The 2nd Kalamata International Short Documentary Festival is set to take place in November 2024, further enriching its program with workshops, seminars, and special educational programs. The festival is a continuation of the long tradition of the Kalamata Creative Documentary Center, the Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival, and the city’s strong interest in film.

 

The festival, launched in October 2021, adopted a pioneering method of film selection, unique in Greece. Each month, the submitted films are evaluated by the selection committee and screened publicly. The audience rates the films, and the highest-rated ones are chosen for the festival's annual program.

 

The selection committee comprises directors, producers, festival collaborators, and film school students from Greece.
The festival aims to connect the Greek audience with the documentary genre, exploring its diverse forms of expression. At the same time, the active participation of viewers in the evaluation process aims to foster a deeper understanding of the creators' methods of expression and communication.

 

The festival embraces an open artistic approach, encompassing a wide range of documentaries, from experimental works flirting with "video-art" to classic narrative, investigative, and ethnographic documentaries. Themes such as the environment, equality, gender discrimination, history, politics, society, and the arts come together to create a rich tapestry of visual experiences for the audience.

 

The festival supports young filmmakers by offering them the opportunity to showcase their work and be recognized through three special awards. The November 2024 program will feature many films by first-time directors, many of which are student or school productions.

Furthermore, the festival emphasizes reaching out to young audiences, encouraging them to engage creatively with their own productions.

The participation of Greek and Cypriot filmmakers is particularly important. The festival platform provides creators with the opportunity to connect directly with the audience, international filmmakers, and guests, promoting their work, exchanging ideas, and fostering networking and creative collaborations.

The entire festival program, including its activities, is free for the public. Additionally, films and the special school program are available through the festival's website, accessible from all of Greece.

The festival's motto "Documentaries for Everyone" is implemented by providing subtitles in Greek and English, as well as special audio descriptive subtitles for people with hearing impairments.

The Kalamata Creative Documentary Center organizes the festival, with the participation and support of volunteers from across Greece.

During the festival, two audience awards will be presented for the best Greek and international documentaries, two jury awards for the best Greek and international student documentaries, and awards for best first-time director, cinematography, editing, and sound.

The festival accepts submissions of short documentaries, up to 30 minutes in length, through the "filmfreeway" platform.
All interested filmmakers are invited to submit their films for next year's festival.