(since 1996)<\/b><\/p>\n
THE FESTIVAL<\/b><\/p>\n
The idea of an Archaeological Film Festival\u2014long absent from Greece, a country inseparably linked to the very concept of archaeology\u2014was born in 1995 by director Memi Spyratou, following a series of awards her films had received at similar festivals abroad.<\/span> IMAGE AND NUMBERS<\/b><\/p>\n They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In AGON\u2019s case, it is the thousand\u2014and more\u2014figures that reflect both the participation of filmmakers and the audience turnout that has responded from the very beginning.<\/span> <\/p>\n ACTIVITIES \u2013 NAMES \u2013 TRIBUTES<\/b><\/p>\n Throughout its thirty-year journey, AGON<\/span> has hosted distinguished artists and personalities, including:<\/span> A landmark moment in AGON\u2019s history was the concert by George Dalaras, featuring poems by Eleni Arveler set to music by Nikos Platanos. Dalaras offered his participation pro bono, accompanied by a ten-member ensemble.<\/span> <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Shortly before completing 30 years of continuous presence, AGON celebrated its anniversary with a two-day event at the Megaron \u2013 The Athens Concert Hall on November 10\u201311, 2023, in the Music Library Teaching Hall of the <\/span>\u201cFriends of Music Society.\u201d<\/b> <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The discussion was moderated by the President and Artistic Director of the International Archaeological Film Festival AGON, director <\/span>Memi Spyrou<\/b>, and featured distinguished directors and archaeologists (in alphabetical order): <\/span>Dimos Avdeliodis<\/b>, director \/ <\/span>Ioanna Asmeniadi-Foka<\/b>, director \/ <\/span>Anastasia Gadolou<\/b>, archaeologist, General Director of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki \/ <\/span>Petros Themelis,<\/b> archaeologist <\/span>\/ Vassilis Karamitsanis<\/b>, President of ANIMASYROS International Animation Festival <\/span>\/ Dionysia Kopana,<\/b> director \/ <\/span>Manolis Korres<\/b>, architect, civil engineer and Professor of the History of Architecture in postgraduate studies at the National Technical University of Athens, Head of the Acropolis Monuments Restoration Service (YSMA) and full member of the Academy of Athens since 2017 \/ <\/span>Nina Kyparissi,<\/b> PhD in Prehistoric Archaeology, Honorary Director of the Ministry of Culture \/ <\/span>Christina Merkouri<\/b>, archaeologist, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica \/ <\/span>Yiannis Metaxas<\/b>, Emeritus Professor of the University of Athens, author, full member of the Acad\u00e9mie Europ\u00e9enne Interdisciplinaire des Sciences \/ <\/span>Pedro Olalla<\/b>, director \/ <\/span>Angeliki Simosi<\/b>, archaeologist, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and Islands \/ <\/span>Eliza Soroga<\/b>, director \/ <\/span>Haris Tzalas,<\/b> writer, historian, President of the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Ancient and Medieval Alexandria, President of Experimental Archaeology and Shipbuilding (construction of the \u201cKYRENIA II\u201d) and, of course, the audience!<\/span><\/p>\n COMMITTEES<\/b><\/p>\n The Pre-Selection and International Jury Committees of AGON are international in composition and bring together professionals from a wide range of disciplines capable of assessing the individual merits of each film\u2014directors, archaeologists, editors, screenwriters, musicians, cinematographers, producers, visual artists, university professors, historians, educators, and even linguists.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among those who have served on AGON\u2019s Committees over the years (in alphabetical order) are:<\/span><\/p>\n Dimos Avdeliodis<\/b>, Director<\/span><\/p>\n Marc Azema<\/b>, Archaeologist, Director, Head of the Narbonne Archaeological Film Festival (France)<\/span><\/p>\n Eleni Glykatzi-Ahrweiler<\/b>, Byzantinist, former Rector of the Sorbonne<\/span><\/p>\n Ioulia Velissaropoulou<\/b>, Professor of Legal History, University of Athens<\/span><\/p>\n Anastasia Gadolou<\/b>, Archaeologist, General Director of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki<\/span><\/p>\n Nazim Guveloglu<\/b>, Producer\u2013Director (Turkey)<\/span><\/p>\n Dario Di Blasi<\/b>, Director of the International Archaeological Film Festivals of Rovereto, Florence, and Naples (Italy)<\/span><\/p>\n Costa-Gavras<\/b>, Director (France)<\/span><\/p>\n Tony Coe<\/b>, Head of Educational Films, BBC Open University (UK)<\/span><\/p>\n Despina Evgenidou<\/b>, Byzantinist<\/span><\/p>\n Dimitris Danikas<\/b>, Film Critic and Journalist<\/span><\/p>\n Philippe Dorthe<\/b>, Director of the Bordeaux International Archaeological Film Festival (France)<\/span><\/p>\n Anne Fenton<\/b>, Head of Audiovisual Services, UNESCO (UK)<\/span><\/p>\n Manos Zacharias<\/b>, Director<\/span><\/p>\n Nikos Kaltsas<\/b>, Archaeologist, former Director of the National Archaeological Museum<\/span><\/p>\n Evangelos Karamanes<\/b>, Director of the Research Centre for Greek Folklore, Academy of Athens<\/span><\/p>\n Paraskevi Katimertzi<\/b>, Journalist<\/span><\/p>\n Nikos Koundouros<\/b>, Director<\/span><\/p>\n Giorgos Kouroupos<\/b>, Composer, Artistic Director of the Orchestra of Colours<\/span><\/p>\n Lada Laura<\/b>, Director of the Split International Archaeological Film Festival (Croatia)<\/span><\/p>\n Peggy Lagiou<\/b>, Producer<\/span><\/p>\n Anna Lambraki<\/b>, Archaeologist, Founder of <\/span>Archaeology & Arts<\/span><\/i> magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Eugenia Lyroudia<\/b>, Script Analyst, Greek Film Centre<\/span><\/p>\n Giorgos Mouzakitis<\/b>, Director<\/span><\/p>\n Nikos Bakounakis<\/b>, Journalist<\/span><\/p>\n Christos Boulotis<\/b>, Doctor of Prehistoric Archaeology, Academy of Athens<\/span><\/p>\n Konstantinos Bourazelis<\/b>, Historian, former Vice Rector of the University of Athens<\/span><\/p>\n Anna Dalaras<\/b>, Publisher and Concert Producer<\/span><\/p>\n Zeta Xekalaki<\/b>, Archaeologist, Editor of <\/span>Archaeology & Arts<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Dionysis Petroutsopoulos<\/b>, Director of Photography<\/span><\/p>\n Tahar Ben Redjeb<\/b>, Director of the Amiens International Archaeological Film Festival (France)<\/span><\/p>\n Tzella Skoura<\/b>, Archaeologist<\/span><\/p>\n Giovanna Ruscito<\/b>, Film Specialist, <\/span>Archeologia Viva<\/span><\/i> magazine (Italy)<\/span><\/p>\n Alexis Eudald Sola y Fares<\/b>, Hellenist, University of Barcelona (Spain)<\/span><\/p>\n Georgia Salampasi, <\/b>Audiovisual Artist \/ Art Psychotherapist<\/span><\/p>\n Memi Spyratou<\/b>, Founder, President and Artistic Director of AGON<\/span><\/p>\n Nikos Stambolidis<\/b>, Professor of History and Archaeology, University of Crete \u2013 Director of the Acropolis Museum<\/span><\/p>\n Maria Stoffella,<\/b> Painter (Italy)<\/span><\/p>\n Giorgos Triantafyllou,<\/b> Editor<\/span><\/p>\n Haris Tzalas,<\/b> President of the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Ancient and Medieval Alexandria and of the Hellenic Centre for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n AGON COMPETITIONS & PRODUCTIONS<\/b>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Thanks to the active support of journalist Lena Savvidi and archaeologist Anna Lambraki, publisher of the magazine <\/span>Archaeology & Arts<\/span><\/i>, the First International Meeting of Archaeological Film, titled \u201cAGON,\u201d was held in 1996. This landmark event paved the way for the involvement of numerous cultural and institutional bodies, including the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, the Municipality of Athens, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the Greek Film Centre, the Bank of Greece, the Piraeus Bank Cultural Foundation, universities, foreign archaeological schools, museums, and more.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Until 2016, the Festival was funded mainly through the personal support of Lena Savvidi and was organized as a biennale every two years. In 2022, however, it was forced into silence due to financial constraints.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In May 2022, after a six-year hiatus and for the first time with the decisive support of the Ministry of Culture and Minister Lina Mendoni, the 11th edition of AGON was successfully held under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, with funding from the Ministry of Culture and Sports and support from the Region of Attica, the Greek National Tourism Organization, and the Municipality of Athens, in collaboration with the Greek Film Archive and the Greek section of ICOM.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In May 2024, once again with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Lina Mendoni, the 12th edition of AGON took place.<\/span>
\n<\/span>By 2026, marking 30 years of continuous presence, AGON has evolved into an institution of not only national but also international recognition. This is reflected in its collaborations with distinguished figures and institutions from the fields of culture and science, both in Greece and abroad, as well as in the strong and loyal response of audiences who have followed the Festival\u2019s events throughout the years.<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 This year we are organizing the 13th Biennale, once again with the support of the Ministry of Culture, and we look forward to AGON\u2019s continued longevity.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Over the years, thousands of films have been submitted, from which more than 500 Greek and international productions have been selected and screened.<\/span>
\n<\/span>More than 100 films have received monetary awards through AGON\u2019s established prizes (Best Director, Screenplay, Cinematography, Originality of Concept, Educational Film, Audience Award, and JUNIORS of Agon).<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Honorary distinctions have also been granted by institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of the Aegean, the Greek Film Centre, the Greek Film Archive, MEDIADESK, the Cultural Organization of the Municipality of Athens, the Lambrakis Research Foundation, the magazine <\/span>Archaeology & Arts<\/span><\/i>, and OTE TV.<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Throughout its journey, AGON\u2019s films have been watched by thousands of viewers across Greece. In non-biennale years, the Festival organizes touring screenings of award-winning films under the title <\/span>\u201cAGON Travels\u2026 and Takes You with It.\u201d<\/b> In this initiative, the awarded films \u201ctravel\u201d throughout Greece and are screened in collaboration with local cultural and educational institutions in non-profit events (museums, schools, universities, cultural associations, etc.). These screenings are usually introduced by the Festival\u2019s President, director Memi Spyratou, along with the Festival\u2019s Production Director, Rachel Manoukian.<\/span>
\n<\/span>Indicatively, AGON has traveled to municipalities of Athens, archaeological schools in Athens, the Association of Greek Archaeologists, Chios, Kavala, Ithaca, Kefalonia, Thessaloniki, Skyros, Syros, Cyprus, and more.<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Each edition hosts approximately 60 participants, including international directors, creators, scientists, festival directors, archaeologists, journalists, and other distinguished guests.<\/span>
\n<\/span>It is no coincidence that films from France\u2019s CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), the largest research organization in Europe, regularly participate in the Festival, alongside major international productions.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Notably, from its very first edition, AGON was honored by directors of corresponding European festivals for its exemplary organization.<\/span>
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The Festival \u201cAGON\u201d serves as an essential instrument of cultural diplomacy, outreach, and international promotion for Greece. Archaeology and cultural heritage constitute the country\u2019s strongest global brand, and through AGON not only Greece\u2019s archaeological sites but also its contemporary cultural activity are showcased internationally.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Restoring the celebratory spirit that every festival should embody, AGON also ensures the entertainment of its participants by collaborating with distinguished artists who deliver outstanding performances featuring selected music, songs, theatrical acts, and exhibitions<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>\u2022 Lakis Pappas, the renowned interpreter of Manos Hadjidakis, who was honored with an Ethics Award presented by Eleni Arveler.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Alicia Kayaloglou, who, in an event titled <\/span>\u201cAlicia in the Land of Documentary,\u201d<\/b> took us on a musical journey around the world with her voice.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 The music-theatre performance <\/span>\u201cBlack Yemeni,\u201d<\/b> directed by Memi Spyratou, which explored traditional Greek songs. (The production was also successfully staged in France, invited by G\u00e9rald Barbet, director of the Besan\u00e7on Archaeological Festival.)<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Anastasia Kapantae and Stavros Niforatos, who performed selections from Greece and around the world, including Griko songs in tribute to Magna Graecia.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 A presentation of the ancient Greek hydraulis by musician Panos Vlagopoulos, who performed ancient Greek music, while Anna Alexopoulou, accompanied by a quartet, interpreted choral excerpts from <\/span>Helen<\/span><\/i> by Euripides, set to music by Michalis Christodoulides.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>The performance, titled <\/span>\u201cThe Hidden History,\u201d<\/b> took place on November 15, 2004, during the 5th International Meeting of AGON at the Kotopouli\u2013REX Theatre, in collaboration with the National Theatre of Greece. Direction of both the musical performance and the short films that accompanied it was undertaken by Memi Spyratou, President and Artistic Director of the Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span>\u2022 In May 2024, at the closing ceremony of the 12th edition\u2014again at the Olympia Municipal Music Theatre <\/span>\u201cMaria Callas\u201d<\/b>\u2014George Dalaras performed, once more on a voluntary basis and accompanied by a large orchestra, songs by major Greek composers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>The two-day event included screenings of award-winning films from 11:00 in the morning until 22:00 in the evening, with free admission for all!<\/span>
\n<\/span>During the two-day events, an open discussion was held on the theme: <\/span>Archaeology and Cinema \u2013 Science and Art in a Fascinating Convergence.<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/span> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>In May 2000, two screenplay competitions were announced in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee. The themes were: <\/span>