collapse of patriarchal society. In its aftermath, a community of women has forged a new social order, bound together by a shared silence that hints at a painful past. At the centre of this society stands a female leader striving to preserve its balance· until the arrival of her son threatens to disrupt it.With its assured direction, outstanding performances from an all-female cast of deaf-mute actresses, striking cinematography and powerful symbolism, the film captivated the audience.
For the sixth year running, Thessaloniki Free Short Festival celebrated the art of cinema, placing young filmmakers in the spotlight and showcasing their innovative ideas, fresh perspectives and ambitious creative efforts. It also offered a valuable opportunity for emerging directors to engage with audiences and bring their work beyond the screen. The strong turnout throughout the event reflected not only the appeal of the films, but also the enduring love Thessalonians have for cinema. Once again, the city’s enthusiastic response demonstrated its appetite for independent cultural initiatives that keep its artistic scene vibrant and thriving, and also bring people together through the shared experience of the big screen.
