Our Mission

To inspire children to think creatively and to broaden their life experiences outside the “boxes” they may live in, by collaborating with a team of international filmmakers. To expose children to the medium of filmmaking and to working in teams with other children as well as with adults from countries other than their own.

As a wonderful sidenote, our mission is also to bring together the community of Skopelos for one week to work towards a common goal.

This 2024 behind-the-scenes documentary by Adri Almazan with the assistance of Kostas Kapezanos and starring SIFFY’s very own core team member, Lia Pegiou, paints a fun picture of what SIFFY is about.

BACKGROUND

SIFFY is a community event that is under the umbrella of the Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, an American 501(C)(3) based in America and Greece. All of the funding comes from private donations through crowdfunding campaigns and sponsors.

organizers

SIFFY has a core team of 13 members:

Jill Somer, Director

Lia Pegiou - Education and organization

Maxi Savva - Education and organization

Amy Rogacki - Website and fundraising

Dimitris Papaioannou - General organization

Ellen Petruzzella, General organization

Ioanna Diamanti - General organization

Katerina Rekka - General organization

Soula Patsi-Korenti - General organization

Vaggelis Drossos - Public relations and travel

Yiorgos Poulios/Sporadesnews - Media Sponsorship

Zoe Voulgari - General Organization

This team meets once a month year-round for the planning of SIFFY. We also recruit about 50 volunteers who assist with things like cooking, driving, translating, assistants to the filmmakers, music and much more. Nothing would be possible without our wonderful team of volunteers.

What We've Achieved

  • Children have gone on to study filmmaking.

  • Many of the past participants are now volunteers for the festival.

  • We have more than 60 volunteers each year and the number keeps growing.

  • Built a reputation to attract high quality filmmakers that love working with children.

  • Private donors have continued to support us because they know the difference we make for children.

  • We have grown from 22 children to over 100 children each year.

  • Many films have won awards in festivals throughout the world.

  • We have been able to send children to other festivals in America, Spain and S. Korea.