Naoussa, October 3, 2011

PRESS RELEASE

Subject: The awards of the 8th Naoussa International Film Festival

The 8th Naoussa International Film Festival has concluded last night meeting absolute success and impressive audience presence. From the 29th of September to the 2nd of October audience and creators traveled to the future of cinema!The 8th edition hosted great films, utilized several parallel events which covered the spectrum of the contemporary artistic creation and satisfied the interests of everyone, organized a conference for the regional development, realized actions of social and environmental responsibility, offered an unforgettable event for its friends!

The closing ceremony took place at the crowded Municipal Theater. The ceremony was presented by Fotis Spyros, Niki Sereti and Stavros Nikolaidis.The Festival’s General Director, Nikos Koutsogiannis put emphasis on the importance of the support received by the National Stratefic Reference Framework and the Operational Programme “Macedonia – Thrace” for the successful utilization of the Festival. Surrounded by youth volunteers he stressed that the festival will keep advancing aiming to continue offering hope, vision and culture to the young people of the region.

Finally, he expressed his satisfaction for the active participation of the audience, a fact which promotes Naoussa International Film Festival into the most vivid cinema festival of Greece. The ceremony continued with the announcement of the awards. The ceremony ended with the projection of a video that was shot during the four days of the event depicting the pulse of the Festival. The 8th Festival concluded with a concert by ATMA band.

The Festival is prepared by the civil, not profitable company Naoussa International Film Festival and is funded by the National Strategic Reference Frameworkand the Regional Operational Programme “Macedonia –Thrace” with the co-financing of Greece and the European Union. The Festival is organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Region of Central Macedonia – Imathia Regional Unit.

Furthermore, the Festival is organized with the collaboration of the French Institute of Athens, the Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Municipal Cultural Organization of Naoussa.

Communication sponsors of the Festival are the national television ERT3, the newspaper KATHIMERINI, , the radio stations 95,8, 102FM, the internet radio stationechoes.gr and theportals naftemporiki.gr, clickatlife.gr, Dailymotion, cosmo.gr, andGreek-movies.

Naoussa International Film Festival is at the forefront of developments in the section of cinema, by investing in tomorrow’s digital cinema. Knowing rapid growth, the festival highlights its extrovert character and constitutes a point of reference of culture, creativity and cooperation in Europe.

Nowadays, Naoussa International Film Festival is a model event, as far as creating development through culture is concerned. The festival, by applying a pioneer model of development, based on innovation and cultural activity, enhances the development of the region and turns culture into a tool for development, thus contributing to social education and welfare.

In this critical period of time for our country, Naoussa International Film Festival constitutes a note of optimism which can give hope to the new generation. A generation which does not compromise, which expects, has visions and makes plans for the future. A future which is brighter, more humane and more prosperous.

The awards of the 8th Naoussa International Film Festival:

The members of the judging committee of fiction films were:

President: Lucile Hadjihalilovic, director, scriptwriter

Members: Aris Bafaloukas, director, producer, scriptwriter

Joyce Nashawati, director, scriptwriter

Juliette Grandmont, producer

Thomas Sieben, director

The Jury granted the following awards:

Best Short Film
MWANSA THE GREAT
Rungano Nyomi |Zambia, UK

2nd Best Short Film
STANKA GOES HOME
Maya Vitkova|Bulgaria

3rd Best Short Film
THE CAGE
Andrian Sitaru | Romania

Best Greek Short Film
RF
Stavros Liokalos | Greece

Best Director Award
MWANSA THE GREAT
Rungano Nyomi |Zambia, UK
Best Acting "Alexis Damianos"
ToRadu Gabriel, Magda Catone, Marius Florea Vizante, Alexandra Morariu
of the filmYOU ARE DIVORCED byGeorges Buzoianu | Romania

Best Photography
ToKrum Rodriguez
STANKA GOES HOME
Maya Vitkova | Bulgaria
and
ONEMAN SHOW
Peter Magat | Slovakia

Best Editing
MWANSA THE GREAT
Rungano Nyomi |Zambia, UK

Best Script
THE CAGE
Andrian Sitaru | Romania

"Naoussa" Award
LUCILE
Albert Pinto| Ισπανία
The People's Choice Award was granted to
MOMENTOS
Nuno Rocha | Portugal
The committee made a special mention to the film:
AN EMPTY ROOM
Diana Penaloza | Mexico

The members of the judging committee of the animation films are:

President: Kook Ewo, title sequence designer, director

Μembers:Stefanos Potamidis, graphic designer

Giorgos Soumelidis, music composer, director, 3D animator

The Jury granted the following awards:

Best Animation

THE LOST TOWN OF SWITEZ

Kamil Polak | Poland

And

THE TALE OF WIND

Claudio Jordao | Portugal

Special Mention

PATHS OF HATE

Damian Nenow | Poland

LOSE THIS CHILD
Yuval & Merav Nathan | Israel

Best DVSEE Animation film
"~"
Katharina Scheucher | Austria
και
Mathias, Mathias
Cecilia Felmeri | Romania

People's Choice Award Animation Category

BLANCO
Kristina Frank | Sweded

The members of the judging committee of the experimental films are:

President: GiannisKolaksizis, Fine artist, cinematographer

Members: Julian Parkinson, director, 3D animator

Maria Papadoulou, fine artist, art critic

Giorgos Melidonis, film critic

The Jury granted the following awards

Best Experimental Film

CENTIPEDE SUN

Mihai Grecu | France

Best DV SEE Experimental Award

CHASTISEMENT
Giannis SotiropoulosPavlos Aristeridis | Greece

The People's Choice Award was granted to

LIQUID SOUL

Irene Benekou | Greece

The members of the judging committee of Digital View South East Europe are:

President: Olga Riazanova, actor

Members:Karl Sarafides, actor

Harris Lagousis, director, cartoonist

The Jury granted the following awards

Best DV SEE Film
BABIE LATO
Maciej Cendrowski | Πολωνία

2nd Best DV SEE Film
LAST TRAIN
Weronika Tofilska | Πολωνία

3rd Best DV SEE Film

Kruhlik Bartosz | Πολωνία

The People's Choice Award was granted to
HAPPY PURCHASE
Zhora Kryzhovnikov | Ρωσία

TheBest Movie from Mobile Phone was granted to

JULY
Joao Krefer | Brazil

And the audience award of themovile category

THE POND

Dimitris Argyriou | Greece, Holland

Keystroke and stay informed.

We inform you that you can found audiovisual material at the Festival’s website.

Find Logos, Posters and e-banners by clicking here.

Find photos from previous editions by clicking here.

Find photo stills from the Festival’s films by clicking here.

Find videos of the Festival by clicking here. Find the Festival’s radio spot by clicking here.

We would like to thank for your interest.

For any extra information, please contact Christina Mauridou at the following numbers:

-2332024617

-2332024637 (fax),

And also through the email address: