The International Film Camp will take place from July 11 to 20, 2025, in the mountainous region of Taygetos and is organized by the Kalamata Creative Documentary Center (Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival). 

The program's goal is to create a meeting space for film academy students from around the world, aiming to promote short documentaries and encourage networking and knowledge exchange through work in multicultural teams.

The program also targets graduates from fields such as natural sciences, humanities ( such as antrhopology, archaelogy, art management...) and environmental sciences,, to help them develop filmmaking skills. Through these skills, scientists can use cinema as a means of communication with a broader audience, one that they wouldn't typically reach through conventional scientific communication.

Workshops will be held within the framework of an intensive program by renowned European filmmakers that will allow participants to improve their knowledge and skills in documentary filmmaking through masterclasses, discussions, film screenings and Q&As.
During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to meet a wide range of film professionals who are willing to share their knowledge of research, directing and the perception of documentary as a tool for social change.
The film camp and workshops will be held in the communities of Alagonia and Artemisia in Taygetos (altitude 800m). The participants will be accommodated in Alagonia village.

The duration of the workshop will be 10 days, during which the students will have the opportunity to visit various places of interest in Messinia and Laconia. There will be a range of multicultural events, including programs, screenings, excursions, concerts, and parties happening at the same time. 

PROGRAM DIRECTOR Iakovos Panagopoulos

Dr. Iakovos Panagopoulos is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Audio and Visual Arts at Ionian University. His field of expertise is "Film Production with a Specialization in Creating Audiovisual Narratives." He completed his PhD in Film Practice with a focus on Theo Angelopoulos' work at Central Lancashire University, titled "Reshaping Contemporary Greek Cinema Through a Re-evaluation of the Historical and Political Perspective of Theo Angelopoulos's Work." He also completed his postdoctoral research at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences. He is an active researcher with numerous international publications. He is a lead researcher at the StoryLab International Film Development Research Network and a scientific collaborator at InArts (interactive research lab). He is also a researcher at the Laboratory of Conflict Politics at Panteion University and at the Laboratory for the Study of Culture, Borders, and Gender in the Department of Balkan, Slavic & Oriental Studies at the University of Macedonia. In addition to his academic career, Iakovos is an award-winning filmmaker specializing in short fiction films.

INSTRUCTORS

Erik Knudsen
Erik Knudsen is a Professor of Media Practices at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. He has served as Professor of Visual and Digital Culture at Bournemouth University, Professor of Film Practices at the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, and Head of the School of Media, Music, and Performing Arts at the University of Salford. He frequently visits international film schools to conduct workshops.

Luke Blazejewski
Luke Blazejewski is a photographer and filmmaker based in Manchester. He works across various genres, including television shows, documentaries, short videos, and digital communications. His clients include the BBC, ITV, NHS, Greater Manchester Fire Service, RSPB, and Wildlife Trusts, along with local authorities and universities across Northwest England. He uses film and photography to engage people in ideas that foster broader positive action, aiming to capture viewers' imaginations by revealing new perspectives on the world we live in.

Dimitris Mpavellas

Dimitris Mpavellas was born in Neos Kosmos, Athens. He studied film directing at the Stavrakos Film School and attended acting workshops led by Dimitris Mavrikios at the "Theatre of Changes." In 2008, he completed his Master's degree in Film Directing at the Northern Film School (Leeds, UK). He has directed feature and short films, documentaries, music videos, television shows, corporate videos, and more. His two feature films, "Runaway Day" (2013) and "The Search for Laura Durand" (2019), have received awards internationally and continue to be screened both in Greece and abroad. His first feature-length documentary film is titled "Dourgouti Town" and premiered at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in 2024.

MASTERCLASSES

Editing - Chronis Theocharis
Chronis Theocharis was born in Athens in 1961. He studied film, directing, and editing in Athens and Paris. He has worked on several significant and award-winning documentaries as well as narrative films. He is a member of the Hellenic Film Academy. Since 1987: Editor, Director, Producer. Freelance collaborator with film production companies, and producer of commercials and corporate videos, visual, archaeological, and creative documentaries. 2006-2011: Editor and Director of the National Audiovisual Archive’s film archive.

Sound Recording/Sound Design - Apostolos Loufopoulos
Apostolos Loufopoulos, composer, sound designer, Associate Professor in the Department of Audio and Visual Arts at Ionian University, PhD from City University, London. He creates sound and music for film, video, theater, installations, and audiovisual applications. His work has received international recognition, winning 19 awards in global competitions (Ars Electronica, Bourges, Noroit, Metamorphoses, etc.), and has been featured at prominent events (HELEXPO, ADAF, Athens Science Festival, AVARTSFest, etc.). He has released 15 albums. His research focuses on soundscapes and music through research programs, conferences, and other events. He is a founding member of ESSIM and the Acoustic Ecology Society.

 Upon completion of the workshop, participants will receive certificates of participation.