Press Release
Panel Discussion: From Accessibility to Co-creation: Overcoming Challenges – Creating New Horizons in Art
17ο Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival
«Shift Your Gaze to the Unseen»
November 13th, 2026 | Greek Film Archive, Athens
The 17th Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival, titled «Shift Your Gaze to the Unseen» aims to bring to the forefront stories, lived experiences and voices that often remain out of the frame. Within this context, this year’s edition creates space for dialogue on disability through an open discussion titled “From Accessibility to Co-Creation: Overcoming Challenges – Creating New Horizons in Art” on November 13th at 17:00.
Starting from the experience of creating the film “The stuff we are made of” and its engagement with the audience through an impact campaign, the discussion will focus on cinema’s potential to forge new representations of disability, to challenge existing stereotypes and contribute to shaping a more inclusive and accessible cultural environment.
In the panel they will participate: Siamak Etemadi (film director and producer ), Eleni Efthymiou (director), Dimitris Zachos (director), Andriana Theochari (film producer and impact campaign producer ) and Patricia Toska, (actress). The moderator will be Katerina Zampeli, Head of Translations, Neaniko Plano. Through their unique personal and professional backgrounds, perspectives and visions, the speakers will share experiences and insights regarding disability in art, the requirements for equal access in cultural life and the role of a targeted impact campaign. The objective of the discussion is to help create space for diverse voices and lived experiences.
As part of this dialogue on disability, the festival is delighted this year, for the first time, to kick off with a feature film, bringing an unseen side into focus- the sexual and intimate life of people with disabilities in Greece. This will feature the screening of Siamak Etemadi’s documentary “The stuff we are made of” on November 12, in the presence of the director and crew. The screening will take place under accessible conditions, followed by a Q&A session with the director and contributors.
Events Details
Screening “The Stuff We Are Made Of”
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Time: 21.00 – 23.00
Venue: Greek Film Archive, Athens
Accessibility: Accessible screening for individuals with mobility impairments as well as Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members.
Followed by Q&A with the film’s cast and crew.
Ticket: General Admission €5 | Unemployed and Persons with Disabilities: €3
Open Discussion: “From Accessibility to Co-Creation: Overcoming Challenges – Creating New Horizons in Art”
Date: Friday, November 13, 2026
Time: 17:00
Venue: Greek Film Archive , Athens
The discussion will be accompanied by simultaneous sign language interpretation
Participants:
Siamak Etemadi, Film Director and Producer who studied television production in the United Kingdom and film in Greece. He has worked extensively as an assistant director and production manager on feature films, television series, and documentaries.
Eleni Efthymiou, Director who advocates for the idea of theater as a continuous exploration of the connection between the human condition and society.
Dimitris Zachos is an Athens-based director and screenwriter, operating across fiction, documentary, and video art.
Andriana Theochari is an independent documentary producer and impact producer involved in all stages of film production.
Patricia Toska, Actress
Moderation:
Katerina Zampeli, Head of Translations at Neaniko Plano
For more information about the screening and discussion, please visit the film’s impact campaign social media Facebook & Instagram, the festival’s official website, and its social media: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.