Xenos
Xenos (Greek: ΞΕΝΟΣ, plural xenoi) is a word used in the Greek language from Homer onwards. The most standard definition is «stranger». However, the word, itself, can be interpreted to mean different things based upon context, author and period of writing/speaking, signifying such divergent concepts as «enemy» or «stranger», a particular hostile interpretation, all the way to «guest friend»’ one of the most hallowed concepts in the cultural rules of Greek hospitality.
Citizen Xenos Synopsis
Citizen Xenos is a documentary film directed by Lucas Oldwine on the European refugee crisis told through the stories of fleeing Syrian families and the volunteers, locals and authorities they meet
The film offers an intimate look at the adversities they face crossing over to and through the Greek island of Lesbos and celebrates the inspiring perseverance with which they claim their fate.
This film stands out
- it has a strong story line
- it will compete in international film festivals
- it is directed by a young upcoming and talented filmmaker
- it respects the multiple dimensions of the phenomenon
Funding requirements
By funding the film you can receive official film credits or select one of our special rewards. Artists and Design Architects like MataKamp and Ioannis Trigonis are creating limited edition rewards exclusively designed for the supporters of Citizen Xenos. See more details in the reward section..
- 1 CHF = 1 USD
This independent production is non-profit and follows an open book policy which gives full access to all donors to the project accounts.
History
The world stands witness to the biggest refugee crisis in recent history with the total number of forcibly displaced people reaching 60 million, the highest level since World War II. Residents of many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa are fleeing persecution, poverty, civil conflicts and war while a fractured Europe struggles to respond. As per the UNHCR, 856.723 migrants arrived by sea in Greece during 2015, 272 died and 152 are missing.
In 2016 and up until 12 March, another 141,787 crossed the Aegean Sea amidst cold temperatures and strong winds. Most of them entered the country via the island of Lesbos. We saw, received and attended these people and decided to document their journey.
Team
Lucas Oldwine – Director
Lucas is an ambitious young Greek filmmaker who graduated from the American College where his talent earned him a post-graduate stay with the Beverly Hills company, Principal Media. His inquisitive nature and independent spirit led him back to his crisis-stricken homeland to produce documentaries immersed in some of Greece’s most turbulent events in order to connect its protagonists with the viewers. At the peak of the Greek Crisis, in 2011, he sat for a week with protesters against austerity camping in Syntagma Square and produced a short documentary of the same name. In his 2012 documentary «Stamatis» he shares the surprising adaptation of a Greek gallerist and socialite to losing his sight and to the alienation from his former life. Along with many other works, Lucas has also led the Greek team in the Balkan documentary project «Europe as written by Europe». His passion, curiosity and integrity is what made him leave the promise of Los Angeles to explore the profoundness of the contrasts in current-day Greece.
Valia Charalampidou – Producer
Valia was born in Switzerland to Greek parents, studied in Greece, Germany and the US, worked and traveled to numerous countries to meet, interact and learn-from other cultures. She is a young entrepreneur, a co-founder of Cyclos Consulting and a specialist in finance and business management with over 15 years of professional experience internationally. In 2015 she decided to take some time off her work and volunteer on the Greek island of Lesbos. The harsh conditions of thousands of people arriving daily on the shores combined with the absence of a coordinated humanitarian response motivated her to further continue her volunteering work. She now tries to communicate to the rest of the world an unbiased view of what is really happening with the refugees as to raise awareness and also to preserve the stories of these people against oblivion. The Citizen Xenos documentary is the means to achieve this.
Dalal Darwish – Associate Producer
Dalal is an Omani with over a decade of experience in the field of Social Development and Community Engagement. As a consultant based in Oman her research and analysis of social issues have influenced the outcomes of major development projects in Oman and abroad. Much of her inputs yield benefits to the communities affected and at times requires negotiation to find suitable measures to alleviate any potential adversities. In addition to consulting, Dalal has enjoyed being a voice-over talent, Mistress of Ceremonies and a Radio show host in Oman. She has always had a passion for personal development, for the new and the creative. She recently recognized her calling to help in the current refugee crisis and has since moved to Greece to volunteer on the island of Lesbos and have a hand in creating Citizen Xenos.
The film will compete in international film festivals
The team has completed the first phase of production and provided that funding is secured, plans to visit Germany and Denmark in March 2016 to complete the production phase. Post-production commences by end of March 2016 and promotion and distribution by June 2016.
Apart from the participation in international film festivals, the team envisions also organizing a refugee-dedicated film festival on the island of Lesbos as a tribute to the refugees, where the local heroes will be able to attend and similar topic documentaries and films will be featured in the screenings.