“Walls,” an Onassis Culture Production, at the 46th Drama International Short Film Festival
From New York’s New Museum to the city of Drama, Greece: A short film by Christos Sarris, which had its world premiere as part of the Onassis Foundation festival “Archive of Desire”: A Festival Inspired by the Poet C. P. Cavafy, is screened on Thursday, September 7 as one of the 64 Greek entries to DISFF’s official selection.
Walls by Christos Sarris
Christos Sarris’s “Walls” draws heavily on his personal experience working with incarcerated individuals at a prison in Nigrita, Greece, where he taught the basics of filmmaking on both a theoretical and practical level. Through a series of workshops, Sarris provided them with the tools to create a film that not only speaks to their own experiences but also resonates with audiences around the world, discussing fundamental rights and values. “Walls” is a reminder of the power of storytelling and the human ability to find hope and meaning even in the most challenging of circumstances.
The film is accompanied by a musical adaptation of C. P. Cavafy’s poem “Walls” by Laura Jane Grace, Emmy-nominated artist, author, activist, musician, and founder of the American punk-rock band Against Me!
In the words of Christor Sarris, “‘Walls’ is a thought-provoking film that takes place within the confines of a prison. Through the eyes of inmates, we are given the opportunity to explore the themes of freedom, dreams, hope, and the human condition in a way that is both poignant and emotive. The powerful musical adaptation of Cavafy’s poem ‘Walls’ by Laura Jane Grace adds another layer of emotion and depth to the already compelling narrative.”
The film “Walls” was created as part of series of shorts exploring the cinematic power of C. P. Cavafy’s language, which premiered at the festival “Archive of Desire”: A Festival Inspired by the Poet C. P. Cavafy, held at the New Museum in Manhattan, NY, in May 2023.
With a diverse program of 182 films from 41 countries, the 46th Drama International Short Film Festival will take place between September 4 and 10, 2023, in Drama, Greece.
64 Greek films, 7 competition sections, student films, Cinematherapy sessions, the Short Film Hub, networking events, workshops, green films, films for kids, films by kids… and two “tickets” to participate in the Academy Awards! The Festival launches its 46th edition with the fulfillment of a long-held dream: the operation of the Undergraduate Department of Film Studies in Drama by the Hellenic Open University, which, starting in the last couple of months, offers distance-learning and live workshops in the city of Drama.
From this year onwards, the two (2) films that receive the top awards in both the National and International Competitions, will automatically secure the coveted “ticket” to participate in the Oscars®. The affiliation with the Academy Awards® will grant DISFF the extra impetus it needs to fulfill its purpose to the utmost degree possible.
For yet another year, the National and International Competition Programs are complemented by the International and National Student Programs. At the same time, the International Animation and Short & Green Competition Programs continue their successful course; last but not least, the innovative Cinematherapy program became part of the schools’ curricula again this season, while traveling within and beyond the Greek border.
The 46th DISFF will take place at the Olympia Cinema and the Municipal Music School of Drama (Antonis Papadopoulos Hall), at the open-air cinema Alexandros, in the garden of the Cyclops Cultural Centre, and at the Eleftheria multi-purpose café (at the junction of Venizelos and Kountouriotou streets).
The Drama Festival collaborates with: Greek Film Centre (GFC), the National Centre of Audiovisual Media and Communication (EKOME), RAYCAP, CYCLOPS, Green Pixel, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), COSMOTE TV, Onassis Culture and many other bodies, with the full support of the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Hellenic Parliament, and of course the Municipality of Drama.
