59th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL || 1-11/11/2018
Greek Films
Τhe 59th Thessaloniki International Film Festival presents the Greek Films of this year’s edition:
20 feature films
34 short films:
Greek Film Festival 2018
A three-member committee consisting of Olympia Mytilinaiou (director of photography), Yannis Sakaridis (film director) and Thodoris Dimitropoulos (journalist) assisted the festival in the pre-selection phase of the Greek films participating in the Greek Film Festival 2018.
Festival Scope
TIFF’s successful collaboration with Festival Scope continues; Greek films of the 59th TIFF will be available in the online platform until December 11, 2018, thus giving to film professionals worldwide the opportunity to watch them.
These are the Greek films that will be screened in the 59th TIFF:
First Run
Newcomers as well as established filmmakers have entrusted us with their latest works. These are (in alphabetical order) the 12 Greek films that will have their premiere in Thessaloniki, three of which participate in the International Competition:
Free Subject by Stella Theodorakis: Iris, a fine arts teacher, assigns to her students an exercise on a free subject. The students create an “imagination factory” that knows no limits. One of them, however, provides a fictitious recreation of his teacher’s life.
Her Job by Nikos Labôt: Panayiota leads a quiet life as a housewife with her family. In order to cope with the crisis, for the first time in her life, she finds a job as a cleaner in a shopping mall. She breaks free from domestic monotony and becomes a new person.
Holy Boom by Maria Lafi: The lives of four neighbors change dramatically when, on Palm Sunday, their postbox is blasted by Filipino teenager Ige. Documents of vital importance to all of them have been destroyed. How will they react?
Magic Skin by Konstantinos Samaras: Nikos closes a Faustian pact. He is given an old piece of animal skin that promises its owner everything, but at a high price - his life. A radical outlook on Balzac's classic same-titled novel.
The Mountain Tears by Stelios Charalambopoulos: The film follows the odyssey of a guild of stonemasons during the troublesome first years of the 20th century. Far from their homeland, hunted, they will perish one by one. Only Markos, the master builder, like another Ulysses, will continue his wandering.
The Night of Saint Anthony by Thanasis Skroubelos: One night, Anthony, a retired army officer, is left stranded on the island of Makronisos, notorious as the site of a political prison from the 1940s to the 1970s. There he meets Pericles and Sarah. Secrets will be revealed and their finale will be tragically redeeming.
Refuge II: the Ice Path by Christos Nikoleris: A group of young people take shelter in an abandoned refuge in the woods. Locals say there is something dark in there. A gang of robbers in the area have also heard these stories. What’s the real danger?
The Right Pocket of the Robe by Giannis Lapatas: A lonely monk loses his only companion –his dog- and tries to manage the sadness and loneliness that suddenly “return” to him. On this occasion, he will reposition his course and his life.
Scopophilia by Natalia Lampropoulou and Ilektra Aggeletopoulou: Through the voyeuristic nature of the internet, Alexis unintentionally witness a murder through his computer. Will he be able to uncover the murderer or will he be caught into his trap?
Smuggling Hendrix by Marios Piperides: Yiannis’ plans to leave Cyprus are put on hold when his dog Jimi runs away and crosses the UN buffer zone that divides the “Greek” from the “Turkish” side. Since animal exchange is prohibited, Yiannis reluctantly joins forces with a cast of unexpected characters to smuggle him back.
Still River by Angelos Frantzis: Anna and Petros, who have recently moved to an industrial Siberian town, are shocked to discover Anna is pregnant with no prior intercourse. Did she cheat? Or have they been blessed with a miracle?
The Waiter by Steve Krikris: Renos is a loner, old time waiter with a meticulous routine that is torn apart after meeting a strange couple. The events that follow will change him forever.
Beyond Borders
Night Out by Stratos Tzitzis: Saturday night in Berlin. A colorful mix of hetero and gay, singles and couples, explore the city and their relationships. Their stories ultimately intertwine in the KitKatClub, famous for its “Dionysian” parties.
Pause by Tonia Mishiali: In a desperate attempt to escape from the misery of an oppressive and loveless marriage, Elpida finds refuge in a fantasy world of vindictive violence. Soon fantasy and reality start to blur...
Sunrise in Kimmeria by Simon Farmakas: Skevos and his family are in debt to a local loan-shark. When a strange object crashes into Skevos’ field, inside a U.N. controlled area in Cyprus, his debtor offers to cut 10% off the debt if he gives him the object.
A Second Viewing
1968 by Tassos Boulmetis: The film revisits the first time that Greece won a European Cup, back in 1968 when AEK won Slavia Prague. At the end of this epic night, Greek history will have changed forever.
Chinatown – The Three Shelters by Aliki Danezi Knutsen: Cleo, a Greek-Chinese girl, brought up with in the hills of Cyprus, finds out on her 18th birthday that her long-deceased father was murdered by the Chinese mafia. The adventure begins...
Hollow Testament by Alexandros Evangelos Fassois: An experimental look on the same-titled revolutionary book of the Greek author Paris Tacopoulos; a composite audiovisual multimedia work and a cascade of word, image and music.
In This Land Nobody Knew How to Cry by Giorgos Panousopoulos: In a small unchartered island in the Aegean Sea, a group of different characters become acquainted with the bizarre life style and subversive moral values of its people. This is a charming place that has the power to change people’s lives.
Kazantzakis by Iannis Smaragdis: The biopic of the acclaimed Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis unfolds through landmark moments and encounters of his life, as well as though his body of work that remains timeless and praises human freedom.
Greek short films
■ Tribute to Jordan Ananiadis & Masterclass
The 59th TIFF presents 10 short films by the multi-awarded Greek animator Jordan Ananiadis. Born in Thessaloniki in 1944, he has been working since 1966, showcasing a rich body of work that boasts of caustic, humoristic films which criticize politics and the Greek psyche, inter alia. Ananiadis will also present a masterclass to the festival’s audience.
■ “Acrobatics”: a program curated by the Greek Directors’ Guild
The festival showcases the recent works of promising young Greek directors, as selected by the Greek Directors’ Guild. The line-up includes the following short films: Cube by Alexandros Skouras, Dam by Giorgos Teltzidis, Freezer by Dimitris Nakos, Maneki Neko by Manolis Mavris, Patission Avenue by Thanasis Neofotistos (Venice FF 2018) and 37 Days by Nikoleta Leousi. In addition, the short film Acrobatics directed by the aforementioned filmmakers will also be screened.
■ The 17 award-winning films of the 2018 International Short Film Festival in Drama.
