Opening Ceremony

Memorial Statue Square

The Opening Ceremony of the 10th Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival had a particularly festive character this year. Held in the packed Hero Square on the stunning island of Kastellorizo, with over 700 guests and visitors from Greece and abroad—including local residents and international cinema professionals—the ceremony marked the official launch of the anniversary edition, an integral part of the festival itself, as the festival is the world of its participants.

In her welcome address, Irini Sarioglou, Artistic Director and Founder of the Festival, gave a moving retrospective of Beyond Borders’ ten-year journey. She highlighted that the festival began a decade ago as a dream and today ranks, according to FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics), among the three most prestigious festivals worldwide, after Venice and Locarno. “I come from a small island opposite the City, Antigone. Perhaps that is why, from childhood, I was deeply concerned with values such as justice, solidarity, humanity, and truth,” noted Ms. Sarioglou, adding that “Beyond Borders aims for even greater development, especially after this year’s record submission of 907 films.”

During her speech, the emblematic short film by the Manakia Brothers (1905), featuring women weavers, was screened—the first-ever cinematic recording made in the Balkans. “Just as they wove their present with their hands, contemporary documentary filmmakers weave, through images and sound, the multifaceted reality of our own time,” concluded the Artistic Director.
Michel Noll, founder of Écrans des Mondes and International Development Director at Beyond Borders, reminded the audience that at the “heart” of every festival are the filmmakers who invest time, effort, and resources to share their ideas with the world. He emphasized that the combination of history and cinema is more relevant than ever, stating: “We live in dangerous times. Never has it been so urgent to pause and observe what is happening around us. Our world is overwhelmed by violence and wars. From my 40 years of experience in documentary filmmaking, I can now say with certainty
that there is no more effective response to violence than dialogue. And for dialogue to have meaning, it must be grounded in evidence. That is precisely what documentary film does.” Mr. Noll concluded by noting that “Beyond Borders reminds us not to rest on our laurels but always to seek the bigger picture.”
Stratos Amygdalos, Deputy Mayor of Culture of the Municipality of Megisti, welcomed the attendees, emphasizing the shared belief that Beyond Borders has now secured its own distinguished place on the global cultural map. “The Festival invites us to deepen our understanding, to reflect, to remember. It is an example of how a cultural institution can serve as a tool for education, dialogue, and collective memory,” he said. A long-time friend of the Festival, Mr. Amygdalos expressed his personal and heartfelt gratitude to Artistic Director Irini Sarioglou for her devotion to the island since she first discovered it three decades ago. He noted that Kastellorizo, with its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and contemporary references, continues to carve its own path, becoming a point of reference not only for Greece but for the world.

In her remarks, Cristina Caputo, Deputy Ambassador of Italy to Greece, underlined that through Beyond Borders, Kastellorizo has become a meeting place for ideas, cultures, and narratives. “Italy is proud to share with Greece a passion for Mediterranean culture, as well as the belief that cinema can bridge societies, past and future,” she said, congratulating the Festival for honoring the Italian broadcaster RAI as the foreign Media Partner of the year for its long-standing contribution to documentary film. “Continue to inspire us with creative voices,” she concluded.

Alexis Papachelas, Director of the newspaper Kathimerini, honored as the Greek Media Partner of the Festival this year, emphasized that memory and history play a decisive role in times of great uncertainty. He noted that Beyond Borders is further proof of the remarkable resilience of Kastellorizo, an island that has survived, been reborn, and continues to inspire through the survival stories of its inhabitants. “The Festival is an integral part of this recent renaissance,” he remarked, expressing admiration for how, despite challenges, it has become a global cultural institution in just its first decade. Mr. Papachelas highlighted Kathimerini’s special feature on Kastellorizo, produced in collaboration with the Festival, noting that the Sunday edition, with a dedicated insert on the island, “was exceptionally delivered to the island to honor this moment.” He concluded: “Today, Kathimerini is Kastellorizo.”

This year, besides Greece as the honoree country and the two Media Partners, the festival also honored GrecDoc (the Greek documentary festival in Paris) and the academic institution École Alsacienne (Paris).
The film that officially opened the festival was Johatsu – Into Thin Air by Andreas Hartmann & Arata Mori (Japan-Germany, 2024), which examines the unusual phenomenon of “disappearing people” in Japan. Every year, thousands vanish without a trace. Known as Johatsu, or “the evaporated,” they leave their lives behind for various reasons—troubled relationships, rising debts, or threats from organized crime. Some receive assistance from so-called “night relocation” companies that help them vanish and start a new life elsewhere. Offering a personal perspective, the film explores the internal conflicts and reconciliation efforts between those who disappear and those left behind.

Following the screening, Chrysi Papagiannouli (vocals), Nikos Plios (guitar, vocals), and Tasos Giannousis (bouzouki, vocals, artistic direction) presented, specially for the 10th anniversary edition of Beyond Borders, a musical anthology of unforgettable works by Greece’s greatest composers: Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis, Manos Loïzos, Stavros Kouyioumtzis, Vasilis Tsitsanis, Markos Vamvakaris, and others. Beloved songs were presented with renewed energy and perspective, creating an evening full of music, memory, and emotion.