The premiere of the documentary “Living Stones,” directed by Stathis Galazoulas, was successfully held on Monday, October 12, at the Great Britain, in the presence of representatives from the scientific and environmental communities, institutional bodies, the nonprofit and foundation sectors, as well as Initiative 21, during an evening dedicated to the unknown riches of the Cyclades seabed and the need to protect it.
The audience was welcomed by the Executive Directors of the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, Peggy Xirotagarou, and the Athina I. Martinou Foundation, Valia Fragou, highlighting the journey from scientific research to the creation of the documentary and the importance of introducing the public to a little-known but invaluable world of the Aegean.
The screening was followed by a discussion with George Papatheodorou, Professor and Director of Oceanus-Lab at the University of Patras, whose research – along with that of his team – formed the basis for the documentary, and Konstantinos Triantis, Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Executive Director of the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, focusing on scientific knowledge, the seabed of the Cyclades, and the importance of marine conservation. Aristomenis Karageorgis, President and Director of Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, was also invited to speak during the discussion.
The screening was preceded by a short video by director Stathis Galazoulas, offering his own perspective on the creative and cinematic approach of “Living Stones.”
The evening concluded with flavors inspired by the Cyclades, bringing to a close a journey that began with the seabed and scientific knowledge and culminated in imagery, discussion, and experience.
The documentary was created as part of the research project “Mapping Calcified Rhodophyte Formations in the Cyclades” by Oceanus -Lab at the University of Patras and is one of the initiatives of Initiative 21 on the Climate Crisis and the Environment, with the support of the Athina I. Martinou Foundation and the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation.
A Few Words About the Documentary
Synopsis
In the Cyclades, at depths where the light fades and a world invisible to humans begins, coral formations made of calcified red algae – known as “traganas” – stretch out. As the exploration proceeds into the uncharted landscapes of the seabed, the narrative leads to the “Bad Place,” an area that fishermen named for its treacherous seabed. But just how “bad” is this place, after all?
Cast: Giorgos Papatheodorou, Maria Geraga, Dimitris Christodoulou, Xenophon Dimas, Alkis Kontos, Aris Tziatzopoulos, Captain Giorgos Marianos “Sargos,” Giorgos Marianos
Screenplay – Direction: Stathis Galazoulas
Producer: Kyriaki Virou
Director of Photography: Stathis Galazoulas
Production Manager: Konstantinos D. Papadopoulos
Sound Recording: Antonis Koutelias
Original Music: Haris Neilas
Post-Production Supervisor: Michalis Papadopoulos
Editing: Io Andrikopoulou, Stathis Galazoulas
Sound Design & Mixing: Anastasios Katsaris
Color Correction: Vangelis Panagiotakopoulos
Mastering: Tamarisk
Production: AbFab Productions
