PRESS RELEASE
10-12-2021
Closing Ceremony of the 4th International Festival
“The Reflection Of Disability In art” of the University of Macedonia
18:00-21:00
The 4th International Festival "Reflection Of Disability In art" was completed this year with great success. At the closing ceremony, the head of the Festival, Deputy of the Department of Educational and Social Policy, Ms. Kartasidou Lefkothea anounced the awarding of prizes of the competition department.
The 1st prize was awarded to the film "INNER ME" by Antonio Spanò. The 2nd prize was given to the film "ASAK" by Ali Reza, who sent his own thank you message to the Festival with a video. The 3rd prize was awarded to the film "Born to dance with an extra chromosome: the drag queens (and kings) with Down's syndrome" by Nikolay Nikolov. The audience award was given to the film "HOW TO TRAIN AN ANTI-HERO" by IoannisBletas, who thanked the spectators and the organizing committee of the Festival. Antonio Sequeira's film "A SON LIKE OTHERS" sparked student interest by winning the Student Award.
Then, Ms. Kartasidou announced the awards for the Music Composition Competition. The Award was given to Mr. Kzounias Michalis for his work "Walk" and an honorary award was given to Mr. Kapageridis for his work "Wave".
Ms. Kartasidou thanked the members of the jury of the competition section of films and music composition, the volunteers and all those who contributed non-profit to the realization of this vision. Concluding her speech, Ms. Kartasidou wished the Festival to convey "appropriate narratives" and to add a little stone to the effort of social change and redefining the identity of each one of us (Read the trancript of the speech).
The evening continued with the RoDi Music Orchestra and the poem "Eros" by Fani Athanasiadou set to music by George Tsapranis. Then, the students from the Special High School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Thessaloniki through the video "Dress human and leave”sent their own message against violence against women through dance and poetryin Greek Sign Language.
This was followed by the screening of the film "My Katines (gossip mongers)" directed by Vilma Meniki. The documentary concerns the history of the Autonomous Group of Women of Thessaloniki, which acted in the city from 1985 to 1995. At the end of the film, the song "RoDi Festival Song", lyrics and music by Vassilia Stamouli was screened by RoDi Music Orchestra.
Then, Ms. Sideri Eleni, Assistant Professor of the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies and Member of the Gender Equality Committee of the University of Macedonia, introduced the speakers and moderated the discussion that followed on "Right: Woman".
Ms. Meniki Vilma, Secondary Education Teacher, MA in Special Education, School Mediator Trainer, Feminist Activist and Researcher, Member of WIFTgr (Women in Cinema and Television), spoke about her need to create the documentary “My Katines” and to meet again the women with whom she has shared so many experiences.
Ms. Athanasiadou Fani, Poet, Article Writer, Member of the Writers' Association of Thessaloniki and founding member of the literary group "Ideokimata", spoke, emphasizing her equal participation in the "Katines" group and the group's effort in accessibility issues. Ms. Athanasiadou stressed the exclusion and the difficulties experienced by women with disabilities in society, which are due to the prevailing perceptions.
Then, Ms. Lioliou Ioanna, Student of Food Science and Technology, sensitizedon environmental issues and co-founder of the AUThors Student Group, oriented to gender and sexuality, stressed the need for space of freedom and expression and underlined the fear that women are experiencing due to the increase of female homicides in the last year.
Finally, the speakers gladly answered the audience's questions and exchanged views on the position of women in society. Through their speeches, they encouraged women and stressed the need for legal recognition of female genital mutilation, as only in this way will the prevention and avoidance of such phenomena, which are now visible in society, be achieved.
(Read the transcript)
