The program hosted journalist and filmmaker Thomas Sideris, who spoke about his documentary The Return of Ivan, recently screened at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
The documentary follows Russian-speaking journalist and author Ivan Avramov, who currently lives with his family in Kyiv. Filmed in Ukraine and Russia during wartime, the film captures Ivan’s daily life—playing chess, reading, eating—while he reflects on his father’s history and involvement in the Great Patriotic War. At the same time, he keeps a diary about the ongoing war.
“There is a narration by me in the film, but in reality, I follow his journey and walk in his footsteps,” said the director. “Even after the editing is complete, the film stays with me, and the people in my documentaries become part of my family.”