FILM SYNOPSIS
"Ashes to the Eyes” captures the complexities of the wildfire crisis in Greece during the hottest summer in decades from the perspective of one dedicated volunteer firefighter.
When Stamatis Germanos was 21 years old, he lost four close friends in a car fire. His survivor’s guilt drove his need to prevent this from happening to anyone else. So, Stamatis became a volunteer firefighter, something he risks his life to do, with no safety net or government support, because that is how much he believes in his cause and his country.
"Ashes to the Eyes" features dramatic bodycam footage, as well as intimate, fly-on-the-wall observations, that puts the human cost of the wildfire crisis front and center.
CREDITS
Director: Teresa Castillo
Director of Photography: Teresa Castillo
Producers: Maria Mousa & Teresa Castillo
Location Sound: Teresa Castillo & Maria Mousa
Production Assistants: Kalliopi Christodoulou & Georgios Tseropoulos
Translations: Vicky Markolefa & Georgios Tseropoulos
Drone Videography: Vicky Markolefa
Additional Drone Videography: Ilias Pantelakis
Body Cam Footage: Stamatis Germanos & Ilias Pantelakis
Editor: Teresa Castillo
Composer: Konstantinos Revelas
Sound Design: Samantha Doyle
Colorist: Michael Del Plato
BIO
Teresa Castillo is an award-winning Maltese American documentary filmmaker who hails from the story capitals of Detroit, MI and Buffalo, NY. Inspired by the communities she calls home, Teresa's films focus on women and the interpersonal dynamics of communities and relationships, particularly within families.
Her film, "I'll Find a Way or Make One — A Rosie Story" debuted at the Buffalo International Film Festival in 2022, where it was named best film in its category. It went on to win several more festival awards and is presently available on PBS.
Teresa is a video editor for New Jersey PBS. Teresa will receive her MFA in Film from the City College of New York in 2025. She resides in Westchester, NY
