9th Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival
For the 9th consecutive year, Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival held its annual event from 25 August to 1 September 2024. The year’s theme was “twice a stranger”, which was explored through a series of films and discussions with filmmakers and other industry professionals from around the world. In commemoration of the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey a century ago and the mass exclusion of people from both sides of the borders, the Festival turned its gaze beyond the obvious, questioning and reflecting on people and lives that were left behind. The stories of individuals who were unable or unwilling to conform to dominant ideologies and perceptions and who were forced into a ceaseless search for acceptance and reconciliation.
The 9th edition of Beyond Borders paid tribute to individuals from the past, present and future through a diverse range of artistic and educational programs. The festival’s film program, book launches, art exhibitions, educational programs, lectures and musical performances aimed at emphasizing the importance of solidarity and humanity. The artistic program also addressed the issue of defending all human rights at every corner of the world. The Festival aimed to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, with the objective of offering a fresh perspective on the everyday reality that surrounds us. It aspired to synthesize the existing elements in a creative palette, within a multicultural melting pot, where pluralism and intersectionality will be the protagonists.
Given the long-standing tradition of pearl production on Kastellorizo, the natural venue of the Festival, we have chosen to parallel human lives with the production of pearls. Despite the challenges and setbacks we face, we persevere in the pursuit of our most promising and valuable aspirations.
The poster for 2024 event was created by the creative agency polkadot design. It references the rationale that a natural consequence of immigration is the fusion of diverse cultures. The exchange of opinions and ideas represents a unique and diverse palette of ideas and perspectives. The poster’s visual representation explores the colourful tapestry of these stories.
The poster’s still is from the documentary “Scenes with my Father” by Biserka Šuran.




9th Edition documentaries
Main Competition
- The Pickers by Elke Sasse, Germany, 2024, 80'
- The land of forgotten songs by Vladimir Nikolouzos, Greece, 2023, 93'
- Samuel and the light by Vinícius Girnys, Brazil, 2023, 71' Greek Premiere
- My Place Ozerna by Karina Będkowska, Poland, 2022, 59' Greek Premiere
- Anna and the Egyptian Doctor by Taliya Finkel, Israel, 2022, 76' Greek Premiere
- Loxy by Dimitris Zahos, Thanasis Kafetzis, Greece, 2024, 87'
- The Three Fatalities of Teofilo Del Valle by Manuel De Juan Navarro, Spain, 48', Greek Premiere
- 2G by Karim Sayad, Switzerland, 2024, 77' Greek Premiere
- Who, If Not Us? – The Fight for Democracy in Belarus by Juliane Tutein, Germany/Belarus, 2023, 77' Greek Premiere
- Koka by Aliaksandr Tsymbaliuk, Poland, 2024, 47' Greek Premiere
- Bangarang by Giulio Mastromauro, Italy, 2023, 73' Greek Premiere
- Reset by Min Bae, Canada, 2023, 89' Greek Premiere
- Grandmother’s footsteps by Lola Peploe, France, 2023, 64' Greek Premiere
- In the sky of nothingness with the least by Christos Andrianopoulos, Greece, 2023, 71'
- I shall not hate by Tal Barda, Canada, 2024, 90' Greek Premiere
- The Parallel Currents by Pablo Chavanel, France, 2024, 68', Greek Premiere
- Searching for Rodakis by Kerem Soyyilmaz, Turkey, 2023, 57'
- Kix by Dávid Mikulán, Bálint Révész, Hungary, 2024, 90' Greek Premiere
μicro Competition
- Sala 5 by Stefano Santamato, Italy, 2022, 15' Greek Premiere
- Anima by Kristin Ivanova, Bulgaria, 2024, 23' International Premiere
- Enemy Alien by Gabriel Murphy, Australia, 2022, 12' Greek Premiere
- Uapishka by Marie France L'Ecuyer, Canada, 2023 27', International Premiere
- When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad by Bohao Liu, China, 2023, 12'
- Sister of Mine by Mariusz Rusinski, Poland, 2023, 30' Greek Premiere
- The Most Beautiful Corner in the World by Robo Mihály, Slovakia, 2022, 25' Greek Premiere
- For here am I sitting in a tin can far above the world by Gala Hernández López, France, 2023 18'
- The Town Crier by Vaggelis Pirpilis, Greece, 2024, 20'
- El Kala by Diego Pérez González, Spain, 2023, 19' Greek Premiere
- The Moon Will Contain Us by Kim Torres, Costa Rica, 2023, 18'
- Keeping Country Strong by Bettina Catherine Richter, Australia, 2023, 29' World Premiere
- Between the fields by Gretel Ribka & Jonas Riedinger, Germany, 2023, 29' Greek Premiere
- The Meatseller by Margherita Giusti, Italy, 2023, 17' Greek Premiere
- Old Summer by Maria Wider, Poland, 2023, 25' Greek Premiere
- Monument by Maksim Avdeev, Germany, 2024, 15' World Premiere
- Live-In by Laura Maragoudaki, Tatiana Mavromati, Greece, 2022, 12'
- Reem Al Shammary – The Bedouin Boxeur by Mattia Ramberti, Italy, 2023 15' Greek Premiere
- A beautiful day by Stefano Obino, Germany, 2023 19' Greek Premiere
- The Board by Carmen Tortosa, Spain, 2023, 19' International Premiere
- Crazy Love by Martyna Peszko, Poland, 2023, 28' Greek Premiere
- Los Sandy’s by Jaime Puerta, USA, 2024, 27' International Premiere
- Dipped in Black by Matthew Thorne and Derik Lynch, Australia, 2023, 24'
Panorama
- Anzac. Lemnos. 1915. by Pria Viswalingam, Australia, 2024, 51’, International Premiere
- On the edge of the Aegean, Kastellorizo by Aggelos Kovotsos and Eirini Sarioglou, Greece, 2015, 55’
- Meeting Zelenskyy by André Singer, UK, Canada, Ukraine, USA, 2024, 90’
- The Return by Nikos Karakostas, Greece, 2023, 46’
- From Cambridge with love: a call to mend the Parthenon’s broken treasures by Leonidas Liambeys, Greece, 2024, 30’ World Premiere
- The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy by Alan Gilsenan, Ireland, 2009, 120’
- Underwonder, ep. 1: Lake Vouliagmeni by Kostas Karidas, Greece, 2024 51’
- They Chose China by Shuibo Wang, Canada, 2005, 52’
- There was nothing here before by Yvann Yagchi, Switzerland, 2023, 71’, Greek Premiere
- Workingman’s Death by Michael Glawogger, Austria/Germany, 2005, 122’
- The Defenders by Matthew Bate, Australia, 2023, 81’ Greek Premiere
- Mana by Valerie Kontakos, Greece, 2014, 67’
- Freedom is beautiful by Angus McDonald, Australia, 2023, 67’ Greek Premiere
- Delikado by Karl Malakunas, Australia, 98’, 2022 Greek Premiere
- Beyond Paper by Oana Suteu Khintirian, Canada, 2022, 130’, Greek Premiere
- Australian Wars, ep.1 by Rachel Perkins, Australia, 2022, 57’ Greek Premiere