Film Competition Jury - RoDi - Reflection of Disability in Art

Elias Kourtparasidis

Born into a family with deep musical roots, Elias Kourtparasidis discovered the piano at the age of 7 & won his first composer's prize at the National Student Musical Competition at the age of 13.

He holds a bachelor's degree in music studies with honors from the Ionian University of Corfu & an audio engineering diploma from SAE Athens. He has composed music for films, television & theater. He also shares his expertise as a musicologist, music teacher, audio engineer & sound designer. He has been actively involved in European projects, handling communication & media strategies, website development, social media administration & content creation. His expertise also extends to digital skills, including graphic design, video editing & music production.

As a disabled artist, Elias is committed to inclusive arts & co-founded ISON; the first theater & dance training center in Greece, which is also a black box theater.

Maria Tsakiri

Maria is a Disability Mentor at Glasgow Caledonian University and a passionate scholar of Critical Disability Studies. She collaborates with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens as well as the European University of Cyprus. Additionally, she is part of the Cyprus team for the European Disability Expertise network. Maria’s published work appears in international journals and collective editions. Her current research interests include critical disability studies, disability activism, education, cultural representations, and film festivals. Maria also volunteers as a puppy boarder for Guide Dogs Scotland.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-tsakiri-edudis/

Georgia Fyka

Social worker, MA in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds and Health Services Management. She has been involved for many years in supporting the rights of people with disabilities with a key interest in disability policies and the Movement for Independent Living. She has worked as a General Manager at THE DISABILITY NOW and the www.disabled.gr in a series of programs and studies on disability, such as employment, tourism, independent living, education, etc. She participates in voluntary disability organizations such as the association ALLI OPISI, www.alli-opsi.gr, which is a founding member and former president, the Movement of Disabled Artists and the Movement for the Emancipation of disabled people: ZERO TOLERANCE (https://www.facebook.com/DisArtMove/)

Tina Antonakou

Tina Antonakou is the Head of Public Relations at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, and a member of the organization's Press Office. Since 2022, she has also coordinated the Festival’s Podcast Section. She holds a BA in Journalism & Mass Communications (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki) and an MSc in European & International Politics (University of Edinburgh). Active in the media since the early 2000s, she has contributed to prominent Greek outlets including Ta Nea, Thessalonikeon Polis, and Parallaxi. Tina is a member of the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia & Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH). In her role, she champions equitable access to cinema and theaters, raising public awareness of the importance of inclusion and accessibility and promoting values that enhance participation, acceptance, and diversity.

Chrysanthi Manousaka

Chrysanthi Manousaka is a special education teacher and a member of the Organizing Committee of the International Festival “Reflection of Disability in Art – iRoDi Festival”. She is a graduate of the Department of Educational and Social Policy of the University of Macedonia, a student in the Postgraduate Programme “Children’s Book and Educational Material”, and an interpreter candidate in Greek Sign Language (GSL). She is currently working at public elementary schools, teaches the Greek Braille Code at the (Greek) National Federation of the Blind, and has worked at the “HOPA Heroes 112” programme.