Threats to the planet. a Cinematic Alert

The basic characteristics of this international documentary festival, is to raise awareness on Ecological and Environment issues and to provide a stand for professionals documentarists, as well as young students (GAIA) competition. Many activities, related to cinema education, are always organised for school children from the island and the greater area (from Canakkale, Istanbul, etc).  . At the same time, issues of human rights are dealt with, when large communities face wars, contemporary slavery trade, aborigine displacement, detrimental food, water and pharmaceutical practices by big companies, opposition to establishing mining operation and power plants that threaten their life; the planet life, indeed. It is amazing to see many local residents share the screenings with the invited guests. There are no tickets

This year, the 5-days project included 61 films, world or Turkish premiered (WP, TP), in 14 units. BIFED project is always organised by two dedicated people, Ethem Ozguven and Petra Holzer, with the total support of Dr. Hakan Can Yilmaz, sponsors and a group of well informed volunteers. 

The members of the juries are meticulously selected for their great filming experience, internationally. For the Competition: Ceylan O. Ozcelik (Turkish screenwriter and producer), Dr. Naci Guchan (Turkish university professor in Turkey and Cyprus, director and producer, artist, film critic), Dimitris Koutsiabasakos (Greek director of documentaries, feature and short films for cinema and TV), Maja Bogojevic (Montenegro, renowned film critic at international festivals, FIPRESCI member, founder/editor of Camera Lucida) and Julia Lazarus (German documentarist, artist, curator and activist in the Black Sea Coast Forests Defence).

Jury for the GAIA Student Award:  Latehan Ocal (Turkish Cinema lecturer at Bilgi university, researcher  in the 21st Thessaloniki documentary film festival), Marvin Entholt (German screenwriter, director and producer of many awarded documentaries) and Melis Birder (Turkish director and screen writer, awarded for two films in New York and one in Sarajevo and Istanbul).  
The awards. -The Fehti Kayaalp Grand Award**, went to ‘Breathless’ by Daniel Lambo (Belgium, TP). The director searches the ruthless practices of asbestos industries relocating to markets in poor countries when the truth is discovered. 

-The Second Award was given to ‘Ovacık’ by Ayşegül Selenga Taşkent (Turkey,WP). A popular mayor of a small Kurdish-Alevit town, known communist, implements new social methods that promote solidarity and hope. 

–The documentary ‘Spears from All Sides’ by Christopher Walker (USA, Ecuador, TP) received the third award. An in-depth depiction of the relationship between nature and indigenous people threatened by white companies and the internal disagreements. 

-Special mention was awarded to the film ‘Geographer and The Island’ by Christine Boutellier. (France, TP), A dramatic depiction of dedicated Japanese island inhabitants – could be any island as a matter of fact - who resist destructive operation of nuclear presence. A crucial dilemma between survival and independence.

This years’ GAIA Award went to: ‘Rising of the Setting Sun’ by Julie Hössle (Italy, WP). The poetic film projects the constant agony of a threatened natural environment in a small Portuguese island. 

Some of the program films I watched:  -The documentary ‘Mountain of Water – Strandja’ by Racia Adar (Turkey). Maybe from a personally emotional prejudice, as my grandfather came from the Strantza Mountains and the theme of the film so similar to the Greek film Skouries about gold mining in Halkidiki, Northern Greece. A heroic opposition of the local population to the destruction of an extraordinary environment on the pretext of providing employment for 1200 jobs, at a price of chemical and water pollution. –WE will Not Sell Out Future by Niki Velissaropoulou (France-Greece, TP). Unfortunately, a light treatment of the Canadian Gold mining in Halkidiki, up to 2016, prior to the ensued large riots. In the name of development, the new government supports the mining.  - In the unit Wars-Refugees: the two-fold documentary by Fabrizio Lazzaretti and Alberto Vendemmiatii (Italy-Afganistan-USA-UK): Jung (War) - In the Land Of Mujaheddin and Collateral Damages, follows the heroic doctors, operating victims of the war in Afghanistan, regardless of political sides (Mujaheddin-Taliban), age, gender, setting up new facilities every time the old ones are destroyed. A punch in the stomach for the viewer. –in Afghanistanbul, by Ulas Tosun (Turkey) depicted are the inhuman condition, trafficking and hopes for a better future, of Afghani refugees in Istanbul. -The River by Christian T. Goldenberg (Argentina-Chile-Spain). Another type of a ‘road movie’ on a boat sailing the Amazon River across different cultures and unsurpassable beauty of rain forests. -On the problem of waste dumps, the stories of three collectors, followed for one day, are thrilling: -Pirania by a young woman Nainisha Dedhia (India), a village dump in India and a metaphor for piranhas. -The Invisible Workers by Hasan Akkaya and Mikkel Brodersen (Turkey, WP). Garbage collectors in Istanbul, living in slams.
-Transformation by Erhun Altum (Turkey). An illiterate waste paper collector in Ankara.
-Labor by Cagdas Yenidede (Turkey). Seasonal workers in intensive agriculture, livestock, and various industries, in Turkey. -In regards to food, the film When Tomatoes Met Wagner by Marianna Economou (Greece, TP) is a surreal story of a Greek community and yet a great lesson in times of economic crisis when people united learn to share in order to survive. -‘Wings Of Samothraki – Pathways to Sustainable Development’  by Armin Faymann (Austria-Greece, TP). A research project by an Austrian woman professor and the participation of students to tackle new strategies for a sustainable future for the island, preserve the environment and its cultural heritage in the middle of the present financial crisis. The support of Carlota, a Spanish young activist and resident now, is incredible. -‘Soyalism’ by Stefano Liberti and Enrico Parenti (Brazil-China-Mozambique-USA).  Chinese and Western companies have absolute control of pork production and soybean monoculture in these countries ignoring the impact, sometimes permanent, of their practice on the environment and the vanishing of small producers. Awarded in Kluj and Sofia festivals 2018. -The threat of plastic invasion in our life was the theme of the film ‘A Plastic Surgery: ‘Coca-Cola’s Hidden Secrets’ by Sandrine Rigaud (France, TP). Blatant lies of large companies using tons of plastic bottles, mainly, alleging  ‘their own’ campaign for ‘recycling’, but outright deceive with new names. -Three films from another unit of this program cover the decision of individuals who, for various reasons, decide to live an anti-conformist life: ‘The Lone Hero’ by Sevgi H. Ozcelik and Ozel Akdemir (Turkey). A goat shepherd stubbornly refuses eviction and money from a mining expropriating the area, and wins. -A group of retired health women and men create common small farm, ‘A New World’ directed by Naime Gec (Turkey, WP), away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, living in peace with solidarity, affection and sharing in a natural environment. -The film ‘Wongar’ by Andrijana Stojkovic (Serbia) unveils the story of a Serbian-Australian writer living a secluded life with an aborigine woman, his memories dedicated to his six dogs, communicating only with a vegetarian. -In another path: ‘The Olden Heralds’ by Luis Alejandro Yero (Cuba, TP). A Cuban couple in their 90’s witness the closing cycle of an era, Castro’s years, and the new order with Raoul Castro as successor. -‘The Golden Harvest’ by Alia Yunis (Palestine-Greece-Italy- Spain-Jordan, TP). Under the agricultural story of the olive tree, a sublime theme interconnects Mediterranean countries with light humor and tragic moments in historical conflicts. -Last but not least, words are not enough to describe the emotion watching ‘The Touch’ by Ethem Ozguven Turkey). An elegy and a portrait of Aziz Nesin, a humanist, intellectual, dissident and visionary writer of social thought that is still so valid to this day. The Nesin foundation continues to provide a nest for children. His epic ‘poem’ Sss, Konusma, has been recited in many languages.

While this festival invites one, or sometimes two, Greek people as jury members, and many guests from Greece, the Thessaloniki film festival, for some reason, does not reciprocate…

Kyriakos Peftitselis

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*Former Greek Island, Tenedos (mentioned in Iliad-Aeniada)  lies 18 km from mainland.
**In honor of Fehti Kayaalp, born and raised in Tenedos, in 1923. Turkish artist, painter, renowned restorer of paintings and art, responsible for creating cultural heritage protection programs for Tenedos to preserve the beauty of the island – always a dedicated activist for ecology and environment.  A living legend at 96.