The IMMA exhibition ‘Yannis and Milto Manakia: The Faces Behind the Lens’ is traveling to Kastoria and is being hosted at the Bassara Mansion.

The opening of the exhibition of the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA), titled “Yannis and Miltos Manakia – The Faces Behind the Lens”, took place with great success and strong public attendance on Thursday, 20 November 2025, at the Baja Greece administration building, in the area of the Argos Orestiko Trade Fair.

Co-organized by IMMA, the Municipality of Argos Orestiko, and the Cultural Association “ORESTIS”, the exhibition presents for the first time in Argos Orestiko valuable photographic material by the pioneering filmmakers of the Balkans. The exhibition reveals everyday life and the character of the era through the personal archive of Miltos Manakia, an important historical document that brings together history, art, and memory.

The presentation of the life and work of the brothers Yannis and Miltos Manakia was delivered by the President of Orestis, Konstantinos Adam, who made extensive reference to the significant contribution of the Manakia Brothers, the first filmmakers of the Balkans, both to the art of cinema and to photography. At the same time, he emphasized the value of their work in examining the course of history during a turbulent and transitional period in the Balkans, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, marked by the transition from empires to nation-states.

Their decisive contribution to the study of folklore and social anthropology was also thoroughly analyzed, through their vast photographic and cinematic work and their documentation of all aspects of everyday life, social events, traditional costumes, views of villages and cities, portraits of people, men and women, the recording of customs and traditions, as well as national conflicts.

The opening of the exhibition was honored by the presence of the Mayor of Argos Orestiko, Mr. Panagiotis Kepaptsoglou, the Deputy Mayor for Culture, Alexandra Vraggala, Deputy Mayor Mr. Zisis Tolkos, representatives of associations and institutions, and a large number of visitors. The exhibition was open until Thursday, 27 November, daily from 18:00 to 21:00, with free admission.

It was visited by many schools from the city of Argos Orestiko, as well as from the wider region.

Following the high public attendance and the expressed wish of many schools in the city to visit the exhibition at the Baja Greece administration building, its operation was extended, in consultation with the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, until Friday, 5 December.

The exhibition remained open until Friday, 5 December, daily from 18:00 to 21:00, with free admission.