The 10th Peloponnisos International Doc Film Festival, beyond screening documentaries, is deeply committed to educating and fostering creative expression in young people by offering a series of original and interactive workshops for students of all levels.

This year, five different seminars invite children on an exciting journey into the world of moving images, storytelling, and technology. From the art of stop-motion animation and documentary filmmaking to exploring urban and natural environments and designing video games, children will have the opportunity to develop skills, experiment with new forms of expression, and discover the magic of creation. Under the guidance of experienced filmmakers and educators, students will learn how to operate cameras, craft stories, animate characters, and produce their own audiovisual works. Along the way, they will explore topics such as the human connection to the environment, the importance of teamwork, and the power of storytelling.

These workshops provide a unique opportunity for children to immerse themselves in the art of cinema, express their creativity, and draw inspiration from the world around them. Continuing the tradition of previous years, the Festival focuses on cultivating cinematic education and strengthening the school community in the Peloponnese, with the goal of inspiring the creators of tomorrow.

Stop Motion Animation Workshop
This workshop, designed for elementary school children, offers a unique opportunity for them to express their creativity through the art of animation. Under the guidance of award-winning director and long-time Festival collaborator, Thomas Künstler, children will learn to create clay figures and bring them to life, taking their first steps into the world of animation. Through fun and interactive activities, imagination and artistic expression are encouraged. The children will create their own scripts and stories, which they will bring to life using the stop-motion technique. They will learn the basic principles of movement, camera operation, and frame-by-frame recording. From character creation to final editing, each stage of the creative process blends learning with fun, offering a comprehensive animation filmmaking experience. The films will be showcased in a special event, attended by parents, friends, and educators.

Documentary Filmmaking Workshop
This four-hour workshop is designed for upper elementary, middle, and high school students. Through this workshop, children will explore the world around them through cinematic storytelling. Under the guidance of filmmaker Kyriakos Liarakos and through interactive activities, they will learn the basics of cinematography, camera handling, and sound. Emphasis is placed on imagination and creativity, encouraging children to find and tell their own stories, whether related to nature, school, or their everyday lives. Students, with the support of their teachers, will learn how to create their own short documentaries. They will be introduced to the concept of documentaries, discuss topics that interest them, and choose a story to record. Taking on roles such as director, cameraman, and narrator, they will practice filming and editing techniques. Although they will not complete the documentaries during the program, they will have acquired the knowledge and skills to do so in the future. Their work will be presented at a special event in the presence of friends, parents, and teachers.

Workshop: "Discovering the Magic of Everyday Objects"
A 2.5 to 3-hour workshop designed for up to 15 participants. Inspired by clips from Vassilis Loules' documentary "I Was There Too and Had Shoes Made of Paper," this workshop transforms everyday objects—such as a slipper, a simple camera (or smartphone), and a school bag—into subjects of a collective storytelling game. Children will learn fundamental principles of filmmaking magic, focusing on "the creator's perspective" and how objects gain new meaning when seen through this lens. The hands-on experience can be complemented by storytelling, where children are encouraged to share fairy tales or personal stories inspired by their participation in the game.

For people with disabilities: "Photographing the City" 

The workshop "Photographing the City" is a creative and interactive experience designed specifically for people with disabilities, aiming to promote inclusion and creativity. Its goal is to provide participants with the opportunity to explore the world around them through photography and cinematic storytelling, adapting the process to their needs and abilities. Under the guidance of director Kyriakos Liarakos and through interactive activities, participants will learn the basic principles of photography and how to tell stories through their images. Special emphasis is placed on imagination and creativity, encouraging each person to express their unique experiences and perspectives on the city, everyday life, nature, or any other topic that inspires them. During a walk through the city, participants will have the chance to observe and photographically document their surroundings, discussing their relationship with the place. The workshop is adapted to ensure the comfort and accessibility of all participants, with a focus on enhancing their autonomy.
The workshop aims to encourage personal expression, interaction, and empowerment of people with disabilities through creative activities, fostering a space where everyone can express themselves in their own unique way.

Urban Walk: Discovering My City
This four-hour workshop is for 15-20 students from upper elementary and middle school, led by Stefania Charitou. Inspired by the Festival's theme of honoring urban life, the workshop offers students a creative exploration of their own town or city. It involves an "urban walk" and classroom activities. Participants will take a walk through a chosen area, discussing their connection to the place and how they might capture its unique qualities or transformations over time, both in sketches and photographs. Back in the classroom, they will create their own maps based on elements they find important—whether it’s a favorite path, the road to play, their grandparents’ house, or a personal landmark. Using maps and photography as tools, the children will attempt to visually represent the diversity of experiences in their town and the relationships among its elements.

Environmental Walk: Our Connection with Nature
In this workshop, students will explore the human relationship with nature under the guidance of Stefania Charitou. Using a mobile phone, camera, or tablet, participants will embark on a nature walk, which will serve as a platform for discussing ecology, natural resources, energy, and the ecological crisis, including climate change. In small groups, children will use their cameras to capture various elements of the environment around them—earth, animals, and plants—with the goal of examining the symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural world. They will also familiarize themselves with essential camera techniques such as framing, zooming, and angles. The seminar aims to raise environmental awareness among the participants by fostering a deeper understanding of ecological issues.

Game Design and Creation Workshop
This three-day workshop introduces children to the exciting world of game design and technology, under the supervision of Professor Ioannis Deligiannis (Analog and Digital Interactive Multimedia Technologies, Department of Audio and Visual Arts, Ionian University). Through hands-on activities and teamwork, children will learn the core elements of game design, from rules and characters to aesthetics and functionality, all while cultivating their creativity and gaining new skills. On the first day, participants will delve into the fundamentals of game design, choose a theme, and begin designing the story and characters for their game. They will be introduced to design tools and start mapping out the game environment. Over the next two days, they will focus on game mechanics and learn to apply basic coding for features like character movement and object collection. They will also design the graphics and sound elements. At the end of the program, each team will present their creations and enjoy playing the games made by their peers.

Beatboxing & Aerophones

Beatboxing is a vocal technique originating from American hip-hop culture as a form of rhythmic, melodic, and timbral accompaniment. It has now evolved into a dynamic and independent field of artistic expression, appearing in a plethora of different musical genres. However, the term "beatboxing" can now also function as a broader umbrella term, including and grouping together many other vocal sound production techniques, resulting from experimentation by various peoples throughout different historical periods. In any case, beatboxing is yet another extension of the human need to experiment with the sounds of one's environment and gradually incorporate them into a more artistic structure.

The aerophones (wind instruments) that will be combined with the beatboxing technique (flute, saxophone, didgeridoo) present different ways of producing sound, depending on the instrumental concept of the "obstacle" (hole, beating reed, lips) when the air collides with it. In parallel with the above, an instrument that belongs to the idiophones (mouth harp) will also be presented, which shares several sound production techniques with aerophones.

The themes of the presentation are related to issues such as:

• Awareness of the respiratory process (with emphasis on diaphragmatic and circular breathing respectively)
• Teaching basic beatboxing techniques (kick drum, snare drum, cymbals, turntable effects, etc.)
• Reference to Mongolian throat singing and practical exercise in overtone singing techniques
• Combinatorial use of beatboxing with musical instruments, with particular emphasis on aerophones and idiophones (flute, saxophone, didgeridoo, mouth harp, etc.)

The workshop is curated by the musician Nikos Diminaikis from Thessaloniki and will take place at the music school of Kalamata.