2022 festival title
2022 festival date 1liner

Orpheus Awards 2022

FEATURE

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BEST FEATURE FICTION

Orpheus Award Winner: Holy Emy

by Araceli Lemos

An intimate character study set in the overlooked immigrant communities in Athens, this striking, assured feature debut immerses us in the inner world of a young woman struggling to find her place against the expectations of her own community and the stark realities facing those living on the margins. It’s a journey rarely documented on screen, filled with mystery and deeply felt emotion. We are thrilled to recognize HOLY EMY with Best Film.

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BEST DIRECTOR

Orpheus Award Winner: Araceli Lemos

for Holy Emy

This filmmaker stood out to us immediately as an exciting new voice. She creates a beguiling world that skillfully weaves mysticism and genre shadings into a finely-drawn, grounded character study. It’s remarkably nuanced work in a first feature, and we believe that Araceli Lemos is a bold new voice in independent cinema.

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BEST PERFORMANCE

Orpheus Award Winner: Angeliki Papoulia

for her role in Patchwork

Angeliki Papoulia conveys the entire emotional range of motherhood, from anxiety, guilt, and repression to joy and confidence. In her subtle portrayal, she shows how inherited trauma can implode work, friendship, and family. We recognize her accomplishment in Patchwork with the award for Best Performance.

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HONORABLE MENTION

Nikos Zegkinoglou

for his role in 18
servetalis

HONORABLE MENTION

Aris Servetalis

for his role in Pack of Sheep
Even though in a supporting role Servetalis receives an Honorable Mention.
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AUDIENCE AWARD

Smyrna My Beloved

by Gregoris Karantinakis

DOCUMENTARY

1.THE STUDENTS OF UMBERTO PRIMO

ORPHEUS AWARD WINNER

THE STUDENTS OF UMBERTO PRIMO

BY ALESSANDRA MAIOLETTI​
Our winning entry transports the viewer to a time when tragic historical events destroyed the happiness — and in several instances, ended the lives — of a group of promising young men and women. At times painful to watch, the story reminds us that the distance between personal happiness and tragedy is short and subject to the whims of politicians, tyrants, complicit authorities, and barbarous ideology. We recognize The Students of Umberto Primo as Best Documentary.
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Special Jury Mention

How to Train an Antihero

by Yannis Bletas
In a global culture which values celebrity worship and an industry that can’t seem to shake the addiction to the superhero persona, this unassuming, short documentary shows us how our common humanity is often found in small corners where safe, inclusive spaces are created allowing each other’s imaginations to flourish. Each participant in “How to Train an Antihero” reminds us of our duty as human beings, to find immanent ways to tap into the best of each other.
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Special Jury Mention

MEMENTO

BY NIKOS ZIOGAS

For its true cinematic quality expressing the transcending relation between the living and their dead parents and beloved, which is a fundamental part of Greek culture and the Greek inner soul, the Special Jury Mention goes to “Memento”.

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Audience Award

Outer Space Kids

by George Gounezos

SHORT FILM

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Orpheus Award Winner

To Vancouver

by Artemis Anastasiadou
A young child’s grief at losing her beloved older brother to economic migration is conveyed through beautifully sincere, unsentimental performances. The use of a child’s vanishing trick as a metaphor for the girl’s desire for control over an uncontrollable situation is simple yet elegant, and the backdrop of economic ruin that breaks up families and communities brings a pressing contemporary relevance. We recognize To Vancouver with the award for Best Short Film.
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Honorable Mention

Brutalia, Days of Labour

by Manolis Mavris

Every element of filmmaking, from haunting costume design to engrossing production design, is meticulously used to tell a complex story born from a simple question. An ambitious and inventive short film that shows a director in full command of their craft, this film stayed with us and continued to buzz in our minds afterwards. We award an honorable mention to Brutalia, Days of Labour.

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Honorable Mention

Memoir of a Veering Storm

by Sofia Georgovassili

Memoir for a Veering Storm receives an honorable mention for its timely depiction of a school girl who must surreptitiously receive an abortion. Shot on film, this well crafted narrative addresses highly sensitive subject matter with empathy and grace, while confronting the stark realism young women face in making such a serious life choice.

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Audience Award

Nexting

by Karina Logothetis

ANIMATION

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Orpheus Award Winner

From The Balcony

by Aris Kaplanidis, Elias Roumeliotis
This sharp satire proves that even in the age of mobile phones, the enduring tradition of the village gossip and the power of prying eyes are still universal. The animation is rough and inspiring, the pace is kinetic and fun, and the tone draws you in as if you are witnessing a moment from life. The award for Best Animation goes to From the Balcony.
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Honorable Mention

Afterimage

by Antonis Doussias