As filmmakers and educators, we have observed that participating in workshops has had a far greater influence on shaping our creative perspectives compared to years of academic education. The intensity and commitment of those moments were truly unforgettable and fundamental to the development of our practice.
Drawing on this experience, our project, Invisible Myths, seeks to provide a transformative time for our participants, offering them a journey of growth as individuals and artists.
We are passionate about mythology, we love cinema and strongly believe in the power of education to open new ways of seeing, thinking and being. We look forward to sharing our passion with younger generations.
How did we meet
When we first met on the Island of Syros in 2017, it was an instant connection, lit up by our shared love for cinema. The elements that would later shape Invisible Myths were already there: the leisurely pace of the Mediterranean summer, the blue and coolness of the sea, the poetry of experimental film screenings, the existential late-night conversations.
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During one afternoon's long swim, we discussed the transformative power of education. We were excited to discover that we both believe in the potential for ‘change’ by expanding minds and freeing imagination. We both shared a sincere will to pass down to younger versions of ourselves what we have gained during our unconventional academic and professional paths. But Mariangela lived in New York, Oliwia in Athens. The swim ended with the feeling of something beautiful: a project? Perhaps a collaboration? It could happen, but not then, or at least, not yet.
Life has its spectacular turning points though, and a few years later, the invisible became visible, and Invisible Myths Film Workshops came to light.
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I am a Polish-Greek filmmaker and educator. Over the past several years, I collaborated with major cultural
and artistic institutions such as the Onassis Cultural Foundation, Benaki Museum, Greek Ministry of Culture,
Greek National TV, Attica State Region, Syros International Film Festival, Museum of Μodern Greek Culture.
My work has also involved collaborations with international platforms such as Italy's RAI 5 television,
Cicero Magazine and the American PBS TV network.
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I am dedicated to nurturing creative expression and educational opportunities, particularly for young adults.
I have conducted workshops in various locations, including remote areas in Greece - small islands
of the Aegean Sea, Turkey, India and Canada, with the goal of inspiring and empowering young filmmakers.
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My journey in film began at the Fine Arts School, Department of Film at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
where I earned my MFA in Film Directing. I completed a theater dramaturgy course at the Hellenic Centre
of the International Theatre Institute as part of my dramaturgical research.
Since then, I have directed three short films and two documentaries, each of which has been
showcased at international film festivals in Europe and North America.
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Currently, I am writing my first feature film.
I am a filmmaker, visual artist and film professor based between Athens and New York City.
I have taught filmmaking for many years in the United States, where I worked at institutions such as the School of Visual Art in New York and Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Currently, I teach several production courses at the American College of Athens.
My short and medium length films have been featured at the Locarno Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Torino Film Festival, Harvard Art Museum and Film Society of Lincoln Center among other venues.
I hold an MFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University (US), an MA from the University of Provence (FR), and a BA in Philosophy from Alma Mater Studiorum, Bologna (IT). I was a participant in the Whitney Independent Study Program – Studio Program, NYC.
I am now writing a feature length film taking place in Athens.