The International Science Film Festival, the only one of its kind in Greece, opened in Athens Monday. It gathered all up to date and high ranking productions from all around the world for a fourth year in a row.

Valentini Avgitidou, project Manager of CAID, a non-government organization in Greece and the organizer of the Festival, said that the first part of the festival will be held from May 4 till May 31 while the second part from October 19 till October 26, 2009.

"In an attempt to bring science closer to more and varied people, all friends of festival will have an chance to watch over 170 films from various countries and numerous scientific fields for free in the first part of the Festival," said Valentini.

She said that the Festival will kick off officially in October with the 35 films in competition being daily presented in three different spots of Athens. Five prizes will be awarded by the end of the Festival.

The themes of the films include the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, robots and dinosaurs, ants and somnambulists, travels in Africa and the Antarctic, exploring lost Atlantis and the Parthenon, breaking secret codes and spend a day with Darwin or swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and maybe find the elixir of life.

Spectators will also be asked to vote for the best films, which will be presented during the second part of the festival.

(Xinhua News Agency May 5, 2009)