The Department of Audio and Visual Arts of the Ionian University actively participated once again this year in the Chania Film Festival through activities coordinated by Assistant Professor Dr. Iakovos Panagopoulos and PhD Candidate Lina Petrianou. The Department’s presence, within the framework of the ongoing collaboration between the Interactive Arts Lab (InArts) and the Festival, significantly contributed to strengthening the dialogue between education, research, and audiovisual creation.

Dr. Panagopoulos presented his book “The Third Way in Cinema: The Academic Filmmaker Model” (Papazisis Publications) in conversation with the Festival’s Artistic Director, Mr. Matthaios Frantzeskakis. The presentation offered an opportunity to highlight new perspectives on the role of the creator-researcher in the contemporary cinematic landscape.

In parallel, he coordinated a pitching workshop for emerging filmmakers, providing guidance on how to develop and effectively present film proposals with a view toward funding and professional advancement.

As part of the educational activities, Lina Petrianou led a workshop dedicated to vocal performance and storytelling in digital environments: “The Power of Voice: Voice Acting & Storytelling on Social Media.” Through practical exercises and contemporary approaches, participants explored creative ways of using the voice in content production.

In addition, Dr. Panagopoulos served as a jury member in two of the Festival’s competition sections: Greek Short Animation and International Short Animation, contributing his expertise and academic insight to the recognition of new creative voices.

This year’s participation once again underscored the active and outward-looking engagement of the Department of Audio and Visual Arts and its ongoing commitment to supporting the new generation of audiovisual creators and the development of cinematic art in Greece.

Organization & Coordination of Participation:
Dr. Iakovos Panagopoulos, Assistant Professor, Department of Audio and Visual Arts – Ionian University