- 3 July
- 4 July
- 5 July
18:00 - 21:00
COSMOkids
Creative workshops for children with an emphasis on participation and artistic expression:
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet Theatre
Animation
Arts & Crafts
Creative Constructions
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet Theatre
Animation
Arts & Crafts
Creative Constructions
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Exhibition of the Ancient Greek Lyre
As part of the Cosmopolis Festival in Kavala, a unique exhibition dedicated to the ancient Greek lyre is presented, one of the most important symbols of the musical heritage of antiquity.
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a significant contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, visitors have the opportunity to experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments up close and connect with the sound world of the past. At the same time, the collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with live experience, as it has already been presented with great success at major institutions around the world (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, among others).
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a significant contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, visitors have the opportunity to experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments up close and connect with the sound world of the past. At the same time, the collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with live experience, as it has already been presented with great success at major institutions around the world (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, among others).
18:00–23:00
COSMOstreet
Pop-up bazaar
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic flavors
Music groups, and street performances
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic flavors
Music groups, and street performances
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop
The printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop, presented within the framework of Cosmopolis 2026 in the outdoor space of the Old Music Hall of Kavala, is a vibrant meeting point of art, memory, and local identity.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local customs, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works depict folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential journey for the audience. Visitors have the opportunity to become familiar with hand-printing techniques, observe the transformation of an idea into a physical imprint, and connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air setting closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local customs, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works depict folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential journey for the audience. Visitors have the opportunity to become familiar with hand-printing techniques, observe the transformation of an idea into a physical imprint, and connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air setting closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Behind the Mask: a ritual of return and transformation
At the threshold of light and darkness, where the familiar meets the primal, the photography exhibition of Ioannis Chatzatoglou opens a crack in time. The “face behind the mask” is not revealed, but is reborn through a ritual of images.
Through the transitional and apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days of Christmas, the artist guides us on an ancestral wandering: forms that pulse between the human and the bestial, masks that liberate hidden human depths, shadows that whisper stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear is transformed into ecstasy and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a relic, but as a living dough that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present and together they compose a future open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes both symbol and passage: a boundary dissolved, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of ourselves, ready to dance, collide, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
Through the transitional and apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days of Christmas, the artist guides us on an ancestral wandering: forms that pulse between the human and the bestial, masks that liberate hidden human depths, shadows that whisper stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear is transformed into ecstasy and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a relic, but as a living dough that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present and together they compose a future open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes both symbol and passage: a boundary dissolved, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of ourselves, ready to dance, collide, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
19:00 - 20:00
COSMOrituals – Introductory workshop on the ancient Greek lyre
The ancient lyre introductory workshop offers an experiential journey into the world of ancient Greek music, where participants discover the history, symbolism, and significance of the lyre, come into contact with reconstructed instruments, learn basic playing techniques, and try simple melodies and group improvisation, with no prior musical experience required.
Number of participants: 10
Duration: 1 hour
Number of participants: 10
Duration: 1 hour
21:00
COSMOrituals – Concert of ancient Greek lyre with Thanasis Kleopas and Theodoros Koumartzis
The collaboration between the two musicians led to the recording and release of the album Sacred Harmony, which has received highly positive reviews, with emphasis on its distinctive, atmospheric sound that combines the ancient Greek lyre with modern influences. Critics describe it as a deeply emotional and “ritualistic” work, functioning not only as musical listening but also as an experience with a spiritual and therapeutic dimension, while also recognizing its high performance quality and cohesion.
Thanasis Kleopas is a singer with strong expressiveness and a distinctive vocal identity, moving between tradition and contemporary world music, while Theodoros Koumartzis is a composer and master of the ancient Greek lyre, known for his work in the revival and evolution of ancient Greek music through the SEIKILO Ancient World Music ensemble.
Thanasis Kleopas is a singer with strong expressiveness and a distinctive vocal identity, moving between tradition and contemporary world music, while Theodoros Koumartzis is a composer and master of the ancient Greek lyre, known for his work in the revival and evolution of ancient Greek music through the SEIKILO Ancient World Music ensemble.
21:00–23:30
COSMOstreet – We shall meet at Philippi Audiovisual Installation Stratos Kalafatis & Gogo Violitzi
As part of the Cosmopolis 2026 festival and to mark the tenth anniversary
of the inclusion of the Archaeological Site of Philippi on the UNESCO World, an audiovisual installation dedicated
to the landscape of Tenaga and the historic site of Philippi is being presented.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
22:00
COSMOcinema - The Land of Forgotten Songs
The Land of Forgotten Songs (The Land of Forgotten Songs)
The forgotten voices of the Amazon resonate powerfully through a rare documentary. Vladimir Nikolouzos lives in the jungle, becomes one with its people, and transports us to another world of our time.
There are films that feel more like a ritual than a cinematic work. Vladimir Nikolouzos’ new documentary, The Land of Forgotten Songs (runtime 1h 33’), is one of them: a journey into the heart of the tropical forests, where the roots of humanity still pulse vividly through the myths, rituals, and daily lives of the Indigenous communities of the Amazon.
When cinema becomes an act of resistance, the viewing experience is almost dreamlike, yet deeply political. At a time when the forest is burning and these cultures are threatened by modernization and exploitation, the film becomes an act of resistance. A reminder that the loss of the sacred is the greatest forgetting of our time. “The Indigenous man/woman is us, and we are them, so that worlds may unite and the core of the planet may be healed for all its inhabitants,” Nikolouzos notes.
A kaleidoscope of sounds and images:
The film was created in collaboration with the Deep Forest Foundation and the Indigenous communities themselves (Kaxinawa Huni Kuin, Awa, Kayapo, Matis, Enawene Nawe, and Shipibo), proving that cinema can also be community. With cinematography by Konstantinos Koukoulios, Giorgos Salvanos, Yuri Kozyrev, and Nick Read, the poetic editing of Ilya Permyakov, and music by Vangelino Currentzis, the film becomes a multilayered kaleidoscope of sounds and images. It is no coincidence that it has already traveled to international festivals: Thessaloniki, Barbados, Cambodia, Montreal, Brazil, and soon Barcelona.
The Land of Forgotten Songs is not just a documentary; it is a mirror that takes us back to the forgotten sides of ourselves, where poetry, nature, and memory meet once again. Because every forgotten song of the Amazon is, in truth, a pulse of humanity itself.
Duration: 93’
Year: 2024
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKbRvu5NuW8
Credits
• Director: Vladimir Nikolouzos
• Screenwriters: Vladimir Nikolouzos, Ilya Permyakov
• Producers: Katya Bakhirka
• Director of Photography/DOP: Konstantinos Koukoulios, Vladimir Nikolouzos
• Editing: Ilya Permyakov
• Other Credits: Composer: Vangelino Currentzis, Sound: Egor Ananko
The forgotten voices of the Amazon resonate powerfully through a rare documentary. Vladimir Nikolouzos lives in the jungle, becomes one with its people, and transports us to another world of our time.
There are films that feel more like a ritual than a cinematic work. Vladimir Nikolouzos’ new documentary, The Land of Forgotten Songs (runtime 1h 33’), is one of them: a journey into the heart of the tropical forests, where the roots of humanity still pulse vividly through the myths, rituals, and daily lives of the Indigenous communities of the Amazon.
When cinema becomes an act of resistance, the viewing experience is almost dreamlike, yet deeply political. At a time when the forest is burning and these cultures are threatened by modernization and exploitation, the film becomes an act of resistance. A reminder that the loss of the sacred is the greatest forgetting of our time. “The Indigenous man/woman is us, and we are them, so that worlds may unite and the core of the planet may be healed for all its inhabitants,” Nikolouzos notes.
A kaleidoscope of sounds and images:
The film was created in collaboration with the Deep Forest Foundation and the Indigenous communities themselves (Kaxinawa Huni Kuin, Awa, Kayapo, Matis, Enawene Nawe, and Shipibo), proving that cinema can also be community. With cinematography by Konstantinos Koukoulios, Giorgos Salvanos, Yuri Kozyrev, and Nick Read, the poetic editing of Ilya Permyakov, and music by Vangelino Currentzis, the film becomes a multilayered kaleidoscope of sounds and images. It is no coincidence that it has already traveled to international festivals: Thessaloniki, Barbados, Cambodia, Montreal, Brazil, and soon Barcelona.
The Land of Forgotten Songs is not just a documentary; it is a mirror that takes us back to the forgotten sides of ourselves, where poetry, nature, and memory meet once again. Because every forgotten song of the Amazon is, in truth, a pulse of humanity itself.
Duration: 93’
Year: 2024
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKbRvu5NuW8
Credits
• Director: Vladimir Nikolouzos
• Screenwriters: Vladimir Nikolouzos, Ilya Permyakov
• Producers: Katya Bakhirka
• Director of Photography/DOP: Konstantinos Koukoulios, Vladimir Nikolouzos
• Editing: Ilya Permyakov
• Other Credits: Composer: Vangelino Currentzis, Sound: Egor Ananko
18:00 - 21:00
COSMOkids
Creative workshops for children with an emphasis on participation and artistic expression:
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet Theatre
Animator
Crafts
Constructions
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet Theatre
Animator
Crafts
Constructions
18:00 - 23:00
COSMOrituals – Exhibition of the Ancient Greek Lyre
As part of the Cosmopolis Festival in Kavala, a unique exhibition dedicated to the ancient Greek lyre is presented, one of the most important symbols of the musical heritage of antiquity.
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a substantial contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, the public has the opportunity to closely experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments and connect with the sonic world of the past. At the same time, collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with lived experience, as it has been successfully presented in numerous major institutions worldwide (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, etc.).
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a substantial contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, the public has the opportunity to closely experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments and connect with the sonic world of the past. At the same time, collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with lived experience, as it has been successfully presented in numerous major institutions worldwide (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, etc.).
18:00–23:00
COSMOstreet
Pop-up bazaar
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic offerings
Music groups, and street performances
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic offerings
Music groups, and street performances
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop
The printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop, presented within the framework of Cosmopolis 2026 in the outdoor space of the Old Music Hall of Kavala, is a vibrant meeting point of art, memory, and local identity.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local events, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works capture folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential experience for the public. Visitors have the opportunity to become closely acquainted with hand-printing techniques, to observe the transformation of an idea into a material imprint, and to connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air environment closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local events, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works capture folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential experience for the public. Visitors have the opportunity to become closely acquainted with hand-printing techniques, to observe the transformation of an idea into a material imprint, and to connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air environment closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Behind the Mask: a ritual of return and transformation
At the threshold of light and darkness, where the familiar meets the primordial, the photography exhibition of Ioannis Chatzatoglou opens a crack in time. The “face behind the mask” is not revealed, but is reborn through a ritual of images.
Through the apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days of Christmas, the artist leads us on an ancestral journey: forms that pulse between the human and the beastly, masks that release hidden human depths, shadows that whisper stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear is transformed into ecstasy and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a fossil, but as a living dough that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present and together they compose a future that is open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes both symbol and passage: a boundary dissolved, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of ourselves, ready to dance, collide, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
Through the apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days of Christmas, the artist leads us on an ancestral journey: forms that pulse between the human and the beastly, masks that release hidden human depths, shadows that whisper stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear is transformed into ecstasy and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a fossil, but as a living dough that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present and together they compose a future that is open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes both symbol and passage: a boundary dissolved, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of ourselves, ready to dance, collide, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
19:00
COSMOrituals – Introductory workshop on Flamenco
Flamenco Workshop (open to everyone)
An introductory workshop for those who wish to discover flamenco from within, through the body, rhythm, and listening. No prior experience is required.
We will explore how dance, guitar, and singing are connected, working on rhythm (compás) and the communication between performers. We will then learn a simple and joyful choreography por tangos, one of the most accessible flamenco rhythms. An experiential journey that brings you closer to the essence of this art form.
An introductory workshop for those who wish to discover flamenco from within, through the body, rhythm, and listening. No prior experience is required.
We will explore how dance, guitar, and singing are connected, working on rhythm (compás) and the communication between performers. We will then learn a simple and joyful choreography por tangos, one of the most accessible flamenco rhythms. An experiential journey that brings you closer to the essence of this art form.
21:00
COSMOrituals – Flamenco music and dance concert
Alma Flamenca – a journey into the heartbeat of Andalusia
Flamenco is the sound and pulse of Andalusia. Born in the south of Spain, flamenco is a powerful art form that unites music, rhythm, and human emotion. In 2010, UNESCO recognized it as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a living tradition that continues to move audiences and evolve.
More than a performance, flamenco is a dialogue between three core elements:
Cante (singing), Baile (dance), and Toque (guitar). Together they create a unique language, sometimes tender and introspective, other times explosive and full of intensity.
On stage, dancers Niovi Benou and Flora Tsoukala, together with guitarist Kostas Tsoumanis, invite the audience into this living world. Through rhythm, movement, and sound, they recreate the atmosphere of Andalusia, where every gesture tells a story and every beat connects performers and audience.
An authentic, immediate, and vibrant experience.
Before the performance, an open workshop for all levels will take place. We will explore the connections between dance, guitar, and singing in flamenco, and learn a simple short choreography por tangos, one of the most joyful and accessible flamenco rhythms.
Concert duration: 70 minutes
Flamenco is the sound and pulse of Andalusia. Born in the south of Spain, flamenco is a powerful art form that unites music, rhythm, and human emotion. In 2010, UNESCO recognized it as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a living tradition that continues to move audiences and evolve.
More than a performance, flamenco is a dialogue between three core elements:
Cante (singing), Baile (dance), and Toque (guitar). Together they create a unique language, sometimes tender and introspective, other times explosive and full of intensity.
On stage, dancers Niovi Benou and Flora Tsoukala, together with guitarist Kostas Tsoumanis, invite the audience into this living world. Through rhythm, movement, and sound, they recreate the atmosphere of Andalusia, where every gesture tells a story and every beat connects performers and audience.
An authentic, immediate, and vibrant experience.
Before the performance, an open workshop for all levels will take place. We will explore the connections between dance, guitar, and singing in flamenco, and learn a simple short choreography por tangos, one of the most joyful and accessible flamenco rhythms.
Concert duration: 70 minutes
21:00–23:30
COSMOstreet – We shall meet at Philippi Audiovisual Installation Stratos Kalafatis & Gogo Violitzi
As part of the Cosmopolis 2026 festival and to mark the tenth anniversary
of the inclusion of the Archaeological Site of Philippi on the UNESCO World
, an audiovisual installation dedicated
to the landscape of Tenaga and the historic site of Philippi is being presented.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
22:00
COSMOcinema - The Luthier
The documentary tells the story of a Greek instrument maker from a small village in Serres, who builds some of the finest flamenco guitars in the world. Despite the isolation of the Greek countryside, the protagonist dreams of something bold: to create the first international flamenco music festival in his hometown. With the support of his artist friends, he embarks on an exciting journey full of challenges and emotions, bringing together different musical traditions.
A journey from the Greek countryside to the international music scene
Through a cinematic narrative that combines documentary, fictional elements, and historical information, the film takes the audience from the Greek countryside to international music stages abroad. With a narrative rhythm that balances solitude, creation, and the power of music, the documentary offers a deeply human story about passion and perseverance.
The film features important artists from the global flamenco scene such as Cenk Erdogan (Turkey), a Grammy Award winner, and Rosario La Tremendita (Spain), whose fame extends beyond her country’s borders. Giorgos Valiris and Yota Baron (Netherlands) supported with their talent and belief in Vasilis Lazaridis’ dream from beginning to end, as did Stavros Pressis, who serves flamenco through his guitar. Thetis Misiou, Marcos Jimeneth, Pastora, Flora Tsoukala, and Niovi Benou enchanted us with their dance. The film’s music is composed by Doruk Okuyucu and RSN.
Director: Giannis Kostavaras
Duration: 75'
Original Language: Greek, English, Spanish
Year of Production: 2025
Director of Photography: Alexandros Tiniakos
Sound Engineer: Tasos Gkikas
Editor: Giannis Kostavaras
Original Music Composer: RSN AZILAZIAN
Producer: Giannis Kostavaras
Trailer Link: https://vimeo.com/1057825777
A journey from the Greek countryside to the international music scene
Through a cinematic narrative that combines documentary, fictional elements, and historical information, the film takes the audience from the Greek countryside to international music stages abroad. With a narrative rhythm that balances solitude, creation, and the power of music, the documentary offers a deeply human story about passion and perseverance.
The film features important artists from the global flamenco scene such as Cenk Erdogan (Turkey), a Grammy Award winner, and Rosario La Tremendita (Spain), whose fame extends beyond her country’s borders. Giorgos Valiris and Yota Baron (Netherlands) supported with their talent and belief in Vasilis Lazaridis’ dream from beginning to end, as did Stavros Pressis, who serves flamenco through his guitar. Thetis Misiou, Marcos Jimeneth, Pastora, Flora Tsoukala, and Niovi Benou enchanted us with their dance. The film’s music is composed by Doruk Okuyucu and RSN.
Director: Giannis Kostavaras
Duration: 75'
Original Language: Greek, English, Spanish
Year of Production: 2025
Director of Photography: Alexandros Tiniakos
Sound Engineer: Tasos Gkikas
Editor: Giannis Kostavaras
Original Music Composer: RSN AZILAZIAN
Producer: Giannis Kostavaras
Trailer Link: https://vimeo.com/1057825777
18:00 - 21:00
COSMOkids
Creative workshops for children with an emphasis on participation and artistic expression:
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet theatre
Animation
Handicrafts
Crafts
Collage
Printmaking
Painting
Puppet theatre
Animation
Handicrafts
Crafts
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Exhibition of the Ancient Greek Lyre
As part of the Cosmopolis Festival in Kavala, a unique exhibition dedicated to the ancient Greek lyre is presented, one of the most important symbols of the musical heritage of antiquity.
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a substantial contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, the public has the opportunity to closely experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments and connect with the sonic world of the past. At the same time, collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with live experience, as it has been successfully presented in numerous major institutions worldwide (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, etc.).
The exhibition is based on the work of the Koumartzis family, who for many years have been engaged in the reconstruction and study of ancient musical instruments, making a substantial contribution to the revival of ancient Greek music. Through the Seikilo Museum, the public has the opportunity to closely experience faithful replicas of ancient instruments and connect with the sonic world of the past. At the same time, collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) has strengthened the scientific documentation of this effort, combining academic research with practical reconstruction and performance. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the public to discover the evolution and significance of the ancient lyre through a contemporary approach that bridges history with live experience, as it has been successfully presented in numerous major institutions worldwide (Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, UBC in Canada, the United Nations Headquarters in New York, etc.).
18:00–23:00
COSMOstreet
Pop-up bazaar
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic options
Music groups, and street performances
NGO booths
Street food with ethnic options
Music groups, and street performances
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop
The printmaking and traditional typography exhibition by Presa Workshop, presented within the framework of Cosmopolis 2026 in the outdoor space of the Old Music Hall of Kavala, is a vibrant meeting point of art, memory, and local identity.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local events, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works depict folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential experience for the audience. Visitors have the opportunity to become closely acquainted with handmade printing techniques, observe the transformation of an idea into a physical imprint, and connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air environment closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
The creators of Presa Workshop draw inspiration from local events, traditions, and narratives of everyday life in the Greek countryside, transferring onto paper images and symbols that bridge the past with the present. Through printmaking techniques and traditional typography, the works depict folk motifs, moments from celebrations, as well as elements of the region’s cultural heritage.
The printing process functions as an experiential experience for the audience. Visitors have the opportunity to become closely acquainted with handmade printing techniques, observe the transformation of an idea into a physical imprint, and connect with an art form that carries centuries of history.
The exhibition thus becomes an open dialogue between artist and viewer, where tradition is a living organism that evolves and redefines itself. In an open-air environment closely connected to the urban fabric, the art of printmaking gains new dynamism, inviting the public to actively participate and discover the power of image and imprint.
Through this initiative, Cosmopolis 2026 strengthens the connection between contemporary artistic creation and local cultural heritage, highlighting printmaking and traditional typography as living forms of expression that continue to inspire and move younger generations.
18:00–23:00
COSMOrituals – Behind the Mask: a ritual of return and transformation
At the threshold between light and darkness, where the familiar meets the primordial, Ioannis Hatzatoglou’s photography exhibition opens a crack in time. The «face behind the mask» is not revealed, but is reborn through a mystical ritual of images.
Through the rites and apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days, the artist leads us on a primal journey: figures oscillating between the human and the beastly, masks that liberate the human depths, shadows whispering stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear transforms into ecstasy, and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a fossil, but as a living leaven that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present, and together they compose a future that is open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes a symbol and a passage: a boundary that is abolished, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of our very selves, ready to dance, clash, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
Through the rites and apotropaic customs of the Twelve Days, the artist leads us on a primal journey: figures oscillating between the human and the beastly, masks that liberate the human depths, shadows whispering stories older than oblivion. Where laughter meets awe, fear transforms into ecstasy, and chaos finds rhythm through ritual.
The exhibition does not present tradition as a fossil, but as a living leaven that breathes, mutates, and merges with the stimuli of contemporary life. The past permeates the present, and together they compose a future that is open, uncertain, yet deeply rooted in the collective unconscious.
In this photographic narrative, the mask becomes a symbol and a passage: a boundary that is abolished, a gateway to the collective and primal self. Perhaps, in the end, behind the mask there is not a single face, but multiple versions of our very selves, ready to dance, clash, and reconcile within the endless celebration of existence.
18:00–21:00
COSMOrituals – Introductory workshop on printmaking and traditional typography by Presa Workshop
From traditional methods of printmaking to contemporary experiments with typographic elements, visitors will have the opportunity to discover the evolution of printmaking and typography and to understand their impact on everyday life and communication.
With matrices that combine innovative techniques, experimentation, and traditional motifs from the Greek countryside, the workshop will highlight the complexity and aesthetics of both art forms, offering a living experience for lovers of art and visual expression.
The audience will also have the opportunity to come into contact with the new generation of artists and to observe the ongoing evolution of typography and printmaking today.
With matrices that combine innovative techniques, experimentation, and traditional motifs from the Greek countryside, the workshop will highlight the complexity and aesthetics of both art forms, offering a living experience for lovers of art and visual expression.
The audience will also have the opportunity to come into contact with the new generation of artists and to observe the ongoing evolution of typography and printmaking today.
21:00
COSMOrituals – Concert of the female polyphonic ensemble PNOES
The “Pnoes” are a distinctive, independent female polyphonic ensemble that approaches tradition with sensitivity and artistic boldness, reinterpreting it through contemporary expressions. With respect for their roots but also a spirit of exploration, they create a vocal landscape where the old meets the new and the local becomes universal.
On stage, their voices are accompanied by the musical ensemble “Askoi tou Aeolou,” a dynamic group combining percussion, guitars, bass, and violin, offering rich orchestrations and together building a multidimensional experience, a living musical journey.
The audience will have the opportunity to wander through familiar traditional paths while also discovering modern approaches and sounds from different parts of the world. Their singing is not static but a complete embodiment. Through the use of body, movement, and stage presence, they transform each performance into an experiential narrative.
They sing about life, about night and light, about nature and humanity. They sing for themselves, but also for all of us, touching deep and timeless emotions.
On stage, their voices are accompanied by the musical ensemble “Askoi tou Aeolou,” a dynamic group combining percussion, guitars, bass, and violin, offering rich orchestrations and together building a multidimensional experience, a living musical journey.
The audience will have the opportunity to wander through familiar traditional paths while also discovering modern approaches and sounds from different parts of the world. Their singing is not static but a complete embodiment. Through the use of body, movement, and stage presence, they transform each performance into an experiential narrative.
They sing about life, about night and light, about nature and humanity. They sing for themselves, but also for all of us, touching deep and timeless emotions.
21:00–23:30
COSMOstreet – We shall meet at Philippi Audiovisual Installation Stratos Kalafatis & Gogo Violitzi
As part of the Cosmopolis 2026 festival and to mark the tenth anniversary
of the inclusion of the Archaeological Site of Philippi on the UNESCO World
, an audiovisual installation dedicated
to the landscape of Tenaga and the historic site of Philippi is being presented.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
Following the significant series of works “Athos / The Colors of Faith” and “Archipelago,” Stratos Kalafatis returns with a new artistic approach, inspired by the historic phrase “We shall meet at Philippi.”
A journey to a place with multiple historical and symbolic interpretations: an ancient monument, a religious landmark, a site of historical conflicts, and also his personal place of origin.
In collaboration with Gogo Violitzis, they are creating a new audiovisual work that combines photography, sound, and moving images, composing an experiential journey through memory, landscape, and narrative.
At the same time, the results of the annual photography workshop organized by the Kavala Photography Club, with Stratos Kalafatis as the instructor, will be presented in a digital exhibition at the same venue.
22:00
COSMOcinema - True to our Inner Daemon
The award-winning sensory documentary “True to Inner Daemon” by Tasos Gkoletsos goes beyond documentation and reveals the ecstatic atmosphere of rituals in Northern Greece.
Somewhere between realism and magic, ordinary people long for the miracle. They instinctively immerse themselves in acts of purification and seek a moment of freedom so addictive that they wish to relive it again and again. In this moment of ecstasy, they stop thinking and simply live. An experience of Greek paganism that struggles at the edge of the modern world.
Built from the materials and myths of rituals, “True to Inner Daemon” explores an archetypal process in which the transition between life and death forms a fundamental axis running through the meaning of ritual practices. The film does not describe, but is experienced. Through a purely observational approach, Tasos Gkoletsos does not instruct the viewer but invites them to surrender to the rhythm of the ceremony and ultimately to participate. And if the experience feels frightening, it is always liberating.
The documentary has already received significant distinctions: it won the 2nd Best Film Award and the Sound Award at the 19th Chalkida Greek Documentary Festival. It was also screened at the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, where it had its world premiere and received a very warm audience response, as well as at the “Open Eyes 2025” festival of the Hellenic Documentary Association.
Co-producers of the film are ERT, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece, Das Paradiso Films, Anapoda Theatre, and Mao Productions.
Credits:
Director: Tasos Gkoletsos
Screenplay: Tasos Gkoletsos, Klontiana Tsamati
Dramaturgical research: Klontiana Tsamati
Executive producer: Vangelis Papoutsis
Editing: Giannis Tananakis
Music: Lionel Van Erck
Sound editing & sound design: Giorgos Gargalas
Color grading: Dimitris Karteris
Poster: Aristomenis Theodoropoulos
Title design: Vangelis Pyrpylis
Subtitles: Stavroula Sotiropoulou
Line Producer: Adamantia Fytili
Production: Tasos Gkoletsos, Vangelis Papoutsis, Klontiana Tsamati
Duration: 91'
Year of Production: 2025
Trailer Link: https://vimeo.com/1062856828
Somewhere between realism and magic, ordinary people long for the miracle. They instinctively immerse themselves in acts of purification and seek a moment of freedom so addictive that they wish to relive it again and again. In this moment of ecstasy, they stop thinking and simply live. An experience of Greek paganism that struggles at the edge of the modern world.
Built from the materials and myths of rituals, “True to Inner Daemon” explores an archetypal process in which the transition between life and death forms a fundamental axis running through the meaning of ritual practices. The film does not describe, but is experienced. Through a purely observational approach, Tasos Gkoletsos does not instruct the viewer but invites them to surrender to the rhythm of the ceremony and ultimately to participate. And if the experience feels frightening, it is always liberating.
The documentary has already received significant distinctions: it won the 2nd Best Film Award and the Sound Award at the 19th Chalkida Greek Documentary Festival. It was also screened at the 27th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, where it had its world premiere and received a very warm audience response, as well as at the “Open Eyes 2025” festival of the Hellenic Documentary Association.
Co-producers of the film are ERT, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center – Creative Greece, Das Paradiso Films, Anapoda Theatre, and Mao Productions.
Credits:
Director: Tasos Gkoletsos
Screenplay: Tasos Gkoletsos, Klontiana Tsamati
Dramaturgical research: Klontiana Tsamati
Executive producer: Vangelis Papoutsis
Editing: Giannis Tananakis
Music: Lionel Van Erck
Sound editing & sound design: Giorgos Gargalas
Color grading: Dimitris Karteris
Poster: Aristomenis Theodoropoulos
Title design: Vangelis Pyrpylis
Subtitles: Stavroula Sotiropoulou
Line Producer: Adamantia Fytili
Production: Tasos Gkoletsos, Vangelis Papoutsis, Klontiana Tsamati
Duration: 91'
Year of Production: 2025
Trailer Link: https://vimeo.com/1062856828