2020, Greece, 54’, Dir. Dimitris Koutsiabasakos, Greek / Turkish subtitles
In 1963, the Swedish charity IM (Individuell Manniskohjlalp) founded a factory in the village of Vlasti, located in a rural region in northern Greece. For 25 years, this intercultural initiative supported the women of the village, which had suffered from wars, poverty and neglected. In The Weavers, the former employees reminisce about their years spent at “The Swedish Place”. Director Dimirtris Koutsiabasakos follows them as they guide us through the now-closed-down factory, talking about its role in the economic and social life of the women who worked there and of the village as a whole. The film, which presents a bittersweet look at topical questions about the development of the Greek countryside, has been screened at a number of international film festivals, including the PriMed Festival of the Mediterranean, where it received the “Mediterranean Memory Award” for 2020.