Recap of Beyond Borders travels to Athens 2026

Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival in Athens
A brief recap of the three-day event at the Greek Film Archive

For yet another year, Athens became a vibrant meeting point for the Beyond Borders | Kastellorizo International Documentary Festival, as the Greek Film Archive was filled with audiences, energy, powerful images, and compelling stories during an unforgettable three-day screening event, held on March 27–29, 2026.

From the impressive opening night and engaging masterclasses to the sold-out second day and the captivating closing, audiences warmly embraced the festival and its award-winning films from around the world, films that offer revealing perspectives on history, politics, and society.

The presence of Beyond Borders at the Greek Film Archive reaffirmed the festival’s growing momentum, with venues filling early and audiences creating a uniquely warm and immersive cinematic atmosphere. All screenings were offered with free admission.

As stated by the Artistic Director of Beyond Borders and President of the Hellenic History Foundation, Irini Sarioglou:

“Our deepest thanks go to the audience, who transform each screening into an event—because a festival without its audience is simply an empty room. Events like these reaffirm that the collective experience of cinema remains alive and irreplaceable. We move forward together, with strength and purpose, selecting powerful documentaries from around the world with complete freedom, while encouraging filmmakers to develop and present their work beyond borders.”

Highlights

The presence of Rudy Buttignol, an internationally acclaimed cultural professional and Strategic Planning & International Networking Advisor of Beyond Borders, marked an important milestone through a preparatory working session for the Festival’s new initiative, the Co-Production Development Forum. Directors and producers engaged in a dynamic exchange, laying the groundwork for a new development framework aimed at strengthening international outreach, creative exchange, and sustainable production for the Greek independent documentary sector.

In its 11th edition (August 23–30, 2026), Beyond Borders plans to launch the Forum as a pilot initiative supporting film professionals in securing international funding and connecting Greek documentary projects with global audiences. Approximately ten selected Greek projects will be presented in person to representatives from leading platforms and broadcasters, including Al Jazeera, ARTE G.E.I.E., HBO Europe, NRK (Norwegian Public Broadcasting), among others.

At her masterclass on the art of pitching, Dr. Claudia Schreiner, Head Moderator of the Beyond Borders Pitching Lab and former head of the Master School at Documentary Campus (Berlin & Munich), shared valuable insights and inspiration with filmmakers and industry professionals. Together with participants, she explored the key elements of a successful pitch: theme, narrative, audience, market positioning, financing, and presentation strategy.

Screenings & Discussions

Audiences followed with great interest the documentary “Lo” by Thanasis Vassiliou, recipient of the Golden Wreath of Megisti and the Odysseus Award at Beyond Borders. The film tells the story of a son returning to his childhood home, unraveling the threads of a distant relationship with his father. The discussion that followed with co-writer Christos Chryssopoulos shed light on the creative process behind the film’s development and scriptwriting.

Another standout moment was the screening of “Sculpted Souls” by Stavros Psillakis (EKKOMED Award for Best Greek Documentary), with the director’s presence adding a special resonance to the evening. During the Q&A, Psillakis deeply moved the audience by reading, for the first time, a personal text dedicated to the film’s protagonist, Swiss dentist Julien Grivel, who for 26 years cared for Hansen’s disease patients and for whom Greece became a second Ithaca. Grivel was recently granted honorary Greek citizenship.

On the occasion of the screening of “The Lost Season” by Mehdi Ghanavati—which had its international premiere in Kastellorizo and received the Bronze Wreath of Megisti, a powerful message from the Iranian director was shared:

“This film was born out of years of patience, distance, and quiet observation. The fact that it continues to be screened in such difficult times carries deep meaning for me. As we go through challenging days in Iran, it gives me hope to know that the film can still travel and connect with audiences. Cinema reminds us that human stories can transcend all borders, even when we ourselves cannot.”

The program also featured Greek premieres such as “The Longer You Bleed” by Ewan Waddell (FIPRESCI Award), portraying displaced Ukrainians in Berlin, where war seeps through screens and social media into everyday life, and “Letters from Wolf Street” by Arjun Talwar (Silver Wreath of Megisti), a portrait of a street in central Warsaw reflecting a Europe in transition.

Additionally, the audience had the opportunity to watch award-winning short films including:
“Simply Divine” by Mélody Boulissière & Bogdan Stamatin (Silver Phoenix μicro),
“Clear Sky” by Marcin Kundera,
and “My Land is Burned” by Abdulrahman Alshowaiki (Bronze Phoenix μicro),
highlighting stories of love, memory, war, and resilience across different parts of the world.

Next Stop

See you at the 11th edition of Beyond Borders, August 23–30, 2026, in Kastellorizo!

Photos from the Athens event are available HERE, and the recap video can be found HERE.

Highlights from the Beyond Borders 2025 edition in Kastellorizo are available HERE, along with film excerpts HERE.

Watch the video celebrating 10 years of the Festival HERE.

Organized by: Hellenic History Foundation (IDISME)
More information: www.beyondborders.gr

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