TO KALOKAIRI TIS KARMEN / THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN

While enjoying a day at Athens’ queer beach, 30-something Demosthenes offers to help his bestie and aspiring filmmaker Nikitas in drafting an idea for his feature debut, inspired by the events surrounding a certain dog named Carmen. Two summers ago, Demosthenes was stuck in Athens dealing with health issues of his father. This served as an excuse to reach out to his ex, Panos. Meanwhile, Panos got the overly cute Carmen, something he soon regretted. Likewise, Demosthenes seems to have regretted breaking up with Panos. Or did he not? Struggling to transform real events into a hero’s journey, the two friends question the no.1 rule of script writing theory - the hero that changes - while turning a page in their long-lasting friendship.

ZAHARIJAS MAVROIDIS / ZACHARIAS MAVROEIDIS

Zacharias Mavroeidis studied architecture in Thessaloniki, theater in Madrid, scriptwriting in Cuba and filmmaking in Athens. He is a Berlinale and Sarajevo Talents alumni. His debut feature, The Guide (2011), screened in Thessaloniki IFF and in LGBTQ film festivals around the world. His feature, Defunct (2019), screened in the competition program of the 48th FEST in Belgrade in 2020, won the Young Jury and the Audience Award in the International Competition of Thessaloniki IFF and the Best Film Award in Kinenova IFF.