“Cinema in general – and filmmaking as a process – is inherently political”
– The Greek producer discusses her approach to documentary filmmaking, finding audiences for her work, and her upcoming projects
Evi Stamou is a producer, filmmaker, and digital artist who creates hybrid works exploring the relationship and aesthetic boundaries between traditional cinematic forms and evolving approaches in contemporary art. In 2021, she founded Maketa Media, a company focused on producing and digitally distributing documentary and experimental films — primarily by emerging directors — to support the creation of innovative, personal, political, and non-mainstream cinema. An interview with her, now selected for the 2026 Emerging Producers programme (read her EP profile here).
Why do you produce documentaries? Do you see documentary cinema as an instrument of social and political change?
Evi Stamou: I work primarily in documentary and other non-fiction or hybrid cinematic forms because I find this field offers a wide range of expression and a great deal of creative freedom. It allows filmmakers to engage critically with urgent contemporary issues while also experimenting with new technologies and new narrative forms.
I strongly believe that cinema in general (and filmmaking as a process) is inherently political. A film takes a political position not only through its subject matter, but also through the way it is produced: the working conditions, the sustainability of the production model, the management of resources, and the relationships formed during the filmmaking process. In that sense, documentary cinema can function as a powerful tool for social and political reflection and, potentially, for change.
How do you achieve and maintain work–life balance and foster overall well-being?
Work–life balance is a constant goal rather than a fixed state. In this profession, it is very easy to fall into the trap of prioritizing work above everything else, especially due to continuous and pressing deadlines.
Since recently becoming a mother to a now seven-month-old baby, finding this balance has become even more challenging. For working mothers in the film industry (at least in Greece), there are very limited state or institutional support structures. The topic of motherhood and artistic labor has only very recently started to be openly discussed.
I hope that in the near future this situation will change and that more space and support will be created for mothers and caregivers in the arts. There are already some festivals and organizations that are genuinely supportive (including the framework of Emerging Producers I am currently involved in) and I hope these examples will expand and inspire broader institutional change across the industry.
Where do you find audiences for your films?
When developing a film, we always think carefully, together with the director and the creative team, about the audience the film is addressing. Our films usually premiere at documentary festivals across Europe, where we find a strong and engaged audience.
For films with Greece as a main country of production, we also organize screenings in collaboration with associations, grassroots initiatives, and organizations that are directly connected to the film’s subject matter. We often present films within educational contexts as well, organizing screenings and discussions in schools, universities, and cultural spaces both in Athens and elsewhere in Greece. In addition, I am personally involved in the non-profit cultural organization Interferences, which organizes screenings, festivals, and educational programs. Its mission is to highlight social issues through cinema, while also promoting an interdisciplinary dialogue between film and other fields such as art, technology, politics, and everyday life. The organization collaborates with solidarity-based spaces, cooperatives, and more established cultural institutions and cinemas, creating accessible screenings primarily in Athens but also across other regions of Greece. Over its five years of activity, Interferences has built a predominantly young and engaged audience that actively participates in its events and discussions.
At the same time, digital platforms also play an important role today, alongside more traditional distribution channels such as television and theatrical exhibition.
What projects do you currently have underway (including fiction films and other projects)?
At the moment, I have two feature-length projects in development, both supported by the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Centre – EKKOMED. In addition to producing, I am also active as a director. One of these projects is my debut feature-length documentary as a director, titled Blackout Athens: Geographies of Energy Poverty, an archival documentary exploring the energy crisis in Greece from 2013 to the present day, through six apartment buildings of six different neighborhoods of the center of Athens, that serve as case studies.
I am also producing the debut feature film of director Giannis Berreris, titled CosMOS, which examines the coming-of-age of millennials through the turbulent period from 2010 to 2020, focusing on protests, demonstrations, and social upheaval in Greece.
Alongside these projects, I am involved in several short films by emerging directors, and I have recently taken on the direction and production of a 50-minute documentary about the renowned Greek composer Theodoros Antoniou.
———-
EMERGING PRODUCERS is a leading promotional and educational project, which brings together talented European documentary film producers. The programme is organised and curated by the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.
Deadline for applications to the EMERGING PRODUCERS 2027 edition is 31st March 2026.
