Onassis
InitiativesSociety Uncensored

Disability and Culture. Visibility and Representation

Online Premiere 19.02.2023 on the Onassis Channel on YouTube | 19:00 UTC+2

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What is the place of disabled people in Greek society? What is the role of art and culture in the reproduction of stereotypes and regressive perceptions of disability? “Society Uncensored 02” continues unfiltered, with an issue that is pressing. The episode is fully accessible and comes with Open Audio Description for visually impaired people, integrated Greek Sign Language Interpretation, and subtitles for hearing impaired people.

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Removing all layers from the discussion on the issue of disability

Photo: Pavlos Fysakis

Removing all layers from the discussion on the issue of disability, we explore the relationship of disabled people with art and culture. This is realized through a meeting of citizens, disabled or not, which produces questions, redefines and proposes practices and solutions for an inclusive future without barriers and discriminations. Together, we offer to each person the space that they need, regardless of their impairment, and we realize that there is nothing particular in being different. Offering a platform to disabled people, we are able to discover that there is indeed nothing exceptional. We pose questions, we look at examples, we suggest paths.

The discussion unfolds in two separate paths, which constantly intersect; on the one hand, the visibility of disabled people within our society’s system and on the other hand the representation of disabled people in art or, if you will, culture. Key topics of the discussion is the exclusion of disabled children from formal education, separation of special and formal education, lack of co-existence. The power of image in forming stereotypes, prejudices, and impressions that do not correspond to reality and do not derive from the very persons they represent, but from an image of them created by others. The dynamic and diverse ecosystem of culture and disability in our country and the opportunity to upend exclusions and discriminations through a proper depiction, representation, and familiarization of Greek society with disability and the non-demonization of the Different. Ways, tools, and methodologies of accessibility and inclusion. The lack of an institutional framework for the above and the need for a multilevel collaboration.

Photo: Pavlos Fysakis

Society Uncensored Discussion Series

The new episode on disability belongs to “Society Uncensored” series of digital discussions, initiated by the Onassis Stegi in 2020 as a vital need to discuss without censorship everything that concerns us in the ‘here and now’, on a local and global level. With more than 500,000 views on the Onassis Channel on YouTube, the discussions have provoked comments and reactions, raise awareness and sensitize, while opening a productive dialogue in the physical and digital spaces.

The focal point of the episodes is the round table, where people meet to discuss openly and unequivocally on current and critical issues of the era and Greek society, while the discussions are further complemented with audiovisual material, interviews, and statistical data collected from the Onassis Stegi team in collaboration with international bodies.

Free of censorship, representatives from active organizations, members of the academic and artistic community, of the fields of activism and civil society, of journalism, research, legal representation and governance, take a stand on critical and current social and political issues of the time and place.

“Society Uncensored” is series of deep and sincere discussions that highlight significant aspects of our social life, in an open and accessible to all digital platform of exchange and productive dialogue with social and educational purposes. It was launched in order to let a plethora of ‘voices’ be heard, with the aim of diffusing different opinions, reflecting and raising awareness on overarching social issues, as they emerge through the current state of affairs, the public debates in social and traditional media, but our everyday life as well.

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Participants

With

Christos Carras: Sustainability and Green Growth Consultant, Former Executive Director, Onassis Stegi
Grigoris Chryssikos: Office worker, Athlete, Co-Admin of the “Cool Crips” page
Antigoni Karnesioti: Psychopedagogist, Director and Screenwriter of “Handbrake”
Betina Panagiotara: Dance Researcher, Dramaturg, Onassis Scholar
Christos Papamichael: Artist, Founder of Liminal Access
Patricia Toska: Pharmacist, Co-creator of “Handbrake”

Additional Material

“My Other Self,” a work-in-progress choreography by Sofia Zagka in the framework of EBA (Europe Beyond Access), December 2021
Clips from filming “Handbrake,” 2021
Clip from the theatrical play “Metaxia” by THEAMA theater troupe
Clips from “Athens Pride” Festival, 2022
Memes & stills from the fb page “Cool Crips”
Clips from “iDance – Providing access to contemporary dance education for people with disabilities,” 2017

Credits
An Onassis Stegi production in the framework of “Europe Beyond Access” EU program, co-funded by “Creative Europe” program of the European Union.

Conceived & Curated by Pasqua Vorgia, Dimitris Theodoropoulos
Script & Research: Christos Papamichael, Spyros Ntantanidis
Artistic Direction: Christos Sarris
Production Management: Pasqua Vorgia
Content Management: Elizampetta Georgiadou
Video Coordination & Line Production: Smaragda Dogani
Video Line Production: Angeliki Avgeri, Christina Antsakli
Motion Graphics Artistic Overview: Constantinos Chaidalis
Animation: Zina Papadopoulou (Ovalimage Animation & Design)
Subtitles Editing: Vassilis Douvitsas
Translation & Subtitling: Authorwave
Music Score: Kostadis
Still Photographer: Pavlos Fysakis

Featuring (in alphabetical order):
Christos Carras, Grigoris Chryssikos, Elie Driva, Antigoni Karnesioti, Thalia Kiousi, Medie Megas, Betina Panagiotara, Christos Papamichael, Panagiotis Paraschou, Patricia Tosca, Katerina Vrana

Moderated by Spyros Ntantanidis

Greek Sign Language interpretation: Manouella Kagiopoulou, Anna Liakou

Special Thanks:

Dora Vougiouka: European Programs Coordinator 

Christina Liata: Head of Tours and International co-productions, artistic coordination for Europe Beyond Access 

Christina Panagiotakou: Head of Educational Programs at the Onassis Foundation

LIMINAL

Audio Description & Interpretation in Greek Sign Language Production: liminal
Greek Sign Language Interpretation: Olga Dalekou, Andreas Plemmenos, Androniki Xanthopoulou
Greek Sign Language Interpretation Video Recording: Dimitra Triantafillou
Audio Description Script: Kerasia Michalopoulou
Audio Description Narration: Maria Thrasyvoulidi
Audio Description Sound Engineering: Io Chalda
The Audio Description was recorded at Basement Productions studio

ALASKA

Directed & Produced by Stavros Petropoulos, Leonidas Konstantarakos
Line Production: Alaska Films
Director of Photography: Giorgos Koutsaliaris
Camera: Ivan Ziovas, Vangelis Lainas, Xenofon Vardaros, Yannis Fafoutakis
Sound Recording: Iasonas Theophanou
Editor: Katerina Rekka
Production Manager: Giorgos Tsakiris
Set Design: Dimitra Liakoura
Set Designer Assistant: Manina Triantafyllopoulou
Prop Master: GIannis Chatzistavris
Gaffer: Thanasis Kiritsis
Best Boy Electric: Stavros Papadopoulos, Vlasis Papapetropoulos
Production Coordination: Olympia Kaltsa
Production Assistant: Kostas Antarahas, Giorgos Karagiannis
Voice Over Recording: liminal
Sound Mix: Iasonas Theophanou
Color: Yannis Kanakis
Equipment: Rent Photo Video

ONASSIS STEGI

Director of Culture: Afroditi Panagiotakou
Deputy Director of Culture: Dimitris Theodoropoulos

Technical Department

Technical Director: Lefteris Karabilas
Deputy Technical Director: Phil Hills
Lighting Technicians: Kostas Alexiou, Iakovos Mpitsakis, Giakoumis Gkikas
Sound Technicians: Giannis Gliatis, Alekos Tzovaras
Line Production: Danae Giannakopoulou

Communication & Content Department

Group Communication & Content Manager: Demetres Drivas
Content Leader: Alexandros Roukoutakis
Campaign Manager: Elisavet Pantazi
Head of Creative: Christos Sarris
Onassis Media Office: Vasso Vasilatou, Katerina Tamvaki
Social Media Manager: Vasilis Bibas

Sponsors / Partners

  • In collaboration with

  • In the context of

  • Co - funded by

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