UFFS (Universal Film Festival Samothraki) is a global short film festival that will make its debut next summer in 2022 in the Greek island of Samothraki, an island in the north-east of Greece near the borders with Turkey. Our three-day festival will be annual and will take place each August bringing together creators and cinema lovers from all over the world. The first year selected films will be screened in August 2022 in Samothraki, Greece and will also be published on our social media (website, Facebook page, Instagram, Film Freeway page). Our festival will also be advertised on T.V, radio and the press.

Samothraki is a natural heaven and a popular international destination for people of all ages and this is the reason why our aim is to cover all tastes and choices through a wide range of movie categories. Samothraki is also a wonderful place, rich in archeological sites, history, natural beauties, traditional tasty food, alternative nightlife and also picturesque landscapes.

Our mission and goal is to promote culture and discover and give talented young directors and film makers from all over the world the opportunity to present their work to a wider audience. We will select films created by all genders, various cultures and traditions dealing with matters that meet our past, present or future. Science fiction films will also be welcomed since imagination is the window to our souls.

Our judges are people that have dedicated their lives to art. In addition, the festival will host parallel activities before the screenings of films such as painting and photography exhibitions, speeches by local and relevant associations related to the festival themes, exhibition stands with handicrafts, jewelry and local products, theatrical performances, music concerts, etc. Finally, during the event, actors, directors, and other experts will be invited to talk about the field of the 7th art.

Short films

general content

Documentaries

all kinds

Animation films

all kinds

Short Films

by female directors

wildlife

animals and environment

Border films

films about borders and immigrants

UFFS 2023 Programme

DAY 1 - Friday 18/08/23
Άνοιγμα 18:00- Μπουφές καλωσορίσματος με μουσική παλιού ξλενου και ελληνικού κινηματογράφου.- Δραστηριότητες: Φτιάξε τη δική σου κάρτα / Γράψε μας ευχές στο βιβλίο εντυπώσεων του UFFS. - Ζωγράφισε πάνω σε πέτρα - η κ. Σμαρώ Κυριακοπούλου σου δείχνει προτότυπα σχέδια.- Θα υπάρχει κάλπη για να ψηφίζει το κοινό την αγαπημένη του ταινία.
Παράλληλη δράση 18:30 19:00- Αναλόγιο για τη Σαμοθράκη με ποιήματα - τραγούδι απο την λαογράφο - ποιήτρια συγγραφέα κ. Μαρία Βερβέρη Κράουζε.- Kείμενο για τη Σαμοθράκη - σκηνοθεσία - ανάγνωση του κ. Θανάση Χλιάρα. Συμμετέχει η Κλεοπάτρα Εμμανουήλ Κυριακοπούλου.

Προβολές Α΄Μέρος 19:15 - 21:15 (120΄)

Conference Of The Birds by Shamsil Balkis - Finland 11:08

Ashes to Ashes by George Zouvelos - United States 2:31

Summer in Corbett by Swarnendu Biswas - India 17:00

Control by Giorgos Lourakis - Greece 9:27

KANGAL: A LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN by Tomas Krsiak, Ivan Krsiak - Slovakia 29:58

LE BANC by Fotis Kelepouris - Greece 8:02

Home Fronts by Maria SapounaUnited - Kingdom 12:11

The Grand Tour - A film In-Debt(ed) by Fotios Begklis - Greece 30:00

Διάλειμμα 15 λεπτών
- Μινι παρουσίαση οποιου κινηματογραφιστή επιθυμεί να μιλήσει για την ταινία του.- Παρουσίαση μινι συνεντεύξεων ανθρώπων του παλιού ελληνικού κινηματογράφου.

Προβολές Β’ Μέρος 21:30 - 23:30 (120΄)

Strange Town (Poli Xeni) by Eftychia Maria Kondyli - Greece 3:22

Second Closed Of The Reflex by Emiliano Minotauro Vargas - Mexico 13:06

Three Visits To Mariana's Tower by Panagiotis Vekris - Greece 29:27

The Box by Mihalis Basias - Greece 15:53

IVF - Mndaly Blwry by Sameeah Ahmed Salih - Iraq 9:00

Entangled Waters by Robin Lancaster Bisio -United States 6:01

Madak by Sedat Benek - Turkey 30:00

#iorestoacasaconme by Chiara Sibille - Italy 9:32

A Carousel in the Rain by Jaro Jääskeläinen - Finland 3:18

Κλείσιμο Day 1 με προβολή της ταινίας Σ’ Αγαπώ του Τάκη Κτενά (εκτός διαγωνιστικού χαρακτήρα) και καραόκε πάρτι.

DAY 2 - Saturday 19/08/23
Άνοιγμα 18:00- Μπουφές καλωσορίσματος με μουσική παλιού κινηματογράφου- Δραστηριότητες: Φτιάξε τη δική σου κάρτα / Γράψε μας ευχές στο βιβλίο εντυπώσεων του UFFS. - Ζωγράφισε πάνω σε πέτρα - η κ. Σμαρώ Κυριακοπούλου σου δείχνει προτότυπα σχέδια.- Θα υπάρχει κάλπη για να ψηφίζει το κοινό την αγαπημένη του ταινία.
Παράλληλες Δράσεις 18:30 19:10- Απόσπασμα απο την παράσταση Αντιγόνη του Σοφοκλή στα Αγγλικά σε σκηνοθεσία Θανάση Χλιάρα. Ερμηνεύουν: Θανάσης Χλιάρας.Κλεοπάτρα Εμμανουήλ Κυριακοπούλου. Αφήγηση Μαρία Παπαδοπούλου.- Αναλόγιο - αφήγηση ιστορίας της Σμαρώς Κυριακοπούλου.

Προβολές Α΄Μέρος 19:15 - 21:15 (120΄)

HAPPY B'DAY MARIA by Dujin Kim - Republic of Korea 2:00

Jing-im jylli, jong ki dkar (Life Cycle of Turtles) by Dr Satyakam Phukan - India 3:00

In this world of others by Pavlos Mavrikidis - Greece 9:59

One Bag by Jaiden Reese, Arsham Shafie - Canada 23:35

Neighbour (Humsaya) by Dawood Akhter Murad -Pakistan 16:27

The antiquary by Manuel Matos Barbosa - Portuga l8:00

Coffee, Culture and Circularity by Katie Conlon - United States 9:21

Culture Talk on the Radio by Errkaa -Germany 27:00

TIES by Panos Spinthiropoulos - Greece 9:48

Προβολές Β’ Μέρος 21:30 - 23:30 (120΄)

Corps à Cors by Hippolyte Burkhart-Uhlen, Vincent Benedetti-Icart - France 10:30

Kuli Calling by Dr Satyakam Phukan - India 17:57

PORFYRI LEMONIA by Dimitris Andjus - Greece 12:50

Dajla: cinema and oblivion by Arturo Dueñas Herrero - Spain 15:00

The Robot and The Butterfly by Gaile Garnelyte - Lithuania 25:00

Forgotten Drinks by Anthony Fogas -Australia 16:00

Hug 65+ by Xenia Tsilochristou - Greece 30:00

Inside the ark or all the things that are getting lost by Noemi Vasileiadou - Greece 19:57
Κλείσιμο Day 2 με performance των umbra project.

DAY 3 - Sunday 20/08/23
ΠΡΩΙ - 12:00 Επίσκεψη στο Λαογραφικό Μουσείο της κυρίας Μαρίας Βερβέρη Κράουζε στη Χώρα Σαμοθράκης.
Άνοιγμα: 18:00- Μπουφές καλωσορίσματος με μουσική παλιού κινηματογράφου- Δραστηριότητες: Φτιάξε τη δική σου κάρτα / Γράψε μας ευχές στο βιβλίο εντυπώσεων του UFFS. - Ζωγράφισε πάνω σε πέτρα - η κ. Σμαρώ Κυριακοπούλου σου δείχνει προτότυπα σχέδια.- Θα υπάρχει κάλπη για να ψηφίζει το κοινό την αγαπημένη του ταινία.
Παράλληλη δράση 18:30 - 19:00- Παρουσίαση του βιβλίου “Η Ζωή αύριο η Ζωή Χτες” της Σοφίας Αλεξανιάν.

Προβολές Α΄Μέρος 19:15 - 21:15 (120΄)
Nomads by Giannis Floulis - Greece 13:00

Hantush - a fairytale by Alexia Tsouni - Greece 6:12

Once a Green Planet by Kiro Kelada - Egypt 1:00

Decisions by Meletis Fourountzidis - Greece 29:40

THE WHITE CROW by Dr Satyakam Phukan - India 14:00

Res Publica by Michalis Katsouris - Greece 19:59

The Boar by Konstantinos Tsiodoulos - Greece 20:00

Kalinka Malinka by Sofia Alexanian - Greece 10:00

Διάλειμμα 15 λεπτών

- Μινι παρουσίαση οποιου κινηματογραφιστή επιθυμεί να μιλήσει για την ταινία του.

- Παρουσίαση μινι συνεντεύξεων ανθρώπων του παλιού ελληνικού κινηματογράφου.

Προβολές Β’ Μέρος 21:30 - 23:30 (120΄)

Sock’s Manifesto by Angeliki Pardalidou - Greece 4:00

38 days by Spyros Vlachakis - Cyprus 27:48

In Limbo by Tutku efe - Germany 18:25

The 7th Night:MaoMao Revisits by AhLoong - Malaysia 3:48

Serpent in the West by Yessica Hurtado Martinez - Spain 25:12

one thousand birds symphony by Grice Peters - United Kingdom 17:32

GOING HOME by Aineias Babulis - United Kingdom 19:19

BREARTH by JULIO DEL ALAMO - Spain 2:00

- Πασαρέλα για παρουσίαση χειροποίητου κοσμήματος.

Τελετή βράβευσης.

Κλείσιμο Day 3 ποτό, χορό, μουσική και πάρτι.

Monday 21 /08/23

11 το πρωί - Ξενάγηση στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο του ιερού των Μαγάλων Θεών απο τον ξεναγό - αρχαιολόγο Θανάση Χλιάρα.

Our festival special categories are three and have to do with matters vital to our society.

Firstly, we want to embrace films made by talented female directors and examine the world through their special look,in our days, that women in some places are being muzzled and jostled. We believe that they have a lot to offer to the world of cinema and have a lot to say about life in their own special way.

In addition, both environmental matters and animal rights are significant issues that must be discussed, so it would be great to watch films that have to do with the environment and the animals in a natural habitat that is a pure paradise for our country’s flora and fauna.

Last but not least, films about immigrants and border stories will be especially welcomed, since the location of the island, which is close to the Greek borders, makes it ideal and our country, as a Balkan country, is rich in experience on this matter.

Samothraki award

(Best short film of general content)

Documentary Award

Best Documentary award

Animation Award

Best Animation Film award

Penthesilea Award

(best film by a female director)

Saos Award

(Best Wildlife Film)

Border Award

(Best Film about Borders and Immigrants)

Director Award

Best Director (honor price)

Actor Award

Best Actor (honor price)

Actress Award

Best Actress (honor price)

Scenario Award

Best Scenario (honor price)

Audience Award

Audience award (honor price)

AWARD WINNERS

Award Winners UFFS 2023

SAMOTHRAKI AWARD (General Content)

LE BANC by Fotis Kelepouris - Greece

PENTHESILEA AWARD (films by female directors)

Sock’s Manifesto by Angeliki Pardalidou - Greece 4:00

SAOS AWARD (wild life films)

A Carousel in the Rain by Jaro Jääskeläinen - Finland

DOCUMENTARY AWARD (documentary films)

Hug 65+ by Xenia Tsilochristou - Greece

BORDER AWARD (border films)

Dajla: cinema and oblivion by Arturo Dueñas Herrero - Spain

ANIMATION AWARD (animation films)

The 7th Night by AhLoong - Malaysia

BEST SCENARIO AWARD

Inside the ark or all the things that are getting lost

by Noemi Vasileiadou - Greece

BEST ACTRESS AWARD

PORFYRI LEMONIA by Dimitris Andjus - Greece

Maria Halepli - Konstantina Matwali Koutoulaki

BEST ACTOR AWARD

Second Closed of the Reflex by Francisco Santos

BEST DIRECTOR AWARD

Brearth by Julio Del Alamo

AUDIENCE AWARD

Serpent in the West by Yessika Hurdago Martinez

HONORABLE MENTION (animation Award)

Strange Town (Poli Xeni) by Eftychia Maria Kondyli - Greece

HONORABLE MENTION (Border AWARD)

In Limbo by Tutku efe - Germany

HONORABLE MENTION (general content AWARD)

Going Home by Aineias Babulis

FINALISTS UFFS 2023

GENERAL CONTENT FILMS

LE BANC by Fotis Kelepouris - Greece 8:02

PORFYRI LEMONIA by Dimitris Andjus - Greece 12:50

FILMS BY FEMALE DIRECTORS

Inside the ark or all the things that are getting lost by Noemi Vasileiadou - Greece 19:57

Sock’s Manifesto by Angeliki Pardalidou - Greece 4:00

WILD LIFE FILMS

A Carousel in the Rain by Jaro Jääskeläinen - Finland 3:18

Nomads by Giannis Floulis - Greece 13:00

DOCUMENTARIES

Hug 65+ by Xenia Tsilochristou - Greece 30:00

The Grand Tour - A film In-Debt(ed) by Fotios Begklis - Greece 30:00

ANIMATION FILMS

The 7th Night:MaoMao Revisits by AhLoong - Malaysia 3:48

Strange Town (Poli Xeni) by Eftychia Maria Kondyli - Greece 3:22

BORDER FILMS

In Limbo by Tutku efe - Germany 18:25

Dajla: cinema and oblivion by Arturo Dueñas Herrero - Spain 15:00

SEMIFINALISTS UFFS 2023

GENERAL CONTENT FILMS

Culture Talk on the Radio by Errkaa -Germany 27:00

TIES by Panos Spinthiropoulos - Greece 9:48

#iorestoacasaconme by Chiara Sibille - Italy 9:32

LE BANC by Fotis Kelepouris - Greece 8:02

Decisions by Meletis Fourountzidis - Greece 29:40

GOING HOME by Aineias Babulis - United Kingdom 19:19

PORFYRI LEMONIA by Dimitris Andjus - Greece 12:50

FILMS BY FEMALE DIRECTORS

Coffee, Culture and Circularity by Katie Conlon - United States 9:21

Hantush - a fairytale by Alexia Tsouni - Greece 6:12Inside the ark or all the things that are getting lost by Noemi Vasileiadou - Greece 19:57Sock’s Manifesto by Angeliki Pardalidou - Greece 4:00

WILD LIFE FILMS

KANGAL: A LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN by Tomas Krsiak, Ivan Krsiak - Slovakia 29:58

Madak by Sedat Benek - Turkey 30:00

BREARTH by JULIO DEL ALAMO - Spain 2:00

A Carousel in the Rain by Jaro Jääskeläinen - Finland 3:18Nomads by Giannis Floulis - Greece 13:00

one thousand birds symphony by Grice Peters - United Kingdom 17:32

DOCUMENTARIES

Hug 65+ by Xenia Tsilochristou - Greece 30:00

Three Visits To Mariana's Tower by Panagiotis Vekris - Greece 29:27

The Grand Tour - A film In-Debt(ed) by Fotios Begklis - Greece 30:00

38 days by Spyros Vlachakis - Cyprus 27:48

ANIMATION FILMS

The 7th Night:MaoMao Revisits by AhLoong - Malaysia 3:48

The antiquary by Manuel Matos Barbosa - Portuga l8:00

Strange Town (Poli Xeni) by Eftychia Maria Kondyli - Greece 3:22

BORDER FILMS

Conference Of The Birds by Shamsil Balkis - Finland 11:08

In Limbo by Tutku efe - Germany 18:25

Dajla: cinema and oblivion by Arturo Dueñas Herrero - Spain 15:00

Award winners UFFS 2022

Samothraki Award (general content) - The Promenade

Documentary Award - Rebetiko Underground

Animation Award - The Boy and the Mountain

Penthesilia Award (films by female director) - I am Hydra

Saos Award (films about animals and environment) - North :A love letter

Borders Award (films about borders and immigrants) - Evros

Best Actress - Kill them all and don't come back alone

Best actor - Janko

Best director - Spiritus Dei

Best scenario - Flik Flok

Audience Award - 80's Craze

Best Actress Honorable Mention - Cell

Audience Award Honorable Mention - The others

FINALISTS UFFS 2022

General Content

Janko Žonta by Aleksander Kogoj Jr. (Slovenia)

The Promenade by Nico Falcone Georgiadis (Sweden)

Animation

Painting By Numbers by Radheya Jegatheva (Australia)

The Boy and the Mountain by Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal (Chile)

Documentaries

Bella Bimba by George Leontakianakos (Greece)

Rebetiko Underground by Apostolos Polymeris, Georgios Polymeris (Greece)

FEMALE DIRECTORS

Spiritus Dei by África Muñoz López (Spain)

I am Hydra by Thale Blix Fastvold (Norway)

WILDLIFE

Benefit by Thyshaant Bruno (France)

North: A Love Letter by Ellen Hemphill (United States)

BORDER FILMS

TONI by Roman Filiev (Greece)

EVROS by Kiriakos Anastasiou (Greece)

SEMIFINALISTS UFFS 2022

General Content

Janko Žonta by Aleksander Kogoj Jr. (Slovenia)

The Promenade by Nico Falcone Georgiadis (Sweden)

Kill them all and don't come back alone by Enrique Novials (Spain)

At the airport – Στο αεροδρόμιο by Michalis Mathioudakis (Greece)

Just Like Water by Manos Triantafillakis (Greece)

Animation

Painting By Numbers by Radheya Jegatheva (Australia)

The Boy and the Mountain by Santiago Aguilera, Gabriel Monreal (Chile)

The Knight's Hart by Vivi Markatos (Greece)

Documentaries

Bella Bimba by George Leontakianakos (Greece)

Rebetiko Underground by Apostolos Polymeris, Georgios Polymeris (Greece)

Esmeralda by Samantha Orozco (Mexico)

FEMALE DIRECTORS

Spiritus Dei by África Muñoz López (Spain)

The others – Οι Άλλοι By Nayada Sagri (Greece)

80's Craze by Domniki Kastanaki (Greece)

I am Hydra by Thale Blix Fastvold (Norway)

Cell by Nasim Kiani (United States)

WILDLIFE

Benefit by Thyshaant Bruno (France)

Shelter in the snow by Mark Krol (Russian Federation)

North: A Love Letter by Ellen Hemphill (United States)

ANTARCTICA - WHITE LOVER by Jivko Konstantinov (Bulgaria)

BORDER FILMS

Sosίβιο by Nikolaos Galanis, Nikos Konstantakis, students of Primary school in Kounavi (Greece)

TONI by Roman Filiev (Greece)

EVROS by Kiriakos Anastasiou (Greece)

Short films must be less than 30 minutes.
Films must have been completed within the past three years.
All films must have English language subtitles.
Multiple entries from the same submitter are accepted. A separate submission and a separate entry fee must accompany each entry.
The festival authorities will have the right to retain copies of each film and the material sent as part of our festival library and can be screened in for education, promotion, awareness and commercial purposes.
The films sent to UFFS can be shown on the Greek and International T.V.,local network, Internet etc. for promotion and publicity.
Films that are submitted must be the competitor’s original work and shall not infringe any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties. Contestants agree that they have obtained all required copyright permissions regarding music, sound & images etc. presented in their film.
UFFS organizers reserve the rights to change, cancel or re-schedule the dates, place, awards & categories.
Premiere status is not required and all films are qualified to submit.
Entry fees are not refundable.

Kleopatra Emmanouil Kyriakopoulou

Art Director of UffS

Kleopatra Emmanouil Kyriakopoulou grew up in Alexandroupolis of Greece. She is a theater and cinema director, an actress, a screenwriter and a playwright. She studied at the Higher Drama School of Art "Praxi 7". She is also a graduate of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens in the Department of Critical, Historical and Philosophical Approach of Theater and she is studying at the Department of Kapodistrian University: Cinema- History, Practices and Basic Principles of Directing. She has attended many seminars for theater and cinema too.

She has won the Best Actress award for her performance in PHROSSO, 2 Best Picture Awards and 1 Best Director Award for the same film which she also wrote and co-directed.

As a director he has staged 3 performances in the theater and has directed 3 short films at cinema. As a writer and screenwriter she has written twenty plays, screenplays and adaptations and has published a theatrical playnamed"I Recognize You… Dionysios Solomos (published by HRODOTOS Publications) about the life and work of our national poet, which was staged in Athens in 2017 qnd 2018. As an actor, she has played in more than 35 plays and movies.

She has founded the theatrical workshop BORRAS and F.K.M.B Productions (non-profit production company). She teaches acting in theater and cinema in theworkshop "VORRAS".

Alexandra Barbagianni

Visual space designer

Alexandra Barbagianni was born and raised in Alexandroupolis of Greece.

She comes from a family of artists and from a young age, she discovered her inclination towards artistic creation and decoration.

She has worked for many years in the field of country decoration and decoration and maintains an e-shop for the manufacture and sale of jewelry, decorations, and constructions.

Finally, she deals with the decoration part at weddings and baptisms.

At UFFS she is responsible for the creation and construction of the souvenirs and awards of the festival, as well as for the design of the decoration of the space and many activities that will take place during it.

Smaro Kyriakopoulou

Organizing assistant

Smaro Kyriakopoulou has been teaching English since 1982. She has taught in many tuition centers in Alexandroupolis and later opened her own tutoring center with her husband. Her many years of involvement with children continues up to this day.

She has also dealt with Painting and the visual arts in general (constructions, handicrafts). She has attended theater and theatrical play seminars for children. Finally, she has participated in theatrical performances as an amateur.
At the UFFS festival she will be responsible for small interactive, theatrical sketches for children in Greek and English.

Eleni Valaka

Organizing assistant

Eleni Valaka was born in Alexandroupolis, in 2003. She is a first-year student at the University of Western Macedonia, Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering.

From a very young age she has been involved in theater and writing. She has taken part in school and extracurricular performances. Eleni has attended photography classes as well as acting seminars in theater and cinema. In 2018, she won the First Prize for Short Story in the 10th Panhellenic School Competition. Since thenshe continues writing short stories, poems, screenplays and much more, while evolving more and more in the field of theater and cinema.

Thanasis Chliaras was born in 1963 in Athens, Greece and grew up in Serres and
Athens.
He is a play and screenwriter, a stage and film director and an actor.
He studied at the Theater Lab, Washington DC and the Theater of Changes, Athens,
He is also an Archaeology graduate of Venice University, Italy and has a PhD in
Archaeology at Princeton University, NJ, USA. He has also participated in modern ,
revised and ancient theater seminars and in film making seminars , in the USA and in
Greece.
Read More...

He has won the Comedy of the Year Award for the comedy performance in theater
`Marriage actually`, for best playwrite, directing, group acting and music in 2019,
and best Music Analog also in 2019, for the performance `Eleni Stathatou, the Collector,
the Woman, the Wife, the Athlete`
As a director he has staged 10 performances in theater, has directed two short films in
cinema. As a writer he has written 13 plays , 2 short film scripts and 1 television series
comedy. As an actor he has played in more than 20 theater and cinema productions in
Greece and 2 in the USA.
He has founded the Man`s Theater non profit production company and the Man`s
Theater Lab in Nafplion, Greece and teaches ancient greek theater techniques of
analysis, reading, acting and staging.

(non-profit
production company). She teaches acting in theater and cinema in the workshop
"VORRAS".

She has written played and directed numerous plays and short films. Her last short film has been awarded in 4 film festivals (2 Best Picture Awards, 1 best actress Award and 1 Best Director Award .

Sofia Alexanian is an actress and a writer. She has studied at A.T.E.I. (Kilkis) Design and Production of Clothes and at the Higher Drama School of Mary Vogiatzi Traga. Also, she has studied at the Russian Theatre School Al. Kalyagin in Moscow. She has worked at theatre performances of ancient and modern drama with Anna Vagena and the last play of Yiannis Kakleas - "The land of Pondos" by Dimitris Psathas. On T.V. she has participated in several series, such as :The Red River, "Sure Shef", "Come to my Place". Lately she maintains a youtube chanel where she presents short stories and theatrical one - act plays. Her short film "Kalinka Malinka" is an adaptation from A. Chekhov's short story "The Drama". Sofia Alexanian's book "The Life tomorrow, The Life Yesterday", will be presented in our festival.

The book "The life tomorrow, the Life yesterday" will be presented in our festival and will be availiable to

get. Abkhazia, 1992. Nine-year-old Sofia is forced to spend the summer away from her mother, at her

older sister's house on Petrovka Mountain. But instead of a summer vacation, her stay in the mountain

turns into a living nightmare: war breaks out with Georgia, and Sofia loses track of her mother. The terror

and agony of death, under a sky from which bombs rain down, but above all Sofia's desire to reunite with

her mother become her new everyday life, which seems to have no end. The war, apart from a mother's

embrace, deprives her of relaxation, laughter, friends. And yet, despite all the harsh reality, hope and

longing for life steel her throughout her journey from the burning Abkhazia to Greece, her new homeland.

A shocking testimony of the actress Sofia Aleksanian about the cruelty of the war she lived through, about

the rescue of Abkhazian expatriates and about her dream to get an education.

The well-known folklorist and painter Maria Ververi-Krause, is introduced as "Samothrakitisa", because she was born and raised in Samothrace. She has worked as an employee of the Agricultural Bank of Greece. Her husband was Ioannis Krause, a German citizen and she has a daughter, Evangelia. We know her as a folklorist from her book "Customs and traditions of Samothrace", as a poet from the book "Samothracian Windmills". Many of her poems have also been set to music. And as a painter from her paintings, some of which have been awarded.
Read More...

Apart from the oil paintings, she paints scarves, shawls and ties on silk. She sings songs of Samothrace in an album of Symon Kara. In Dora Stratou’s theater, she has danced dances of her homeland. In the house where she was born, in Chora of Samothrace, three generations of family objects are preserved, which she presents every summer to her island’s visitors. Her house functions as a private folklore museum. She has also releasing a CD entitled "Musical memories of Samothrace".

Book and painting exhibitions were held: in Germany, since 1986 in the cities: Celle, Hamburg, Hannover, Frankfurt - (in the Greek community and in the Greek House). At Offenbach in the Greek Church and the Hellenic Association. In Waldorf the exhibition took place in a bank, in the City Hall building but also in the Greek community in Maintal. In 1999, in Offenbach (Greek community), at the Diakonisches Werk Caritas in Frankfurt in 1999 and in the Church of Offenbach, also with the Diakonisches Werk Caritas in Offenbach, in 2000.

In Greece, after 1979 in the cities: Athens (Cultural Center at the City Hall of Athens, "Skepsi Nea" Gallery, "El Greco" Gallery, "Parnassos Cultural Center, Piraeus City Hall), Tripoli, Patras, and Alexandroupolis where it takes place every summer exhibition at the "Cultural Center" of the City Hall of Alexandroupolis.

Dimitra Harismidou was born in Thessaloniki in 2001. She graduated as a Crop Production Technician and she is a Student of Forestry and Natural Environment at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, having won the 1st Admission Award at the School of Forestry and Natural Environment of the year 2019.
Read More...

Until today she has been an Animal Caregiver, she has done an internship as a Forester, as well as she has been involved with Volunteering (Kallisto, Environmental Organization for Wildlife and Nature, AUTh Environmental Team, Greek Eco Project, M.A.Z.Y Volunteer Team and has participated in actions such as Cleaning the community garden, ‹‹ Action in the Lagoon Agios Mamatos and "Young Journalists for the Environment". In addition, she has attended many seminars on botany, bees, animals, the environment and in particular plants and the utilization of the Greek flora. Finally, she is related to art as she is a dance teacher and has also been involved in the production of handmade jewelry. During UFFS, she will make a presentation on the local plants and trees of the island of Samothrace from the past until today.

Domniki Kastanaki was born and raised in Athens. She completed her studies in Business Administration at the University of Piraeus and in the Art of Directing at DIEK Chalandri.

She has been professionally involved in cinema and theater. She has also been involved in artistic and conceptual photography for the last two years. Her works are person-centered, with a special basis in aesthetics and artistic direction. She has participated in various thematic exhibitions in Athens.

At the UFFS she will exhibit her works with various themes in the context of the photography exhibition that will take place at the festival.

Niki Samiou is a painter from Argos of Peloponnese. She loves to paint landscapes especially during the autumn when the sun is less intense and the colours are more grey. She lives in Alexandroupolis and she likes to draw at city's parks and also Read More...

outside at the area of Delta or at the fields near the villages of Kirki and Nipsa. She is a student of the painter Rigas Rigopoulos. She studied occupational therapy at the University of West Attica. She is a family therapist trainee and she works in the pyblic health.
At the UFFS she will display some of her pieces of work.

The UMBRA Project is a collaborative platform that was created in 2011 by Andy Dimas, who composes music, soundscapes and video art. A new language of expression that co-forms each time with the energy, the vision and the presence of each different look.

It features both musicians and artists from different backgrounds, with a special emphasis on the relationship between sound, image and physical expression.
The Umbra Project focuses on compositions of stereo tracks and live improvisations with various musical instruments, vocals, video art, performance & dance.
At UFFS they will present theatrical improvisation in combination with sound and video art.

The Association of Volunteer Blood Donors of Alexandroupolis has been active in the prefecture of Evros since 1988 with great success. One of the important goals of the Association is the dissemination of the Idea of Voluntary Blood Donation and the attraction of new Volunteer Blood Donors, Platelet Donors, but also Bone Marrow Donors.

At the same time, great efforts are being made to maintain the existing Voluntary Blood Donors and to have a stable and continuous blood supply, in order to meet the ever-increasing needs. Among other things, the priority of the Association is to upgrade the quality of the offered health services to the patients.
The UFFS film festival supports their work and through its actions hopes to strengthen this great project so we will organize a great event to help their work be heard.

The Ark-based Animal Welfare Association was founded in 2006 and its main purpose is to protect animals, stray and non-stray, as well as to try to find ways for the harmonious coexistence of humans and animals in the city of Alexandroupolis, according to the latest and social perceptions, the concern for the gradual and by mild means elimination of the problem of stray animals in the city of Alexandroupolis. Read More...

Its operation is based exclusively on the help of its volunteers (shelter cleaning, animal transport, etc.) and is financially supported by the annual subscriptions of its members and donations of animal-friendly supporters.
The UFFS film festival supports their work and through its actions hopes to strengthen this great project so we will organize a great event to help their work be heard.

The Counseling Center for Women Victims of Violence of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis has been operating since September 2013 and provides specialized information and counseling services for the psychological, social and legal support of women victims of violence. It is staffed with specialized and properly trained staff: psychologist, social worker and sociologist. Read More...

The services are provided free of charge and the privacy of the consulting is maintained.

The UFFS film festival supports their work and through its actions hopes to strengthen this great project so we will organize a great event to help their work be heard.

They started as a small group of people who timidly wanted to discover through hiking and impassable paths the well-hidden beauties that are within the administrative boundaries of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis.In recent months, the team of Alexandroupolis Hikers has expanded and on weekends they continue their excursions in nature for exercise, entertainment, relaxation and generally escape from the demanding daily routine. Read More...

The Alexandroupolis Hikers team, possessed by a strong love for nature and ecology, aims to highlight the mountainous volume and forest paths of the wider area.

At the UFFS they will organize beautiful hikings both to the area of Alexandroupolis and Samothrace.

the Smile of the Child

"The Smile of the Child" was founded in 1995 by 10-year-old Andreas Giannopoulos, who shortly before he passed away expressed in his diary the desire to create an association so that all children have what he had generously: love, affection, interest , respect. The Smile of every child implements nationwide, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, effective and immediate actions to prevent and address specific phenomena that threaten children.

The UFFS film festival supports their work and through its actions hopes to strengthen this great project.