13th Athens International Digital Film Festival AIDFF

For the 13th consecutive year, the Athens International Digital Film Festival (AIDFF) will take place from December 12 to 18, 2024. Hosted at the historic Studio New Star Art Cinema and Blackbox Theater Cinema, the festival will also feature parallel screenings at the Ekpedeftiki Enosi (Syntagma) and Omega Academy (Piraeus). This year's event will showcase 110 feature and short films from 35 countries, including 50 premieres.

"New Directors" will have the opportunity to present their work to the public in a special category established by the festival over the past 12 years. This year's festival continues its tradition of curating an artistic selection of films that span the entire spectrum of cinematic art, extending its reach across Athens and Piraeus. Viewers will have the chance to enjoy world, European, and Athenian premieres, including films that begin their journey at AIDFF, some that continue their cinematic trajectory, and others that choose to conclude their festival circuit at this event.

We will enjoy the premiere of the feature film End of Trip – Sahara by Antonio Rodríguez Cabal from Spain. Through its lens, the film takes us back to the vibrant 1970s, following two young Spanish adventurers, Javier and Rafa, as they explore the Sahara Desert driven by a hunger for thrilling escapades and the desire for an unforgettable journey.

In its Greek premiere, The Actors by Theodoris Vournas immerses viewers in the story of two actors competing to deliver their best performances. As they improvise to impress the director, they lose sight of the realities of life beyond their art.

The film TAXI by Constantinos Nikiforou, also making its debut, takes us on a ride through the picturesque streets of Cyprus. The taxi driver captivates her passengers with chilling details about her husband’s death. However, by the journey's end, she confronts the inescapable weight of reality.

Finally, the short film The Tooth and the Rock by Kostis Alevizos offers a thought-provoking narrative. Margarita and her father, returning to Pylos, face the town's rapid tourist transformation. Margarita inadvertently reunites her father with his old friends as they reclaim a spot under the plane tree, now occupied by tourists.

The feature-length debut of award-winning Korean director Chanho Lee, Water Lilies, will make its European premiere. The film follows Hyo-won, who dreams of becoming an actress, as she arrives in Seoul after leaving her rural hometown. Alongside Eun-seo, who has dropped out of high school, they find excitement and hope in their visions of the future.

We’ll journey back to the music of the 1980s with the musical documentary Return of the Creeps by Nikos Chantzis. The film explores the origins of Creep Records, born in the neighborhoods of Kypseli, Patissia, and Exarchia in Athens. During its four-year run, Creep Records became a pivotal force in the Greek music scene, representing some of the most significant New Wave, Post-Punk, and Dark Wave bands of the era.

We will get to know the visual artist and educator Theodoros Papagiannis, regarded as one of the world's leading sculptors. His work boasts a vast teaching legacy, numerous state awards—including the prestigious Academy of Athens Award—and hundreds of exhibitions in Greece and abroad. Directed by Nikos Papakostas.

Take a journey through Athens with the film Vakirtzis in Attikon. This documentary offers a glimpse into the work of Giorgos Vakirtzis, who painted the showcase displays of the historic Attikon Cinema on Stadiou Street. The film captures the legacy of a cinema now "dormant," following the devastating fire of February 2012. Directed by Thanasis Papathanasiou, it presents a tribute to an artist and a cinematic landmark in the heart of Athens.

The premiere of the remarkable experimental film The Flow of Shadows promises to captivate audiences. This innovative work showcases a unique type of shadow puppetry performed by Anglo-Peruvian puppeteer José Navarro. Utilizing semi-transparent puppets that both cast shadows and emit light, the film masterfully blends ancient manual techniques with layered digital overlays. The result is a mesmerizing fusion of tradition and modernity. The puppets' construction and the film's direction are crafted by Hing Tsang, adding a distinctive artistic vision to this extraordinary cinematic experience.

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