Free the kitsch Athens Film Fest comes back for its an annual celebration of film, performance and sustainable fashion on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of December 2022 at the socio-cultural space of communitism!
Free the kitsch Athens Film Fest is a 3-day film festival curated by the group of filmmakers Interferences and is organized in collaboration with the art space KINO 28. It focuses on the notions of extravagance, uniqueness, unconventionality, grotesque and this year will present short film programs and feature film screenings both by emerging directors and acclaimed masters that opposed conventional norms and established taste, bravely enjoying their own unique cinematic approach. Alongside the screenings a wide array of events will take place: workshops, art installations, video projections, performances and of course the lavish fashion show presented by the sensational MC Kangela Tromokratisch that is the closing event of the festival.
This year, the festival’s program includes Věra Chytilová’s film “Wolf’s Hole” (1987, 92’) in collaboration with Czech Center Athens, “EGOMANIA – an island without a hope” (1986, 84’) by Christoph Schlingensief, in collaboration with Goethe Institute, two unconventional kioyfilms, as well as two exciting Greek film programs followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, along with multiple short and medium length film programs chosen from our open call that has received more than 3,000 submissions this year.
The festival also presents site-specific performances Francesca Kezich, installations by Rania Spanou, Iselys Rinaldi, Flavia Stagi, Interferences team, the diy queer collective trypies Frikes and more.
Second edition’s Fashion Show is curated by Rania Spanou & Flavia Stagi, presented by kangela and features the designers Anna Sofia Tabler, Eleni Saraya Oronti, Marina Tsironi, Danai Simou, Cotton Candy, Vaggelis, Rania Spanou, Alexandra Alifa, Catherine Suen, Katerina Grestista, Anastasis Meletis, Maria &Evi (Kargies), Izabo, Sofia savagner, Christopanagia, DIDI, Rena Tsan, Siel Athens, Elisavet Korakaki, Nefeli Dimakarakou. You can find the completed list of Catwalk's designers and models in the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/859042272186409?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7DDuring the festival, Palestinian falafel restaurant ρεβιθάκι will also serve their delicious food, fundraising money for the project "from grey to green" that creates gardens in rooftops of the refugee camps in Lebanon, fighting against food insecurity but not only. The restaurant opens at 19:00 on Thursday and Friday. More about the project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzzGsbJ3aBk*Entrance in all screenings and exhibitions is FREE. Thursday's Workshop is based on free donation (5euro minimum)
**Films are screened in original language with English subtitles
Free the kitsch 2022 - PROGRAM
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Thursday 01.12
18:00 Doors Open
18:00-19:30 Pole Dancing Life Drawing Workshop with live music
19:00 Exhibition Opening (Exhibited artists: Iselys Rinaldi, Laura Sansano, Francesca Kezich, trypies Frikes, Ράνια Σπανού, Interferences)
20:00 Humans, Beasts and Magical Landscapes | short films selection (55')

1. When reason fails, they come at night | 2021 | USA | dir. Paige Phillips | 6’
2. Argento Vivo | 2022 | ITALY | dir. Claudio Fagnano, Angela Fagnano | 4’
3. Ama Amanacer | 2020 | COLOMBIA | dir. Pablo Gutierrez | 4’
4. Hunting | 2021 | GERMANY | dir. Marianna Vesku | 1’
5. Evil Wizard | 2022 | NETHERLANDS | dir. Julia Hollander, Eva Schumacher | 4’
6. The fruits of sin | 2012 | ITALY | dir. Werther Germondari, Maria Laura Spagnoli | 12’
7. Genderfluid | 2021 | FRANCE | dir. La Fille Renne, Laure Giappiconi, Elisa Monteil | 7’
8. Salty Cream | GERMANY | dir. Maja Classen | 4’
9. Brother | 2022 | GERMANY | dir. Marcus Grysczok | 1’
10. Occurrences of Questionable Significance | 2020 | POLAND | dir. Dave Lojek | 9’
11. Leave Me Alone | 2022 | ITALY | dir. Werther Germondari | 2’
21:00 Cinema is a performing art | Screenings and discussion
1. You are Fire | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Giorgos Efthimiou | 27’
2. We are going to dig a hole | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Giorgos Efthimiou, Danai Manolesou, Areti Efstathiou | 15’
Followed by an open talk with Giorgos Efthimiou, Danai Manolesou, Eirini Tampasouli, Boro and more.
22:15 EGOMANIA – an island without a hope | 1986 | 84’ | Christoph Schlingensief | Germany | feature film screening
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Friday 02.12
18:00 Doors Open
19:00 Artist Talk and Tour of the Festival
19:45 Hysterika (or about abun-dance) | performance | installation by Francesca Kezich
20:30 Meet the Greeks – Part 1 | Greek short films selection followed by Q&A with the filmmakers
1. Ancestors | 2021 | GREECE | dir. Anthi Kougia | 13'
2. I am a painter, I do paint | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Purpelen |2’
3. Slippage | 2020 |GREECE| dir. Fenia Kotsopoulou | 4'
4. Sylvia's Daily Routine | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Labros Kordolemis | 8'
5. 50.000 Touches - expert #3 | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Fenia Kotsopoulou 4'
6. Night | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Diana Chemeris | 7’
21:30 Kitschier than life | international short film selection (38')

1. Sangria | 2022 | BRAZIL | dir. Thales Prediger | 3’
2. Indianara Wanted | 2021 | BRAZIL | dir. Mayra Santos Costa | 10’
3. Dancing bodies | 2019 | FRANCE | dir. Elisa Monteil, La Fille Renne, Laure Giappiconi | 6’
4. Work it Class! | 2021 | SPAIN | dir. Pol Diggler | 8’
5. FLIES SLEEP TOO | 2014 | COLOMBIA | dir. Ricardo Muñoz Izquierdo | 7’
6. Seven | 2022 | POLAND | dir. Jakub Kostewicz | 1’
7. Famous Last Words | 2022 | BELGIUM | dir. Ila Pittaluga | 3’
22:20 Wolf’s Hole | 1987 | 92’ | dir. Věra Chytilová | Czech Republic | feature film screening
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Saturday 03.12
18:00 Doors Open
19:00 Meet the Greeks – Part 2 | Greek short films selection followed by Q&A with the filmmakers
1. Kaltsada | 2021 | GREECE | dir. Giannis Tatsopoulos | 9’
2. Imoun Thriliki | 2021 | GREECE | dir. Christos Tsiampakaris | 4’
3. Heroines of The Nut Tree | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Stephie Theodora | 5’
4. Santa Baby | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Helen Korda | 10'
5. The Spanish King | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Celine van Heel | 12'
6. Don (ia) | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Adelajda Kacidhe | 6'
7. Space Tribes Adore Earthy Dances | 2019 | GREECE | dir. Sofia-Chryssanthi Touboura | 3'
8. Tiny Palace | 2022 | GREECE | dir. Sofoklis Kiourtzoglou | 1'
9. Sexual Distancing | 2021 | GREECE | dir. Dimitris Asproloupos | 16’
20:50 Gold, silk and sour | international short films selection (17’)
1. Tabloid Beauty Queen Apocalypse | 2022 | CANADA | dir. John Watson | 1’
2. If I touch you then you touch me | 2022 | IRELAND | dir. Frieda Ford | 3’
3. Paper Cut | 2020 | TAIWAN | dir. Hui-ching Tseng | 2’
4. Fitting In | 2022 | USA | dir. Mark Leschinsky | 4’
5. Nubecita | 2022 | COLOMBIA | dir. Kati Egely | 3’
6. An Unreachable Love Story | ITALY | dir. Blud | 2’
7. Lunar Eclipse | 2021 | TURKEY | dir. Tunahan Tuna | 1’
8. Born to Stay | 2022 | SWEDEN | dir. Anahita Sahar Babaei | 2’
21:10 Kitsch Documented | international selection of music videos and documentaries (49’)
1. Brota | 2022 | BRAZIL | dir. Leticia Coelho, Bruna Brunu | 14’
2. Poison | 2022 | RUSSIA | dir. Stefaniya Andrianova | 3’
3. Early In the Morning | 2022 | USA | dir. Cathy Carlson | 4’
4. SIN TI | 2022 | MEXICO | dir. Luis Felipe Ferra | 5’
5. Synthesis | 2022 | TURKEY | dir. Şükrü Özçevik | 3’
6. Pixie | 2022 | UNITED KINGDOM | dir. Beth Johnston | 8’
7.
#DIVA Titanic won't sink | 2022 | RUSSIA | dir. Angelina Podorozhnaya | 13’
22:00 CATWALK - Free the kitsch in fashion with a moltitude of models and outfits!
Curated by Flavia Stagi and Rania Spanou, featuring the designers Anna Sofia Tabler, Eleni Saraya Oronti, Marina Tsironi, Danai Simou, Cotton Candy, Vaggelis, Rania Spanou, Alexandra Alifa, Catherine Suen, Katerina Grestista, Anastasis Meletis, Maria &Evi (oi kargies), Izabo, Sofia savagner, Christopanagia, DIDI, Rena Tsan, Siel Athens, Elisavet Korakaki, Nefeli Dimakarakou. Intro: Anastasia Delta. Make up artist: Νικολέτα Α.
The catwalk is presented by Kangela Tromokratisch
23.00 - 01:00 Sound & Dj set: Φ .Fro. Φ
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Video Installations:
A Kitsch Greeting (17')
1. La Grâce, La Beauté, La Mort | 2018 | USA | dir. Ciro Ayala | 4’
2. Woodworm lab | 2020 | SPAIN | dir. Nacho Recio | 3’
3. Crayola Dream Theatre | 2022 | UNITED KINGDOM | dir. Sarahjane Swan, Roger Simian | 5’
4. ChingonX | 2022 | MEXICO | dir. Luis Betancourt (Beta Petra) | 4’
5. Minotavr II | 2022 | MEXICO | dir. Alondra Mijangos | 1’
Collage, kitsch and video art (39’)
1. Electronic Doppelgänger | 2022 | POLAND | dir. Krystian Kornel | 3’
2. xXXi_wud_nvr_kiss you | 2022 | CZECH REPUBLIC | dir. Natália Peterková | 4’
3. Electro-frequency | 2022 | COLOMBIA | dir. Laura Vanessa Lopez Vargas | 4’
4. Baby Lemonade by Men On The Border | 2021 | USA | dir. Stephen Bobinsk | 4’
5. Los | 2020 | USA | dir. Martin Del Carpio | 6’
6. Onça Contemporânea | 2021 | BRAZIL | dir. Gabriela Silva Dias | 9’
7. Shadows of a radio in the east | 2016 | SPAIN | dir. Nacho Recio | 1’
8. Alter Ego part 1 | FRANCE | dir. Aubane Berthommé Martinez | 1’
9. Alter Ego part 2 | FRANCE | dir. Aubane Berthommé Martinez | 1’
10. Bondage, an out of body experience | 2021 | GERMANY | dir. Ann Antidote | 6’
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All installations are visitable during the whole duration of the festival.
Set design and props created by keramo lab, a creative space that facilitates artistic creation, organizes workshops and creates props/set design for events.
Online Program
Kitsch Panorama | Online Programa (41’)
1. FreeStyle Guasotánamo | 2021 | CUBA | dir. Daniel Ross Dieguez | 3’
2. Outsider House | 2022 | CHINA | dir. Yang LIU | 1’
3. Cannibal's Wedding | 2022 | SPAIN | dir. Jose Maria Trigueros Contreras | 7’
4. Crayola Dream Theatre | 2022 | UNITED KINGDOM | dir. Sarahjane Swan, Roger Simian | 5’
5. Hunting | 2021 | GERMANY | dir. Marianna Vesku | 1’
6. Sodom the Gay Hyperpop Epic | 2022 | POLAND | dir. Piotr Michalski | 24’
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The online program is available during the 3 days of the festival.