AGAPI
A HAND DRAWN ANIMATED SHORT FILM BY JULIA SPEROPOULOS
LOGLINE
1914-1923 marked the 2nd phase of the Genocide of the Greeks of the Black Sea by the Young Turks. Agapi, her family, and the whole village’s Greek population are forced out of their homes and into a march in the snowy forest for 40 days. Will they survive the ordeal?
SYNOPSIS
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Young Turks rose to power in 1908, aiming to create a Turkey inhabited only by Sunni Muslim Turks. Their successor, Mustafa Kemal, saw the Pontian Greeks as a threat and sought to exterminate them. One method was the “white death march,” where, after 1916, Greek civilians were forced to march inland through deep snow without food or water. In 1921, Agapi and her family were among those forced from their home in Kotyora (Ordu, Turkey) on a 40-day march. Will they survive?
TECHNICAL SPECS
Status: International premiere.
Production year: 2025
Type: 2D Hand Drawn digitally animated short.
Length: 9’50”
GENRE: Narrative, historical, human rights.
Languages: Greek, Turkish, English
Countries of Production: Greece, USA
SOFTWARE: Blender, TV Paint, Photoshop, Premiere Pro.
Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1
Resolution:
4096x1716
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
“If there’s no punishment to the crime, it will be repeated to a greater scale. If Mustafa Kemal and his companions had been convicted for the genocides of the Armenians and the Greeks, maybe the Nazis wouldn’t have committed the genocide of the Jews”.
-Tamer Tsilingir, author-Pontic Greek genocide activist
“History has shown that unpunished crimes are repeated—often on an even greater scale. To prevent future genocides, we must raise awareness and honor the Greeks who were brutally and unjustly murdered 104 years ago. This film exposes some of those heinous crimes. The truth may be buried, but it is never gone. Eventually, it will come to light.
Raising awareness is crucial. We must pressure governments to acknowledge this genocide and hold the perpetrators accountable. Recognition is the only way to prevent history from repeating itself and to protect future generations. The most fundamental human right is the right to live.”
- Julia Speropoulos, director/producer/animator
The truth may be buried, but it is never gone. Eventually, it will come to light.
MEET THE CREW
Tzanetos Komineas, EDITOR
RESUME
Tzanetos Komineas has been a director and editor for more than 38 years, with titles including I karekla (1985), O pappous (2013) and Re-action
(2017), for which he is known for. He studied directing in Athens. He is a member of the Company of Greek Directors (EES). His films have been screened on National channel ERT as well as Festivals around the globe. He has also written and directed theatrical plays. He has published a cultural magazine as well as a collection of poems.
Ioakim Baltsavias, COMPOSER
RESUME
Ioakim Baltsavias was born in Volos, Greece. He studied piano and music theory at the Municipal Conservatory of his city. He continued his studies in orchestra and choir conducting with a scholarship from the Al. Onassis Institution at the Music Academy of Essen, Germany, graduating with honors. He holds a master's degree in music performance and is a doctoral candidate at the Ionian University. He has conducted many symphony orchestras in a wide repertoire in Greece and Europe and has composed original music for theater performances and movies.
FESTIVALS/AWARDS
Get your tickets to the World Premiere in New York here! AGAPI, as part of "It's Greek to me" shorts program by the Hellenic Film Society, screens at MOMI (Museum of Moving Image), Astoria New York on May 18, 2025!
Get your tickets for the International and West Coast Premiere here! AGAPI is officially selected and nominated for Best Animation at the 19th Los Angeles Greek Film Festival! Screenings start on May 27th!
Get your tickets for the Award Ceremony here! AGAPI is officially selected and nominated for best Animation at the Kinematora Film Festival at Vaxjo, Sweden! The Award ceremony will take place on May 31 at 15:00pm at the Palladium!
