Draft:KINOATHENS - International Independent Film Festival

The KINOATHENS International Independent Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the KINOATHENS. It is the first independent film festival in Greece under the Patronage of the European Parliament.

The festival takes place every March in Athens, Greece and acts as a showcase for new work from national and international independent filmmakers. The festival consists of competitive sections for Features and Shorts and a group of out-of-competition sections.

2021: Athens
KINOATHENS began in Athens in August 2021 during the COVID-Pandemic with screenings at Bios with the film Rock Bottom Riser by Fern Silva and continued regular screenings every week. In 2023 it extended to the Independent Film Festival of Athens running for 4 days in March 2023. In December 2023 the festival received a Patronage from the President of the European Parliament and became the first international recognised independent film festival in Greece. The next edition took place in March 2024 as KINOATHENS International Independent Film Festival.

The goal of the festival was to showcase independent films and increase visibility for independent filmmaking in Athens. The main focus of the event was to conduct an international competition for independent films features and shorts and present contemporary cinema along with panel discussions.

Notability
Many notable independent filmmakers received their Greek Premiere screenings at KINOATHENS, including Fern Silva, Catarina Vasconcelos, Paulo Antunes, Cláudia Varejão, Rita Maia, Vasco Viana, Pascal Tagnati, Patric Chiha, César Vayssié, Bertrand Mandico, Marc Collin, Lawrence Michael Levine, Maria Clara Escobar, Mark Jenkin, Radu Jude, Camilo Restrepo, Maria Kourkouta, Evangelia Kranioti, Beatrice Kordon, Alma Jodorowsky, Marie Losier, Matt Porterfield, Alex Ross Perry, Alexander Sokurov, The Ross Brothers, Zach Weintraub, Kleber Filho Mendonca.

The Grand Jury Award - Golden Deer in 2024 went to Claire Simon for Our Body (2022).

LUX - Audience Awards

Demonstrating its commitment to European cinema, KINOATHENS hosted the “European Audience Film Award,” inviting audiences to pick their favourite film through its official page, in partnership with the European Parliament Liaison Office in the Greek capital.