The iconic comedy of Greek cinema Miss Director (1964) by Dinos Dimopoulos, scored by the legendary and recently deceased conductor and composer Mimis Plessas, was screened on Saturday, November 9th at the Pavlos Zannas theater. The special screening of the film was organized by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in collaboration with Finos Film.
Eleni Androutsopoulou, Head of the Greek Program of the Festival, welcomed the audience: “Tonight, we have the pleasure of watching all together once again on the big screen an iconic film of Greek cinema, Miss Director, directed by Dinos Dimopoulos. When we chose this particular film with the Finos Film team, we didn’t know that we were about to lose the beloved musician-composer Mimis Plessas. So, in a way, we want to dedicate this screening to his memory. Representing the Festival, I would like to thank Finos Film. For the last years, they have been our partners and sponsors. They have been right beside us in our efforts to make the new Greek cinema thrive, contributing with two awards which are accompanied by a cash prize. Now, I’d like to invite on stage my friend and partner, Stathis Kamvasinos, Finos Films’ representative.”
Immediately afterwards, Stathis Kamvasinos took the floor: “Good evening, I thank you for your kind words. Collaborating with you is an honor for the prosperity of Greek cinema. I won’t say a lot about the film, as you all know it. It’s one of my favorites and the most iconic comedies in Greek cinema. For six decades, it has brought together six generations. Unfortunately, we recently lost Mimis Plessas. However, we have here with us a remarkable person who has contributed greatly to Greek cinema, director of photography Nikos Kavoukidis, who I welcome.”
Nikos Kavoukidis, taking the floor, said: “First and foremost, thank you for such a warm welcome. This film was made in 1963 and screened in 1964. From the age of 15 and for 13 entire years, I was working at Finos Film, along with my spiritual father, Finos. Finos was an emperor and the father of every actor, filmmaker, technician. If Finos wasn’t here, Greek cinema wouldn’t have developed to the point it has now. For us, in those years Finos Film was the film academy. I am 86 years old and I have been attending the Thessaloniki Film Festival since the 1960s. I would like to thank the Festival and the organizers for showcasing these Greek films. We worked a lot on them. It seems that the feelings, and the stories we experienced then; the laughter, the tears, the drama, and the comic situations, they all continue to move us and profoundly resonate with us even to this day. Thank you everyone for coming and for supporting Greek cinema.”
“I am also proud to announce I have collaborated these last few years with Nikos Kavoukidis. In fact, we made a production featuring interviews with old cast and crew members, which will be completed soon. So, there is more to come,” Stathis Kamvasinos added. Referring to Miss Director, he stated: “If we reflect on the era of its creation, we can call it groundbreaking in terms of script, placing it in the context of the era, and its norms. We are talking about 1964, and a career-woman who overcame each stereotype that was prevalent at the time for women.” Next, he invited on stage the filmmaker Barbara Dukas, Head of the Educational Programme of the Drama International Short Film Festival, to say a few words about the film.
Taking the floor, Barbara Dukas said: “It’s impressive, watching a film from 1964 with a modern perspective - observing the stereotypes from then that still maintain their hold on today’s society, such as the anxiety-inducing dilemma that a woman has to face when choosing children and a partner, or a career. As well as the prejudice that for a woman to be able to do a man’s profession and fit into their world she must abandon her femininity. We understand how groundbreaking this film was, and today, we celebrate its wrinkle-free 60 years, still laughing with its anachronistic messages that conformed with the common sentiment of the era. The beautiful Tzeni Karezi ultimately succumbs to the charming uniform and the penetrating gaze of Alekos Alexandrakis. However, only the idea of placing a beautiful, intelligent, and educated woman in a position of power, even if she is accompanied by her father for her first day, was very gutsy. So, until absolute equality in the work experience can be conquered for men and women, i.e. in salaries, professional development, mobility, and recompense, I will remind you of the quote the admiral in the film, the unforgettable Dimitris Nikolaidis, said ‘dance, my beloved breadwinners,” remarked Barbara Dukas.
After the end of the screening, Nikos Kavoukidis took the floor once more: “Unfortunately, Tzeni passed away pretty early, at the age of 60 years old. The first film I made with her was Lola. At that time, I had disagreed with Foskolos, and I left Finos Film. My last project there was Society Hour Zero. When the time came for Concert for Machine Guns to be filmed, they informed Tzeni I wouldn’t be in the production and she told Finos that if I didn’t return, she would refuse to do the film. They called me at last, and because I loved Finos very much, he was like a father to me. I ended up participating in the Concert for Machine Guns.” Immediately afterwards, he touched upon the importance of improvisation: “It is essential for the actors to improvise. In the film we just watched, Tzeni Karezi improvised many times. Another element that made a lasting impression was the difference in camerawork, her close-up shots. Watching her improvise spread joy.” He praised Tzeni Karezi’s professionalism, and then he stressed: “Let’s honor with a warm applause all those involved in Greek cinema who aren’t here with us any longer, who have incited so much laughter and inspired so many beautiful moments, making us shed tears and dream.”
