19th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival
3-12 March, 2017
DIRECTORS’ QUOTES OF THE DAY
Friday March 10, 2017
3-12 March, 2017
DIRECTORS’ QUOTES OF THE DAY
Friday March 10, 2017
The Greek and foreign directors who attend this year’s edition talk about their films which are screened today at the 19th TDF:
A Hole in the Head by Robert Kirchhoff
“First of all it is a film about memory, about living people who exist in our presence, but are chased by their own memory. And the act of forgetting is chasing us. However, there are things that one can not forget. Even more so, if the scars on your body serve as a constant reminder”.
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World by Alfonso Maiorana
“It was an extremely satisfying and humbling experience to finally give Native Americans their rightful place in American popular music. They had a deep and widespread influence on so many genres of music including Blues, Jazz, Rock, Folk, Punk, Metal and Rap that one can only acknowledge how meaningful their contribution truly was. As a filmmaker, it was a timely journey to reconnect with our own North American history through music and more importantly through the eyes of Native Americans. We all know about the African and European influence on music, but with Rumble we are shining a light on the people that were here, the Native people. To honour their rightful contribution, we needed to respect their history, their culture, their land, their music and all of their struggles in order to create a film that everyone can understand and be emotionally invested in”.
Theater of Life by Peter Svatek
“What is home for a homeless person or a political refugee? Massimo says chefs can no longer cook for just the elite ignoring the ethical issues about feeding the planet. These are the questions the film tackles. The Refettorio became a home. It was fascinating and beautiful to see how these great chefs transformed waste food into delicious meals. But we wanted more. To meet and get to know the people the Refettorio served. Who are they? What is their life like? What happened to them at the Refettorio? And through their eyes raise some of the important ethical questions. The film is, I hope, a warm, human, compassionate look at the Refettorio”.
The Chocolate Case by Benthe Forrer
“This is a fun movie about a serious subject. I believe the best way to really reach people is when you can touch them emotionally. I prefer laughter above angriness. I just wanted to inspire people. By telling stories like these I think it raises awareness and gets people to participate. Whether it’s by starting your own enterprise or just eating or buying the right products, one can contribute to a better system already”.
The Last Decision by Antonis Tolakis
"The film explores the limits of our ethics towards the inevitable death, poses dilemmas about the right to euthanasia by opening a debate about the dignity of the individual, free will and democracy. Because, deep down, the way we deal with our existence is based on the collective liability”.
Whose Country? by Mohamed Siam
“It was hard to have this background and double feeling in each step I took. I felt I'm having a personal experience while I’m discovering this closed circle that I've always heard of or have been prevented to know about. Also, the idea of having a main character that's opposite from my father but still represents his authority, generation and circle, was a revelation for me”.
