The Athens Ethnographic Film Festival (Ethnofest) will take place from 23 to 26 November 2017 for the eighth consecutive time. A special tribute “Man and the Environment”, curated by Alexis Katsaros, from MedINA, Kalliope Stara researcher on Cultural Ecology from the University of Ioannina and Pafsanias Karathanasis from Ethnofest, will run throughout the festival and will conclude with a panel and open discussion on rural communities responses to 21st century challenges titled “Small places in the 21st century: Old challenges, new perspectives”
The tribute “Man and the Environment” has been placed under the aegis of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, as part of Ethnofest’s ongoing collaboration with the Directorate of Modern Cultural and Intangible Cultural Heritage. Under this theme, six films will be screened for the first time in Greece, giving the public the opportunity to see the visual result of a comprehensive dialogue between ethnography and nature. One of the films, titled “Alima”, is a co-production between MedINA and Ethnofest and provides a contemporary anthropological look on the lifeways of the Messolonghi – Aitoliko ivari fishermen.
On the final day of the festival, a panel and open discussion will be organised on rural communities responses to 21st century challenges. The focus will be on the main challenges faced by rural and mountainous communities such as abandonment and unsustainable development and the role that culture, community action and nature can play in responding to them. The four speakers will present their own experiences and responses to these challenges. More specifically, two of the speakers from the area of Thermo in Western Greece, Ms Sofia Yfanti and Mr Vassilis Kostantinidis, will present their newly created Institute for Creativity, Development and Research of the Region of Thermo an organisation that explores pathways to sustainable local development. From the mountainous area of Northern Pindos, the two speakers will be Mr. Giorgos Keranis, co-organiser of the Vovousa Festival and Mr. Giorgos Makris, creator and artistic director of Zagoriwood; both initiatives have been successful in mobilising and positively impacting local communities in this remote area of Greece. The panel will be facilitated by Ms Villy Fotopoulou, Director of the Directorate of Modern Cultural and Intangible Cultural Heritage and an open discussion will follow.
The tribute “Man and the Environment” is implemented by the Operational Program “Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning” and its co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund) and Greek National Funds. The film tribute has free admission and it’s accessible to people with disabilities.