Marianna Economou
Director - Producer
She studied anthropology, photojournalism and film production in London.
Ιn 2000 she enters the world of documentary by directing three films for EUtopia, a BBC and ARTE production. Since then she directs and produces creative documentaries of Greek and foreign production and documentary series for Greek television. Her films participate in Greek and International festivals, many receiving awards and getting theatrical distribution globally. They are screened in Greek and international TV channels.
She is a member of the European Film Academy, Greek Film Academy and founding member of the Greek Documentary Association (president 2017-2021). Owner of DOC3 productions.
Filmography
2019: “When tomatoes met Wagner”- 72’ & 54’ - Stefi &Lynx, Anemon, GFC, Cosmote History, Creative Europe development fund. Producers: Spiros Mavrogenis, Rea Apostolidis, Yuri Averof. Distribution: Rise and Shine A dying village in central Greece decides to open up to the world with its tomatoes. Premiere: Berlinale. Screened in more than 100 festivals worldwide( Sarajevo, Visions du Reel, Sidney, Doc Barcelona, Docaviv...). Awards: Fipresci at Thessaloniki doc festival, Prix Bartok / Prix monde en regards / Sélection Images en Bibliothèques at Jean Rouch festival, Audience award at Provinzale festival, Audience Award at Houston Greek Festival, Alimenterre Award, Best Intern film at Heartland, Best doc at Docfest, Grand Prix Baikal Intern Film fest, Jury Award at Grecdoc, Cinemambulante Award, etc. Cinema distribution in France, Spain, Estonia, Serbia. Greece’s contender for the Oscars in the foreign film category. Nominated for Prix Europa 2020. Best documentary by the Greek Film Academy.
https://www.facebook.com/whentomatoesmetwagner/ Trailer: https://vimeo.com/334648384 French trailer: https://vimeo.com/468104785
2015: “The Longest Run” – 74’ & 55’ – Stefi & Lynx productions/ GFC/ Doc3/ ARTE. Producer: Spiros Mavrogenis. Distribution: Deckert. Two underage refugees from Iraq and Syria in a Greek prison, accused of smuggling illegal immigrants. Premiere: Leipzig festival, where it receives the VERDI award and special mention in the International Competition program. It is selected in the official program in over 60 festivals (Docpoint, Tempo, One World, Crossing Europe, Docs Barcelona, Marseilles, Thessaloniki etc) and receives awards. Screenings: ARTE, Al Jazeera, ERT, UR. Selected for the European Academy Awards and nominated by the Greek Academy.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/141398399
2016: “Fragments” 47’ - Marni Films & Doc3 – Producer: Theodora Valenti. A portrait of sculptress Alexandra Athanassiadi. Premiere: Thessaloniki Festival.
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/273294202
2013: “Food for love”, 52’ - Inkas films, YLE, ARTE, GFC. Producer: Lillete Botassi. The Greek mother and her packages of food to her children. Premiere: Thessaloniki Doc festival. Officially selected in more than 20 festivals(LAGFF, NY, LGFF, best of Cinedoc, Acampa doc fest, Miami, etc). Screenings: ARTE, ERT, YLE, Vouli treiler: https://vimeo.com/60158152
2009: “Twelve Neighbors” 52’ - ERT , GFC , Doc3. Twelve different worlds share a small pedestrian street in inner city Athens. Festivals: Sarajevo Film fest, Cinemed, Belgrade ethno fest, 11th Mediterranean film festival, Worldfilm, Medimed, LGFF, SIEFF etc. Awards: Best documentary at Docfest festival.
https://vimeo.com/112392839
2008: “Please listen to me”, 52’, DOC3 productions -A physically handicapped boy desires to go to a ‘normal’ school. Festivals: Cannes Entr’ 2 Marches, Emotion Film Fest, Art for More, Thessaloniki, etc. Awards: Second prize Emotion Film Festival, Best documentary at Ecofilm(Kos International Health film festival), Special Award by the Ministry of Information. TV screening: ERT
2008: “Bells, Threads & Miracles” 52’ & 74’ , Greek Film Center, ERT S.A., MEDIA, Inkas Film, Sinevizyon Films,Turkish Ministry of Culture. Producer: Lilette Botassi. Every year thousands of Muslims go to St George’s monastery on Prince’s island, Turkey to plea for help from the Saint. Premiere: Thessaloniki Doc festival. Official participation: Ecofilm, Istanbul film fest, Antalya Film Fest, Golden Knight Film fest- Moscow, LA SE Medit. Film Fest, etc. Awards: Special mention at Docfest & Ecofilm festival. Screenings: ERT, Vouli, OTE TV
2006: “My place in the dance”, 52’ - Greek Film Centre, ERT, Mega Channel, YLE. Greek migrants to Germany return to their village in Northern Greece and start traditional dancing as a means of social reintegration. Festivals: Thessaloniki, Ashdod fest, LGFF, Emotion, Leipzig Doc market, IDFA doc market, etc. Awards: ‘Best documentary’ Ecofilm festival. Screenings: YLE, ERT
https://vimeo.com/111733964
2003: “Faith is rock” (58’), YLE & DOC3. Production: Amigos Productions, Finland. The phenomenon of the rock Orthodox priests in Greece. Festivals: Thessaloniki Doc festival, 1001 Film Fest Istanbul etc. Screenings: ERΤ, YLE, TG4, Radio Canada, RTBF, TSR. World distribution Doc@Co (France)
2001: “The school” (58’) - Greek Film Centre & ERT. Producer: Amalia Zepou. A headmistress tries to integrate the Turkish speaking Muslim students in an inner city primary school in Athens. Festivals: Thessaloniki Doc Fest, Dubrovnik, Beeld voor Beeld, Docs Barcelona, North- South Media Festival-Geneva, Astra Film, Cinedoc etc. Awards: Best Greek documentary at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
https://vimeo.com/112921283
1999-2000: “Eutopia”, 'Greek and Pleasant land' 28’, 'Home is where the heart is' 28’, 'United States of Europe'15’ - BBC & ARTE. A series exploring the notion of the ‘European citizen’. The series was screened in TV channels all around the world and received the Adolf Grimme Award.
Television documentary series:
2020-2021: “One day for the whole world” ERT2 - Production: Doc3 12 documentaries dedicated to UN World Days explore social, environmental, cultural themes through personal stories. https://www.ertflix.gr/series/ser.142798-mia-mera-gia-olo-ton-kosmo
2019-2020: “Every day in Ancient Greece” - Cosmote History. Production: Stefi &Lynx Thirteen episodes on everyday life in ancient Greece.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkccjRtVW4I
2012: “Thrakomakedonon avenue 25”, 50’ episode in the series Docville for ERT – In a wedding dress store, dreams are created despite the economic crisis. Production: Minimal Films & ΕRΤ. Producer: Marc Gastin. Screened at ‘The best of Cinedoc’
2010-11: “Ecological Diaries” - a 13x 45`documentary series on environmental issues . ERT & DOC3 productions https://vimeo.com/user16442885
2009: “Looking for the unknown” a 13 x 45’ doc series for ERT digital. The research institutes of Greece. Directed 5 episodes. Production: Inkas Films.
2006 –2007: “Mathimata Pathimata” - 12 x 45’ episode series for ΕΡΤ. Production: Doc3. Different themes that explore Greek education and school life. The series has been screened multiple times in the TV and used for educational purposes. The episode “The best student” was awarded by the Greek Secretariat of Information and Communication.
“When tomatoes met Wagner”
-Greece's contender for the Oscars 2020 – foreign film category.
-Documentary award at Greek Film Academy.
- Fipresci award, Thessaloniki Film festival.
-Prix Bartok / Prix monde en regards, Jean Rouch festival -Audience award, Provinzale festival
-Audience Award, Houston Greek Festival
-Alimenterre Award
-Best International film, Heartland
-Best doc, Docfest
-Grand Prix, Baikal Intern Film fest
-Jury Award, Grecdoc
-Best doc, Cinemambulante
"The Longest Run"
-Leipzig festival, Verdi award and honorary mention in the International Competition program.
-Best documentary- Hellas Film Box Berlin
-Honorary mention, Aegean docs
-Honorary mention, Docfest
-Audience Award, 3rd Peloponnese documentary festival
- Selected for the European Film Academy awards.
“Please listen to me”
Awarded at Emotion Pictures Festival Best Documentary, Ecofilm Special Award of the Ministry of Information and Communication.
“Twelve Neighbours”
- Best documentary, Docfest festival
“My place in the dance”
- Best documentary, Ecofilm
“The school”
- Best documentary, Thessaloniki Documentary Festival