2nd Kardamyli International Documentary Art Festival

The 2nd Kardamuyli Art & Docs Festival, a co-organisation of the Creative Documentary Centre of Kalamata and the Municipality of West Mani, is pleased to announce the start of its rich pre-festival program. From July 6th to August 24th, culture travels to 16 villages of West Mani, transforming them into a living experience for everyone.

This journey begins this year from Doli, on Sunday, July 6th, with a special film screening: the documentary "The Leap of Imeros" by acclaimed Greek director Costas Kolimenos. The screening will be held with Solar Cinema, an environmentally friendly initiative that enhances the experiential nature of the actions.

"The Leap of Imeros": A cinematic journey into the soul of traditional music

The documentary "The Leap of Imeros" (Greece, 2012, 52') is a moving journey into traditional Greek music, focusing on remote communities of islands and villages. Kostas Kolimenos takes us to a world where shepherds and elders still sing in authentic local dialects, conveying stories of love, death, and life as they unfold through the centuries.

The film highlights the importance of oral tradition and archaic sounds, which remain alive and function as an unchanging connection to the past. Through Kolimenos' camera, the raw authenticity of these expressions unfolds, highlighting their deep roots in the land and the human soul. "The Leap of Imeros" is more than a documentary; it is a cinematic dive into the heart of Greek folk culture and its timeless power, constituting an important ethnographic and musical document.

Director Kostas Kolimenos:

Kostas Kolimenos is a multifaceted artist, with a rich body of work as a photographer, writer and director. His filmography includes the documentaries "Ploughing Time" (2010), "A Day with the Prince" (2011) and "Zoom on the Cherries" (2012), which won distinctions at the Chalkida Film Festival. He has also directed fiction films, such as "The Road of Orpheus" (2013) and the internationally acclaimed "Return to Normality" (2022), for which he won the first prize for original screenplay together with Vangelis Bekas from the Greek Screenwriters Association.

A Culture in Motion:

The Kardamili Art & Docs Festival, true to its vision of promoting documentary, art and educational creation, is expanding its activities throughout Western Mani. The pre-festival program includes various events such as Solar Cinema screenings, theatrical performances, puppetry, Karagiozis performances, Bubble Show, musical evenings and entertainment activities for children. The goal is to make culture accessible and experienced by every resident and visitor to the region, strengthening cultural and social cohesion.

Screening Schedule:

Film: "The Leap of Imeros"

Director: Kostas Kolimenos

Date: Sunday, July 6th

Location: Doli, West Mani

Starting Time: At sunset

Admission to all events of the pre-festival programme is free.