Theo Angelopoulos speaks with the audience
about the present state of cinema and its future
On Friday morning, November 28th, in the packed Pavlos Zannas hall of the Olympion theatre, the president of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, director Theo Angelopoulos, spoke with the audience and the Festival’s guests. The prominent artist had just arrived from England where he attended a large tribute to his work with the screening of all of his films. As was expected, he was asked about his new film and the trilogy that had been earlier announced. As Mr. Angelopoulos said, “The weeping field”, the first film of the trilogy is complete, and will be screened at the Berlin Film Festival.
Mr. Angelopoulos was also asked when the film would be played in Greece. The Greek director noted that the screening would probably take place in February, following the Berlin Film Festival. As a matter of fact, as he revealed, there are plans for the film’s simultaneous screening in Greece, Germany, France and Italy. The trilogy’s second film, “The third feather”, which starts off with one of his poems, is planned to be filmed in seven countries and three continents, which makes its implementation rather difficult. The director also spoke about his idea to shoot a film in the neutral zone between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot sides, starring Harvey Keitel, Michelle Pfeiffer and Elias Coteas. Mr. Angelopoulos added that the film’s materialization would depend, of course, on certain contacts that must be made.
“The sacred moment of shooting”
“I would be happy if I could shoot films 365 days a year. Of course, I’m unable to, which makes me feel rather deprived. I think that the moment of shooting is very important and the end result insignificant. The moment of shooting is sacred, the most beloved”, said Mr. Angelopoulos. As for his preparations before shooting begins, Mr. Angelopoulos said, “For my first film, “Reconstruction of a crime”, I had everything written down and prepared beforehand. Later, for “The traveling players”, I began without a script, but only with notes and everything else was born during the shooting. This satisfied me even more. I felt that creativity is identified more closely with the moment shooting and not the preparation itself”.
“Everything is valued with the passing of time. Films that I’ve loved, like “Citizen Kane” were appreciated with the passing of time. Right now I feel free. I don’t have to report to anyone, I do what my soul desires, what I need. I speak like I would to my most beloved accomplice. I don’t need any support. For the first time, I feel as free as anything or anyone can be“, Theo Angelopoulos said.
His work on DVD
Mr. Angelopoulos spoke about having to throw away film material during the editing stage. “For me visual editing is a simple matter. Sound editing, though, is complicated. Of course it hurts to brush aside material that you’ve shot. On “Ulysses’ gaze” I cut about an hour of film. I cut an extremely beautiful trip by the Danube with a band of gypsies. Perhaps, though, all the material that I’ve cut will become part of a DVD that I’m preparing that will include extensive information about my filmography. I’m also thinking of including all of my old interviews in order to complement the films with all the elements that defined them. I am currently preparing this DVD”.
The future of Greek cinema
Finally, Mr. Angelopoulos spoke about the future of Greek cinema saying that, “My generation, which was called New Greek Cinema, desired a rupture in the prevailing situation in cinema of the time, but fell upon a difficult period. If instead of happening then, it happened 10 years ago, perhaps even more, things would have been different. This rupture came too late, it should have happened much earlier, because television destroyed everything”. “Now the future belongs to a completely new generation. My generation said what it had to say and did what it did. A generation must now create a breach with the past with regards to certain things, but not with the essence of it all. For the sake of cinema, let’s hope that this new generation arrives soon”.
