Unclaimed

A chance discovery at the “Sotiria” hospital in Athens reveals a personal and collective trauma. Between 1945 and 1975, hundreds of tuberculosis patients died there, were unclaimed, and were buried anonymously in mass graves on the hospital grounds. Eighty years later, their dark history comes to light through their belongings and the testimonies of their relatives.

Director: Marianna Economou

Marianna Economou is a documentary director and producer. She studied Anthropology, Photojournalism, and video production in London. Since 2000, she has directed documentary series and films of Greek production, as well as co-productions with European channels such as the BBC, ARTE, and YLE. Her films have been screened at international festivals and on television channels, with many of them receiving distinctions and awards. The documentary The Longest Run was nominated for the European Film Awards in 2016 and won the VER.DI award at Dok Leipzig, while the film When Tomatoes Met Wagner was Greece’s official selection for the 2020 Oscars and won, among other awards, the Best Documentary award from the Hellenic Film Academy. Her documentary titled Dark Waters (2024) won the Onassis Award at Agora Docs in Progress, as part of the 26th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival. Her most recent film, titled Azitítoi (Unclaimed), won the Audience Award at the 26th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.