Fourteen Greek-speaking and one English-speaking podcasts take part in the Podcast Competition section of the 26th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, setting their eyes on the Best Podcast Award, accompanied by a 2,000-euro cash prize. All podcasts of the Competition section will be available for the audience at the specially configured venue of the Podcast Room (Thessaloniki Cinema Museum), for the entire duration of the 26th TiDF, on a daily basis, from 10am to 8pm.
A Story of Modern-Day Slavery
Creator: Fenia Chala. Script: Fenia Chala. Production: istorima. Sound engineering: Spyros Lymperopoulos. Sound editing: Spyros Lymperopoulos, Fenia Chala. Interviewee: Mohammed Boye Alhassan. Field Reporter: Evangelos Athanassiadis. Sound design: Yorgos Ramantanis. Language: English. Greece, 2023, 26’
When 17-year-old Boye had to flee Ghana, he was held captive by human traffickers and forced to work as a slave in various African and Arab countries. After surviving two years of torture and hardship, he managed to escape and made it to Greece, where he was granted refugee status.
Amorgos: Where I Belong
Creator: Charis Pagonidou. Script-Narration: Charis Pagonidou. Production: istorima. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Spyros Lymperopoulos. Sound design: Dimitris Patsaros. Supplementary recordings-Interviews: Athina Stampouli. Original music: Epidemic music. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 29’
Istorima Reversed is a podcast series that links "istorima" researchers to the interviewees they have encountered. In this episode, Athina engages in conversations with Diego, Thodoris, and her mother, Madalena. Each of them came to Amorgos for different reasons but with a common desire: to find where they belong.
Daughters of Silence
Creator: Despina Sotiropoulou. Script-Production: Despina Sotiropoulou. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Antonis Gasparinatos. Narration: Despina Sotiropoulou, Dimitra Hatoupi (poem by Nikos Engonopoulos), Vana Pefani. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 28’
Gender-based violence and femicide in a documentary audio documentary. An investigation on the high rates of abuse and murder of women in recent years, which contradicts the romantic idealism of the poet Nikos Engonopoulos, in his work Hymn to the Glory of the Women We Love.
Despo Maroulakou: not an ordinary woman
Creators: Maria Koufopoulou, Maria Chatzigianni (for WIFT GR). Production: WIFT GR, Maria Chatzigianni. Script-Narration: Maria Koufopoulou. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Maria Chatzigianni. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 30’
Despo Maroulakou was the first woman to ever work in post editing in Greek films; a truly unique personality, in a unique podcast for WIFT GR.
Eddie Dark: What Do I Do with the Flowers Now?
Creator: Andreas Pappas. Script: Andreas Pappas, Nikolas Petsitis. Production: istorima. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Andreas Pappas. Sound design-Sound mixing: Yorgos Ramantanis. Narration-Visual identity: Nikolas Petsitis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 27’
A girl leads Nikolas to discover his love for music. Their relationship becomes a thing of the past and Nikolas becomes Eddie. Now he will use music to win her back. A tragicomic story full of love, fake blood, and flowers.
Faethon Never Existed
Creators: Maya Filippopoulou, Effrosyni Kyriazi. Script-Sound editing: Maya Filippopoulou. Sound engineering: Dimitris Papadakis. Sound design: Iasonas Theofanou. Interviewee: Dimitris Mitsatsos. Research: Renata Kotti Dobrets. Visual identity: Panos Manolitsis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 24’
The gripping story of the secret mission carried out by the Greek warship "Phaethon", which was sent to Cyprus in 1964. The mission remained top secret for 52 years.
Her Daughter
Creators: Danai Dragonea, Dafni Anesti. Script: Danai Dragonea, Dafni Anest. Production: Kathe Mia Istoria. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Nicholas Kazazis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 21’
Set in a small town, Rodoula struggles throughout her life to ensure that her daughter, who suffers from intellectual disability, becomes independent and has her own autonomous path. From continuous interventions, school years, to the anxiety of finding her daughter a job, we are led to the first car ride when she manages to obtain her driver's license. The story of Rodoula and her daughter is a tale of love and female resilience.
IC62
Creator: Ioanna Tsoucala. Script-Sound editing: Ioanna Tsoucala. Production: BURNT RUSHES FILMS, Ioanna Tsoucala. Sound engineering: Leandros Ntounis. Original music: Nikos Ravious / Nikos Vavouliotis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 22’
IC62 is an audio documentary that takes us on a journey just before and just after the train accident. A fictional passenger moves in and out of the train wagons as conversations on the radios guide the trains toward the collision. A few days later, the news is forgotten amidst the radio waves.
Listen to the River
Creator: Natasha Blatsiou. Script-Sound engineering: Natasha Blatsiou. Production: Tzinda docs, Natasha Blatsiou. Sound editing-Original music: Petros Stamelos. Interviewees: Thanassis Stagoyannis, Yorgos Vassiotis, Stefanos Vassiotis, Keti Grigoratou, Yorgos Tsiloyannis, Panos Apostolinas, Vassilis Nitsiakos, Vassiliki Nitsiakou, Stavros Kotoulas, Aspa Skaperda, Panagiota Kouskou, Frangitsa Vassioti. Post-production: Myrto Tikov. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 22’
The narrative brings together three generations on a journey along the Aoos River and its tributary, Sarantaporos. The flow of water meanders through the nostalgic countryside, civil war memories and the existential anxiety of the younger generation amidst concerns about dam construction plans and the potential desolation of villages.
*Part of the material was produced within the framework of the exhibition By the River of the Vovousa Festival, co-hosted byMedINA (2023)
Minimal
Creator: Ira Katsouda. Script-Production-Narration: Ira Katsouda. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Dionysis Antypas. Graphic design: Angela Patsiada. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 28’
Welcome to Minimal! The most minimalistic game, without sets, without lavish prizes, without even visuals! An audio game that thrives in a world where visuals take precedence. In each episode, a different player tries to find answers to a wide range of audio questions, spanning from general knowledge to history, with only the host and logic as opponents. The most straightforward and entertaining (definitely for the host) game, with chef Gogo Delogianni as the guest in this particular episode.
Second Chance
Creator: Constantinos Vrettos. Script: Constantinos Vrettos, Antonis Papavomvolakis. Production: Music Row Studio, Constantinos Vrettos. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Antonis Papavomvolakis. Narration: Constantinos Vrettos. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 21’
The long journey of life is sometimes turned upside down. When fate decided to cut the thread of life from the people in Karditsa, Kythira and Tempi, the only thing that could stop it was humanity. The humanity of those who changed their destiny and gave them a second chance.
Sunday’s Advent
Creator: Andreas Vagias. Script-Narration: Andreas Vagias. Production: Alexis Anastasiadis, Frenel. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Aris Athanassopoulos. Music mixing: Konstantinos Tsiolis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 30’
Memories and reminiscences from the day-long participatory activity of the homonymous event set up during Sunday’s rest. In mythic Eleusis, the ecumenical location where seasons alternate, people’s traces collide with factories’ funnels, Advent interacts with Sunday, observing the day’s transition.
The Alphabet of Consent
Creator: Maria Louka. Production: Diotima Center (in collaboration with News 247). Script: Maria Louka. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Thanassis Kotoulas. Original music: Pavlina Katsi. Narration: Maria Louka, Katerina Antzoulatou (narration of testimonies), Irini Georgi, Anna Vouyouka (speakers). Content advisor: Natassa Kefallinou. Language: Greek. Greece, 2023, 29’
A podcast about consent as the sole criterion for defining rape and sexual violence, but also about the need to establish consent as a fundamental principle of relationality and communication, in order to form healthy and equal relationships, where all can enjoy love and sexuality.
The Souvlaki Project
Creator: Nalia Zikou. Script: Sofia Gourgouliani. Production-Narration: Nalia Zikou. Language: Greek, English. Greece, 2024, 26’
The Souvlaki Project takes us to the Greek islands to explore the experience of the country through tourism. Two Greek women working on the island and two American women in love create a narrative that revolves around a souvlaki to deal, ultimately, with what binds us to a place.
Wounded by the Invasion…! [1974-2024]
Creator: Matthaios Frantzeskakis. Script: Matthaios Frantzeskakis. Production: Crete Cultural Organization, Matthaios Frantzeskakis. Sound engineering-Sound editing: Kostas Kosmadakis. Language: Greek. Greece, 2024, 25’
They had a calm everyday life that fifty years ago changed within a few hours. Since then they live with the images of that time dominating their daily lives. Since then they live... with the wounds open..! Aspects of these wounds we share with our protagonists…
