The Drama International Short Film Festival (DISFF) is not only a film institution with a long history, but also a vibrant meeting place for people, stories, and images from Greece and around the world. For nearly fifty years, the Festival has been supporting young filmmakers, showcasing contemporary Greek cinema, and bringing audiences closer to the unique experience of the short film—a cinematic form that is direct, bold, and deeply human.
Through the initiative “The Drama Festival Travels…”—which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year—this experience extends beyond the borders of Drama to reach new places and audiences throughout Greece. The goal of the initiative is to take films, ideas, and creators on a journey, creating small film festivals wherever there is a desire to share, discuss, and discover.
As part of Melitzazz, the Drama Festival presents a screening program featuring unique short films for adults and children. The selections include films that were beloved by audiences and stood out at DISFF48 for their freshness, emotional depth, humor, and perspective on the modern world. From everyday stories to more fantastical or poetic narratives, the screenings remind us just how much can be packed into a short runtime.
The convergence of cinema with music, tradition, and the hospitality of Leonidio creates a unique setting for exchange and participation. For the Drama Film Festival, such collaborations are a way to keep cinema open, accessible, and vibrant, but also an opportunity to come together through stories that unite us, move us, and make us see the world a little differently.
The Melitzazz Festival aims to showcase and promote the rich cultural heritage of Tsakonia in a modern and creative way. History, tradition, architecture, the Tsakonian dialect, weaving, and Tsakonian dance intertwine with traditional and contemporary music, events, culinary experiences, workshops, seminars, and film screenings. Scattered events and street concert stages stretch through the alleys and squares of Leonidio. In the town’s architecturally distinctive mansions and tower houses, visitors can explore historical exhibitions and installations, contemporary art exhibitions, workshops, and film screenings.