10th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival –
Images of the 21st Century
March 7-16, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS CONFERENCE
SHAKE THE DEVIL OFF – LILLIE AND LEANDER: A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE – CHILDREN IN EXILE
A press conference was given on Monday, March 10 at noon, in the Olympion’s Green Room, by Jeffrey Morgan, director of Lillie & Leander: A legacy of violence, Peter Entell, director of Shake the devil off, and Chris Swider, director of Children in exile.
The film Lillie & Leander: Α Legacy of violence is about the case of a black man who was judged to be guilty of the murder of a white woman in Florida, at the beginning of the 20th century. However, through this case, the general issue of racism is raised, an issue that still simmers in many communities in the US. “We began in 2002, and through all these years we came up against many obstacles, such as threats from the locals, a fact that frightened us but at the same time challenged us even further, keeping us going and making us complete our research”, commented J. Morgan, speaking about the difficulties he faced during shooting. When questioned if racism continues to exist in the USA, the director answered that this is a large social as well as political issue that remains “alive” and unsolved, and added that this is why he believes it is important that documentaries dealing with it should continue to be made and screened, thus fueling a constructive dialogue.
Peter Entell’s documentary, Shake the Devil off, takes place in New Orleans, after its destruction by hurricane Katrina. It deals with the issue of a church, which is an important monument to the history of the area, being known as the birth place of jazz and gospel music. But the Archdiocese decided to cease its operation, and the community resisted this absurd decision. “Shake the devil off speaks about money, greed and power. What is important is that these people decide to resist and take matters into their own hands, reacting to something that some people are trying to impose on them”, J. Entell said, adding that in the film, religious and revolutionary sentiments coexist, a fact that urged him to tell this story.
In Children in exile by Chris Swider, people who survived exile in Siberia describe their experiences as the newest victims of the Soviet system. “These people lost the best years of their lives, they suffered physically and mentally, they were traumatized for life. These crimes against humanity never found justice through the law, no one was ever brought to trial for them”, commented C. Swider. The reason he made the film was the adventure of his own father, who was forced to immigrate to America as a political exile from Poland.
