PETIT PLAN: EUROPA V
European Short Film Festival
10 – 13 December 2024
FREE ENTRY
Petit Plan: Europa – European Short Film Festival returns for the 5th year between December 10 – 13 with a rich film program, including 33 European short films, screenings for schools and the public, always with free admission.
The screenings will take place at the Goethe Institute of Athens and the Hellenic American Union.
The Festival focuses on European values such as racial equality, respect for the environment, human rights, etc. and is organized in collaboration with the Representation of the European Committee in Greece.
The films are divided into four competition categories, and the audience will have the opportunity to choose their favourite film by voting for the 4 audience awards: the #ThisIsEU – European Values award, in collaboration with the Representation of the European Committee in Greece, the Best Student Film Award, the Best Greek Film award, in collaboration with EKKOMED, as well as the Student Audience Award.
The festival is held with the support and cooperation of: Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, EKKOMED, Representation of the European Commission in Greece, Cervantes Institute, Hellenic American Union, Goethe Institute.
SCREENING SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11 | GOETHE-INSTITUT OF ATHENS (14-16 Omirou str, Athens)
18:00 – Competition Section #ThisIsEU – European Values
Bad Seed (Director: Nadège Herrygers, France, 2022, 12′) In a town, Sadia becomes involved in a mysterious traffic. One of her friends, Arthur, surprises her and discovers what she is hiding. He will have to make a choice…
Honeymoon (Director: Alkis Papastathopoulos, Greece, 2023, 25’) After a traumatising event involving the cops, Fay is leaving Greece for good. Sandra accompanies her to the bus station, taking this time as a chance to say goodbye. As they are travelling by bus across the country, a transphobic attack by two co-passengers leaves them stranded on a highway in the middle of nowhere.
Ilse (Director: Claudia Engl & Judith Hoersch, Germany, 2023, 19’) 1945 in a German war hospital. Only one more day until the nurse Ilse is allowed to start her long-desired home vacation. If only there wasn‘t this one event that, despite the unexpected end of the war, suddenly changed her whole life.
Offside (Director: Catherina Iosifidis, Netherlands, 2022, 13’) Selena (14) plays football as the only girl on a boys’ team. Her teammates see her as one of the boys. When a new girl joins the team, the dynamic in the group begins to change. Selena does everything she can to protect her position within the group.
The Christmas Dinner (Director: O’Neal Malki, Sweden/Syria, 2023, 8’) An illegal immigrant mother in Sweden tries to gather Christmas food from the trash and people’s leftovers for her three kids.
Trash Walk (Director: Evripidis Karydis, UK, 2024, 19’) Trash Walk is a short documentary that follows Christina during Christmas. She is an art activist based in Glasgow who through street performances conveys her stance against consumerism. By adopting a hybrid approach of documentary modes (observational, expository) this film tries to explore the concepts of art activism (artivism) and street performance.
20:00 – Best Student Film Competition Section
Acheron (Director: Konstantina Papadopoulou, Greece, 2024, 18’) Married but estranged, Maria and Nikos decide to spend a weekend by the Acheron river. During their stay they are affected by the ancient myth of the river and attempt to find a new balance in their relationship.
In Our Hands (Director: Kristián Mensa, Czechia, 2023, 5’) The body is an endless source of inspiration, reflecting stories, metaphors, and connections with the external landscape. As humans, we possess the power to create, reproduce, and thrive, yet we also bear the capacity to witness the devastating ruin of our planet. The direction we choose to steer the flora, fauna, and ourselves rests solely in our hands.
Plainte (Director: Boufrah Ryan, France, 2023, 7’) A woman goes to a police station to file a complaint.
Son of Happiness (Director: Dominik Mirecki, Poland, 2024, 17’) A single father raising a son with Down’s syndrome decides to fulfil his biggest dream of becoming a professional actor.
The Best Moment Of The Day (Director: Zsuzsa Sándor, Hungary, 2023, 10’) Does everyone think about the best moment of the day in the evening? Do we value them or take them for granted? Why do we distance ourselves from our fellow humans when we are all one? The animated anthropological documentary seeks answers to these questions. I ask people about the best moment of their day, the characters are of different genders, nationalities, ages coming from different social areas. The differences between the interviewees help to bridge stereotypes and distances, and to reveal the unity inherent in us as humans.
The Elephant & The Room (Director: Anas Qadamani, Netherlands, 2024, 14’) Εν μέσω της μεταναστευτικής κρίσης στην Ευρώπη, ένα παράξενο και απροσδόκητο μεταναστευτικό κύμα θέτει υπό αμφισβήτηση τις αξίες και τις πολιτικές της Δυτικής Ευρώπης. Αυτή η ταινία καταδύεται στο ιστορικό πλαίσιο και τις σημερινές πολιτικές, αποκαλύπτοντας την εύθραυστη στάση των δυτικοευρωπαϊκών συστημάτων στον παγκόσμιο ανθρωπιστικό διάλογο.
The Parade (Director: Michail Galanopoulos, Switzerland, 2022, 24’) The adventures of a group of high school students in Athens, Greece, during the day of the national military parade.
Towards A Better World (Director: Students between 4-16 years old, Belgium, 2024, 10’) “My mother gave me life twice: when I was born and the day I escaped, April 19, 1943.” The Ballottés, a group of children and young people who are experiencing academic difficulties for various reasons, collected the testimony of Simon Gronowski, one of the last second war survivors. They in turn transmit this story and their thoughts through this animated documentary that they created with passion.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 | HELLENIC AMERICAN UNION (22 Massalias str, Athens)
19:00 – Greek Competition Section
Bad Kids with Saint Names (Director: Vicki Anastasiadou, Greece, 2023, 13’) Michalis, an impulsive teenager, lives through the last day of his freedom with his friends before his domineering stepfather takes him away for the entire summer. Their day begins as an ordinary one, but as time passes, the kids immerse themselves deeper into an atmosphere of bliss, where every moment feels like a dream. However, their happiness is abruptly interrupted when an unfortunate event forces Michalis to confront his fears.
Greenhouse (Director: George Georgakopoulos, Greece, 2023, 18’) Sali, a young man of Albanian origin, has dropped out of school and works at greenhouses. He wants to save enough money to go through the tryout process at the Juventus Academy. But to make his dream come true, he must first overcome a series of hurdles in his harsh daily life.
Greta Thunberg (Antonios Giavroglou, Greece, 2024, 7’) Elena, is a young actress who is late for her rehearsal. This theatrical play could be her big break of her professional career. Besides being late, Elena has to face emotional obstacles which come from her entourage and familiars.
Nothing Holier Than A Dolphin (Director: Isabella Margara, Greece, 2022, 17’) The two fishermen find a dolphin accidentally caught in their nets. The dolphin,in turn, finds a fisherman drowning in the water and tries to save him. In this small Mediterranean village, an ancient myth unexpectedly comes to life.
The Boar (Director: Konstantinos Tsiodoulos, Greece, 2022, 20’) Fotis returns to a deserted village in the Northern Greece mountains for his deceased father’s will announcement. He collides with the villagers, local environment and his own routes till he finds out that he is closer to his father than he ever thought he was.
Why Won’t You Dance? (Director: Penelope Mavropsaridi, Greece, 2023, 15’) Anna wants to find someone to talk to at the party. She wants to, but not really. Vasilis for sure doesn’t want to talk to Anna at the party. Their reluctant meeting will bring forth memories for Anna that she would much rather ignore.
Wings (Director: Fivos Imellos, Greece, 2023, 18’) A woman receives a startling phone call from her son, while waiting for him and his girlfriend over for lunch.
SCHOOL SCREENINGS SCHEDULE
*Only for students after prior booking. Send us an email to [email protected] to organise your visit.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 | HELLENIC AMERICAN UNION (22 Massalias str, Athens)
10:00 – Competition Section of Student Audience Films I
29 de Febrero (Director: Diego Fandos, Spain, 2024, 23’) Tomás wants to celebrate his ninetieth birthday but he has no one to invite…. except his staunchest enemy. A sad comedy, a hopeful drama about the situation of many of our elders.
Carillón (Director: Diego Pérez González, Spain, 2024, 22’) Logroño 1948. Andrés, badly wounded, hides in the tower of the Carillon clock and lives there hidden. María, the maid on the floor below discovers him. The stealth and danger will give way to the irrepressible passion of Maria and Andres. 75 years later, Andrés son, the clockmaker of the Carillon, will discover the whole truth of what happened.
Nuestro Pequeño Viaje (Director: Martín Durán Sacristán, Spain, 2024, 19’) Sonia and Ivan, mother and son, decide to spend the day next to a river. Accompanied by his camera, Ivan records Sonia’s casual encounter with an old love from her youth, Manuel, who now has his own family. They all spend the day together and through the images, Ivan discovers a part of his mother’s past that he didn’t know about.
Teníamos Un Plan (Director: Jorge Pastor, Spain, 2024, 16’) A team from the Civil Guard and volunteers from a village are searching for Virgilio, a local resident with early-stage dementia who disappeared with his dog when his daughter wanted to send him to a nursing home. In the village, people say that Juana, who has just sold the bar after the death of her husband, might know his whereabouts.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 13 | HELLENIC AMERICAN UNION (22 Massalias str, Athens)
10:00 – Competition Section of Student Audience Films II
4th Grade of High School (Director: Aimilia Vakoufari, Greece, 2022, 15’) Nikos is a graduate of a special high school. He meets Antigoni (a social worker) and they talk about his experience in the army, boxing championship and their shared memories of the schools they coexisted together. They share their feelings and thoughts, dream together and are moved by reminiscence.
Another One (Director: Rena Danilouli, Katerina Bogiatzi, Maria Neochoritou, Evaggelia Xatziathanasiou, Greece, 2024, 7’) The screening of the film “Stella” by Michalis Cacoyannis, at a High School, brings questions among students about the modern beliefs about femicide. Students decide to hold a poll about it . This matter becomes more personal when they find out what has happened with their friend Dora.
Handbrake (Director: Antigoni Karnesioti, Greece, 2023, 11’) In HANDBRAKE, two young Athenian women from different starting points and with different means of transport examine where disability begins and where it ends. The independence and autonomy they feel inside their home crumbles when they are called upon to face an almost inaccessible city and the people who make it up.
Open Wings (Director: Taxiarchis Deligiannis, Vasilis Tsiouvaras, Greece, 2024, 8’) A little refugee finch bravely saves the life of the wounded wild pigeon leader and also manages to win his respect.
Snowglobes (Director: Gregory Vardarinos, Greece, 2024, 16’) A son growing up within a big lie and a father who decides to reveal the truth to him and start anew.
The Armchair On The Pavement (Director: Mary Kolonia, Greece, 2023, 15’) An old song from the radio, suddenly triggers memories of youth to an elderly ex-army General suffering from dementia. A growing urge to reclaim his old freedom and independence make him secretly escape against the doctor’s warning. An unexpected incident seriously reverses the couple’s fragile daily routine, while unpredictably rekindles the spark of their life long flame. Can you ever forget love?
The Last Line (Director: Io Andrikopoulou, Greece, 2023, 4’) War is a dark part of the human history. Within a war, there is the front line, where individuals stand in the field of battle against the enemy. However, war transcends the battlefield, leaving behind a ‘last line’ ,the children and the people who remain behind, the civilians.
The Life And Work Of Yanoulis Halepas (Director: Zina Papadopoulou, Greece, 2024, 6’) An animated mini-biopic featuring the novel-like life and extraordinary work of the Greek sculptor Yanoulis Halepas.
All films are shown with Greek and English subtitles and screenigns are with free entry.
With the support of
