The International Film Camp will take place from July 7 to 17, 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. 

Participation Requirements - Selection Criteria Twenty-five participants will be selected, including film students and graduates from other disciplines. The workshops/seminars will be held in English.

Application Form

Selection Criteria:

• Applicants should have studied or be studying film or a related subject (not strictly required).
• They must speak fluent English.
• Optionally, they should have participated in the production of at least one short documentary or fiction film.
• Applications from self-taught young filmmakers will also be accepted.

The participation fee is set at 940 euros per person. The organizers will provide meals, accommodation for the entire program, transportation from Athens and Thessaloniki to the village of Alagonia in Taygetos, and the necessary technical equipment for filming. Participants must bring their own personal computers.

Application deadline: strictly by March 31, 2025.

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.

Robert Rombout
Robert Rombout, born in Amsterdam, is an independent filmmaker, distinguished speaker, teacher, and jury member. He was a professor at LUCA School of Arts in Brussels and co-founder and faculty member of the DocNomads program (international master's in documentary filmmaking). He teaches at INSAS in Brussels and lectures in France at the University of Paris 8 and the University of Marc Bloch in Strasbourg. For many years, he has conducted workshops worldwide (Brazil, Vietnam, China, Canada, the US, Lebanon). He has been directing documentary films for over 30 years. Recently, he completed the film "Amsterdam Black & White," a portrait of two locations on opposite sides of the globe: one in the Netherlands, in the province of Drenthe, and the other in South Africa, in the Mpumalanga province (90’, 2021).

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.

Mark Bond
Mark Bond is a Senior Lecturer at Bournemouth University in the UK, specializing in cinematography for film and television. In the workshop, he will teach the course "Visual Storytelling: The Cinematographer’s Perspective," providing participants with valuable insights into creating visually compelling and emotionally engaging narratives through cinematography. Over a 20-year career as a director of photography in documentaries, he has worked with channels such as the BBC and Discovery, while combining academic research with his professional practice.

MASTERCLASSES

Cinematography - Odysseas Pavlopoulos
Select filmography: "The Winged Victory of Samothrace" by Dimos Avdeliodis (1990), "The Son of the Guard" by Dimitris Koutsiabasakos (2006), "A Love Story" by Bujar Alimani (2009, short), "See No Evil" by Aris Bafaloukas, "Lou and Lena" by Maria Lafi (2003, short), "When the South Wind Blows" by Kalliopi Legaki (2019), "Portrait of the Father During Wartime" by Timon Koulmasis (2019).

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.