2016 Documentary Workshop

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About the 2016 Workshop

The International Film Festival of Patmos IFFP and SugarHigh Films are, for the second time, organised the Patmos Documentary Workshop for emerging filmmakers.

Successful applicants spent 2 weeks on the Greek islands, working in teams of 3 to each create a 10 minute documentary portrait that will be screened on the closing night of the festival.

The project consists of three phases:

A. Research & Development – remote / online
B. Filming at the Greek islands of Patmos, Kos, Leros, Ikaria and Agathonisi
C. Post production, seminars and Patmos int. film festival


After the summer, the participants’ footage are being reworked by Sugar High Films into a single, feature-length documentary called Faces of Immigration. This modular, collaborative, feature length documentary will then be released at international festivals, will premier in Patmos 2017 and will be broadcast on international television channels, including Sundance Channel and OTE TV.

The workshop was founded in 2013, with the intention of bringing together young filmmakers in order to create a new, exciting kind of documentary production method. By partaking in the workshop, participants will leave with sharpened skills, international contacts, an industry credit for a widely distributed feature and a great experience.

2016 Theme

The eastern Greek islands stake out the borders between Europe and Asia, east and west. Set apart, between worlds, they are places where people have come to retreat, occupy, spend their holidays or even escape from time altogether.

Now, the Dodecanese islands, places steeped until recently in tradition, religion and ancient history, find themselves on the front line of one of the defining humanitarian crises of recent times. On any given beach in these parts, you might find tourists enjoying their summer vacations, or you might find a crowded boat full of people fleeing from war, merciful to have safely reached dry land.

This summer, the theme for the workshop is THE FACES OF IMMIGRATION [working title].

Each short film or “portrait” will trace a single part of a connecting thread: a local priest, a volunteer doctor from Ireland, the local bar owner selling coffee on the beach, a member of the Frontex coast guard, a Syrian refugee who is escaping war, an international press reporter, the Iraqi immigrant working as an impromptu translator, a British tourist attending a wedding, the German architect renovating his holiday villa, the riot policeman controlling the crowds, the local undertaker; they are all swept up in the wave of immigration.

What do they see, what do they fear, where have they come from, what are they hoping for, where is home?

When the international media have flown home in search of new tragedies, we will try to dig deeper, look harder, and provide a lasting insight into what this phenomenon – the movement of peoples – really means today

Key Dates

What's Included

Tuition and tech support

Assistance and professional mentoring on development research and storytelling

15 days of accommodation (double occupancy)

DSLR Filming & sound equipment, insurance and necessary production expenses ( see equipment tab below)

Fixers and translators as required

Car rental during filming days (1 car per team)

Boat tickets between the islands

Access to editing suites, sound mixing studio and screening room in Patmos

50% discount at the festival’s restaurant in Patmos

All Access Festival Pass to IFFP 2016

Exclusive seminars with industry leaders (this year’s IFFP’s confirmed guests will be announced soon)

Dedicated networking event for the participants and VIP guests

Screening and ceremony of the teams’ short documentaries on the closing night of the festival

IMDB credits for each participant on the final feature length documentary and the respective shorts

Your work screened at international festivals, TV and online platforms including Sundance Channel, OTE TV and many more

Course Details

Detailed Schedule

Patmos Documentary Workshop 2013

In the Summer of 2013, we brought together 18 talented emerging filmmakers with 15 experienced cinema professionals and created the Patmos Documentary Workshop.

“Life in the Borderlands: Portraits of Patmos” was the documentary produced by the original documentary workshop in 2013.

A teaser trailer for this original film can be seen here.

The characters of the documentary were drawn from three different social groups of the island – residents, monks & artists, and international personalities. The aim of the documentary workshop was to depict the unique personal freedom of the people who meet in this land of geographical, spiritual and social borders.

For more information please do not hesitate to get in touch, by contacting us at [email protected]

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