Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2007

At the documentary film festival "Images of the 21st century", FIPRESCI gave two awards. The prize for a film in the "Recordings of Memory" section went to Souvenirs (Suvenirim) by Shahar Cohen and Halil Efrat (Israel). The prize for a Greek film in the "Human Rights" section went to Secrets and Lies (Mystika kai schemata) by Stavros Stagos.

Souvenirs	Secrets and Lies

Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2007: March 16-24, 2007
The festival's website: www.filmfestival.gr
Details of the FIPRESCI prizes

Reports:

The Future is Now! The festival has proven that the documentary format is as challenging as ever but, as Paulo Portugal explains, the subject matter of these films show a world that is on the brink both environmentally and sociologically.

The Greek Documentary without Secrets and Lies. There were 12 films represented in the Greek section this year, including the FIPRESCI winner, and Demosthenes Xifilinos commends them for turning the attention away from national to more global issues.

Cambodia on the Documentary Map. The shadow of the Khmer Rouge and other grim realities are portrayed in three new documentaries that show a brave new Cambodia facing the future with crumbling certainties.

The Discoveries of World Musicians. The music section combined portraits of popular musicians with a journey into the far reaches of different communities that made for some fascinating documentaries. Sasa Radojevic highlights the ones that were praised by both audience and critics.

The Funny Side of the Tragedy. A journey by road takes a father and son back to the days of the holocaust. Thomas Rothschild explains how the humor and restraint from sentimentality made for a powerful piece on the Jewish Brigade that mixes a personal story with history and was rewarded with the FIPRESCI International prize.

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