The 13th AGON International Archaeological and Cultural Documentary Festival promises audiences a fascinating cinematic experience, taking place from May 25 to May 30 at the Greek Film Archive.

As part of this year’s program, which was presented today, a total of 62 films from 27 different countries will be screened, including productions from Austria, Venezuela, Brazil, France, Georgia, the Dominican Republic, Greece, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Iran, Spain, Italy, China, Cyprus, Norway, the Netherlands, Palestine, Peru, Serbia, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Turkey, the Philippines, and Finland.

Themes explored by the festival’s films include historical memory and identity, archaeology and cultural heritage, ecology and sustainability, traditions and customs, war and trauma, mythology, the arts, and travel.

Historical, investigative, artistic, and social films, animated works, and hybrid productions of all lengths completed from 2022 onward — along with student films from the Youth Plan of the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People — create a colorful and compelling mosaic. The films will take audiences from ancient Athens and Asia Minor to the postwar and contemporary era.

The festival program will culminate on Sunday, May 31, at the Olympia Municipal Theatre – Maria Callas, with a celebratory event where the winning films, selected by an international jury, will be announced.

This year as well, AGON’s seven awards include cash prizes and correspond to nine categories:

• Archaeological Film Award “Archaeology and Arts Magazine”
• Direction
• Screenplay
• Educational Film Award “Christos Lambrakis”
• Cinematography
• “The Little Ones of AGON” Award (for films up to 10 minutes)
• Originality in Concept
• Audience Award
• Grand Jury Prize (GRAND PRIX) “Lena Savvidi”

The festival will also honor three distinguished personalities:

• George Arvanitis, the award-winning cinematographer and iconic figure of Greek and international cinema,
• Athanassios Fokas, Professor of Nonlinear Mathematical Science,
• and Zahi Hawass, the renowned Egyptologist, archaeologist, researcher, lecturer, author, and UNWTO Ambassador for Responsible Tourism.

The ceremony will conclude with a special tribute concert by the musical ensemble “Lipotaktes,” formed by the Independent Folk Orchestra “Mikis Theodorakis.” The concert, titled “These Lyrics May Be the Last,” is dedicated to Mikis Theodorakis and Dimitris Lagios, two artists and thinkers who have deeply shaped collective memory and continue to influence the present and future. Performers will include Vasilis Lekkas, Panagiotis Petrakis, Yakinthi Lagiou, and Angelos Theodorakis.

This year’s festival is dedicated to abused women “in flight” around the world. For this reason, the central image of the festival poster features the “departing maiden,” a marble sculpture from the lost pediment of a small building in the Eleusinian Sanctuary, dating to the early decades of the 5th century BC. The sculpture likely depicts Persephone fleeing anxiously from Pluto, the god of the Underworld.

Screenings:
Greek Film Archive, Monday, May 25 – Saturday, May 30

Screening slots:
Weekdays: 16:30–22:30
Saturday: 10:00–14:30 and 16:30–21:30

Tickets: €5 per screening slot.