Press Release
Masterclass with Thanasis Neofotistos: Cinema that doesn’t fit in boxes – From Personal Stories to Modern Myths
17ο Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival
«Shift Your Gaze to the Unseen»
As part of the 17th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival, which this year focuses on what lies beyond the visible and the expected under the theme “Shift Your Gaze to the Unseen,” cinema becomes an invitation to discover alternative perspectives and narratives that challenge established boundaries.
Drawing on his own creative journey, from his award-winning short films to his first feature film, ‘The Boy with the Blue Eyes’, director Thanasis Neofotistos invites us to a masterclass on a kind of cinema that refuses to be confined by genres and categories and transforms personal stories into contemporary myths.
How can queer identity, cultural heritage, superstitions, and social stereotypes become tools for cinematic storytelling? Through this discussion, the masterclass will explore creative freedom, the challenges of moving from short to feature-length filmmaking, the experience of Balkan co-production, and the importance of remaining committed to stories that do not easily fit into predefined frames.
The conversation with Thanasis Neofotistos will be held by Dimitra Kyrillou, editor at Antivirus magazine.
Event Information
Date: Monday, 16 November 2026
Time: 17:00–18:00
Venue: Greek Film Archive
Admission: Free / Please register here
About Thanasis Neofotistos
Thanasis Neofotistos is a Greek film director and screenwriter. With a background in architecture and cinema, his work combines a distinctive, handcrafted cinematic style with realism and emotional depth, often incorporating a queer perspective and elements of myth.
His debut feature film, The Boy with the Blue Eyes (99 min, 2026), a dark queer coming-of-age fairy tale, premiered at SXSW (South by Southwest) London, receiving a warm response from international critics. The film continues its journey through major international festivals.
His award-winning short films, Airhostess-737, Patision Avenue, Route-3, and Prayer, have been screened and received awards at major international festivals, including Venice, Sundance, Toronto, Locarno, and Clermont-Ferrand.
He is a member of the European Film Academy and the Hellenic Film Academy and has served as Head of Programming at the Drama International Short Film Festival. For more information about the creator and his work, visit the official page: https://www.neofotistos.com/