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With the opening of the 58th Thessaloniki International Film Festival approaching, this press release includes the latest news that round-up this year’s communication: the International and FIPRESCI Juries, open discussion, masterclass, parallel events, as well as the complete line-up list.
Alexander Payne & Jean-Marc Barr in the 58th TIFF + New VR Section
58th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 2-12, 2017
58th TIFF poster: The concept behind
The idea of the series of four posters is based on one of the basic elements of cinema and image: the idea of the frame.
The film frame is the field of the frame ‘maestro’, the director, who uses it to form the pictures, the shots of the film he envisioned. The frame is part of the reality and also the base of fiction filmmaking. Within its borders, big and small miracles are produced and deduced.
Every film frame and every shot "is essentially an artistic product different from the objective reality" [Rudolf Arnheim]. Every film frame and every shot are also time fallacy. According to the father of space-time “The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion” [Albert Einstein].
The photos are taken at the wider area of Thessaloniki (Thermaikos Gulf, western districts, terraces in the city center, pier in Aretsou). They also have the light and the atmosphere of the November festival.
Design: Red Creative, Photos: Simos Saltiel
58th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 2-12, 2017
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Proposing a subversive approach to cinema: Simone Weil’s The Need for Roots
“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul”
Simone Weil (1909-1943)
Each year the International Competition section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival discovers the boldest new voices of contemporary independent cinema, presenting the first or second films by the most promising filmmakers from all over the world.
The concept behind the IC of the 58th TIFF
The International Competition section of the 58th Thessaloniki International Film Festival is comprised of 14 films, three of which are Greek. This year the festival proposes a subversive way to approach the art of cinema, by selecting the IC films in the light of a universal idea and a timeless wish: The Need for Roots, inspired by the seminal book of the same title by the French social philosopher and activist Simone Weil, one of the most iconic intellectuals of the 20th century.
The Need for Roots highlights, inter alia, the essential needs of the human soul, the concept of uprootedness, as well as the re-establishment of roots, envisioning a “new culture” based not on power, but on justice and love. Weil’s legacy, praised by Albert Camus and T.S. Eliot among others, is an outstanding social manifesto. An uncompromised idealist, Weil was entirely devoted to experiencing her ideas and she actually identified with the anonymous heroes of everyday life.
These heroes are the protagonists in the films of this year’s International Competition section. All films, despite their thematic and stylistic variety, share the aforementioned concept; the need for roots, Weil’s timeless ideas and invincible spirit.
The films
The foreign films of the International Competition section are:
Beast by Michael Pearce, United Kingdom, 2017, 107’: A young woman falls for a mysterious outsider who may be the suspect of a string of murders, in this striking psychological thriller that takes place in a small island community.
Cargo by Gilles Coulier, Belgium-The Netherlands-France, 2017, 91’: A man slips into a coma, leaving his sons behind with massive debts and responsibilities. A compelling family drama about how desperation can bring a family to the edge of destruction.
Closeness / Tesnota by Kantemir Balagov, Russia, 2017, 118’: Based on true events, Balagov’s impressive debut feature delves into the multilayered bonds of a family, following the kidnap of a young couple in Russia’s North Caucasus (FIPRESCI award, Cannes FF 2017).
Life Guidance by Ruth Mader, Austria, 2017, 101’: A dark Orwellian allegory, Mader’s futuristic thriller is set in a dystopian society where a private company named “Life Guidance” corrects the behaviour of those who are not “functional” enough.
Lucky by John Carroll Lynch, USA, 2017, 88’ : Harry Dean Stanton’s last film unfolds the main character’s journey of self-exploration like a tender love letter to the actor’s life and career, beautifully crafted by the actor John Carroll Lynch in his directorial debut.
No Date, No Signature / Bedoone Tarikh, Bedoone Emza by Vahid Jalilvand, Iran, 2017, 104’: A fine example of the cinema of moral dilemmas, the film centres on a well-respected forensic pathologist who gets involved in a car accident, where an 8-year-old boy is injured, but the following day is found dead.
Ravens / Korparna by Jens Assur, Sweden, 2017, 107’: Agne struggles to save his farm, while dreaming that his son will take over. When the two of them clash, it will be late to distinguish the fine line between stubbornness and madness. The first feature film by famous photographer Jens Assur is a dramatic ode to family burden.
The Dragon's Defense / La Defensa Del Dragon by Natalia Santa, Colombia, 2017, 80’: A young female director manages to capture the mental trace of aging masculinity through the touching story of three friends who grow old, unable to make any life decisions. Nevertheless, they will have to face reality.
The Garden / Sommerhauser by Sonja Maria Kröner, Germany, 2017, 97’: The smells, colours and sounds of a summer that a bourgeois family spends in their cottage house in 70s Germany, set the tone in a film which skilfully explores memory and family ties.
Those Long Haired Nights / Mga Gabing Kasinghaba Ng Hair Ko by Gerardo Calagui, Philippines, 2017, 72’ - European premiere: The film uncovers a journey to the end of the night, through a gloomy district of Manila, where the only things glowing in the dark are some red lights and the dreams of three transgender women.
Winter Brothers / Vinterbrodre by Hlynur Pálmason, Denmark-Iceland, 2017, 94’: The troublesome relationship between two brothers who try to make ends meet is revealed in this slow-burning, tense debut film about the endless winters of family relationships.
The three Greek films that complete the line-up will be announced soon.
Directors in attendance: John Carroll Lynch, Sonja Maria Kröner, Ruth Mader, Jens Assur, Gerardo Calagui, Gilles Coulier, Vahid Jalilvand, Hlynur Pálmason.
The exhibition: “Taking Roots”
The International Competition section is complimented this year by a special exhibition titled “Taking Roots” that will be presented for the first time during the 58th TIFF at the Former Army Warehouse (Peer Α΄, Thessaloniki Port). TIFF invited 14 young Greek artists to watch the films of the IC section, become inspired and create 14 original works –paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations- for each one of the films. The participating artists are: Rania Bellou, Natasa Eftstathiadi, Dimitris Fragakis, Leonidas Giannakopoulos, Chrysanthi Koumianaki, Maria Kriara, Maria Mavropoulou, Kosmas Nikolaou, Yorgos Papafigos, Vassilis Selimas, Anastasis Stratakis, Stefania Strouza, Maria Tsagari and Paky Vlassopoulou. The exhibition is organised by TIFF with the support of the 6th Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art.
58th THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
November 2-12, 2017
FOCUS ON GREEK CINEMA
Greek cinema is in the spotlight during the 58th Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
TIFF continues to support the local film production via a wide network of initiatives that further promote the Greek films of this year’s edition in the festival’s program, Agora Industry and parallel events.
33 Greek feature films in total will be screened in the 58th TIFF:
In addition, 5 short films by distinguished Greek filmmakers will also be presented as part of the festival’s >>Film Forward section, as well as the 17 award-winning films of the 2017 International Short Film Festival in Drama.
Greek Film Festival 2017
The Greek Film Festival, launched last year, is of non competitive character, but showcases 6 independent awards that accompany the Greek films of this year’s edition: the Fischer Audience Award, the FIPRESCI Award, the Pan-Hellenic Film Critics Association’s Award, the ERT S.A. Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation Award (3,000 euro to a film of the “First Run” section), and the Youth Jury Awards (Best Film and Jury Special Youth Jury Award, both bestowed by students of Universities of Thessaloniki).
Before the final selection of the films participating in the Greek Film Festival 2017, a pre-selection stage took place, with the assistance of a three-member committee that consisted of Sofia Exarchou (director), Yorgos Tsourgiannis (producer) and Antonis Kotzias (VFX supervisor, Yafka Studios Founder).
Festival Scope
Following TIFF’s successful collaboration with Festival Scope in last year’s edition, the Greek films of the 58th TIFF will be available at the popular online platform for one month after the end of the event, thus giving to film professionals worldwide the opportunity to watch them.
These are the Greek films that will be screened in the 58th TIFF:
First Run
Newcomers as well as established filmmakers have entrusted us with their latest works. These are (in alphabetical order) the 19 Greek films that will have their premiere in Thessaloniki, three of which will participate in the International Competition section:
4 Days by Michalis Giagkounidis: A mysterious boy is following around a lonely girl. Was their meeting luck, chance or destiny? Their lives will change, as they slowly become open to each other and the rest of the world.
Approach by Τony Lykouressis: Strangers find themselves trapped inside five elevators that break down. Tension rises. There is no communication; just angry men and women bringing the worst out of each other. This is hell in 4m²... (Agora Works in Progress, 57th TIFF).
Back Held Hands by Nikos Kornilios: After suffering a heart attack, a famous actor invites his two daughters to return to Greece and join him in a “Macbeth for three” performance. The rehearsals will reveal all their harsh truths and emotional traumas.
Blue Queen by Alex Sipsidis: An armed robbery is the starting point of an unpredictable story that unfolds in four different versions; one for each of the film’s characters who rival over the "Blue Queen", one of the world’s most rare diamonds.
Do It Yourself by Dimitris Tsilifonis: A small-time crook agrees to star in a viral video that will restore the image of a businessman who acts against the law. When he realizes that he is the next victim in this man’s list, he struggles to save himself at any cost, in this suspenseful action film.
Happy Birthday by Christos Georgiou: When George runs out of the police riot bus and sees his daughter among the demonstrators facing him, he and his wife decide that father and daughter should go to their country home for a few days, to keep her safe and see if they can salvage their relationship (Crossroads 53th TIFF, Works in Progress - «Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes» event, Cannes FF 2017).
Love Me Not by Alexandros Avranas: A wealthy couple hires a young migrant to be their surrogate mother. An unusual friendship develops between the two women, but it is disrupted by an enigmatic sudden death.
People by Pavlos Iordanopoulos: Everyday people create fictional characters and share their personal stories on camera, highlighting thus various segments of modern society. The viewers become witnesses of their happy and sad moments, ups and downs.
Polixeni by Dora Masklavanou: In 1955 a couple of prominent Greek Istanbulites adopt an orphan Greek girl, twelve-year-old Polyxeni, who is separated from her younger brother. She embarks on a new life and a future that looks bright, but she will have to defend what’s rightfully hers (Works in Progress - «Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes» event, Cannes FF 2017).
Rosemarie by Adonis Florides: A burned out soap opera writer turns his gaze upon his dysfunctional neighbours to become inspired by their lives. However, reality surpasses his imagination and expectations in ways that he had never thought.
Sacrilege by Marsa Makri: Isolated in their labyrinthine apartment, a beautiful restless woman and a sick bed-ridden man (played by Blaine L. Reininger) share their common but in no way idyllic life. They are “The Beauty and the Beast”, but with the absence of Love.
Son of Sofia by Elina Psykou: 11-year-old Misha flies from Russia to Athens in the summer of 2004, to join his mother, Sofia, after having spent a long time apart. A father is waiting for him there. Misha will try to escape from his new oppressive routine via his imagination and favourite fairy tales (Best International Narrative Feature, Tribeca FF 2017).
The Ox by Giorgos Nikopoulos: An experimental animation film that unfolds an unusual story set in an imaginary land; its aged inhabitants are forced to transform their earth into a golden kingdom by adding a magic fertilizer to their crops. A fearless girl will be their savior.
The Surface of Things by Nancy Biniadaki: An urban legend of Athens says that in the 80s a girl was swept away by an ancient underground river that nobody has ever seen. Today a young anthropologist is researching the case, interviewing the girl’s three best friends and their former history teacher (Agora Works in Progress, 57th TIFF).
Thorn by Gabriel Tzafka: Newlyweds Lisa and Jacob leave for their honeymoon somewhere in the Danish countryside. Their love and faith for each other will soon turn into bitterness and fear. The film, a Danish-Greek production with Danish cast, was bestowed the Eurimages Lab Award in the Agora Works in Progress of the 57th TIFF.
Timeless Stories by Vassilis Raisis: Nikos and Elena know each other since they were children. The film follows them in six different phases of their lives. In each one, however, something always prevents them from becoming a couple. How will their story end?
Too Much Info Clouding over My Head by Vassilis Christofilakis: The life of an overanxious young director searching for success is further complicated when he is forced to raise money for a movie screenplay he detests, in this laid-back comedy.
USSAK…years later by Kyriakos Katzourakis: In a suffering country somewhere in the near future, a community of misfits who live in a state of decadence and paranoia, tries to claim a decent life, fighting against an authoritarian oppressive regime.
Women Who Passed My Way by Stavros Tsiolis: The acclaimed Greek director returns with a bittersweet story about the need for human contact. Two men are hired to keep watch on a home in Athens, where a room is illegally built. They will meet many passers-by, some of whom are in fact building inspectors attempting to catch them in the act.
To R – Cinema Group “To R”: A boy and a girl coming from different worlds fall in love. When summer is over, they will face the shackles of their normal routine and discover what binds them and what breaks them apart.
A Second Viewing
These films, that have already had their premiere, will be screened at the 58th TIFF as part of the Greek Film Festival 2017 (in alphabetical order):
Goodbye Lixouri by Makis Moraitis: An angel comes to earth and tells a boy about his past, present and future life, in this nostalgic collage of life snapshots, testimonies and people, set in the Greek island of Kefalonia.
Lines by Vassilis Mazomenos: In contemporary Greece, seven people are pushed to their limits, dealing with the aftermath of the Greek crisis. Although different, they are connected by a common last hope: a phone call to the psychological support center called “life line”.
Perfect Strangers by Thodoris Atheridis: A remake of Paolo Genovese’s film of the same title, the film centres on a group of friends who get together for a dinner and decide to share the content of their text messages, emails and phone calls. After that, their relationships will never be the same again.
Success Story by Nikos Perakis: In a country in deep crisis, two worlds collide: the bourgeois milieu of an intellectual psychiatrist, and the humbler, but no less ambitious world of a beautiful working class actress. They fall in love, but they will soon have to face reality.
The Great Eastern by Lakis and Aris Ionas / The Callas: Five people are waiting on a rocky isolated island for the ocean liner The Great Eastern to pick them up in a journey towards hope. Their isolation, lust and expectations escalate, triggering a series of unexpected events. The film features music by Greek duo The Callas and Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo.
Beyond Borders
Everything is Wonderful by Pia Mechler: Set in New York, the film tells the story of the friendship between two European immigrants; Maria (played by Greek actress Tonia Sotiropoulou) and Lena (played by the director herself) during one intense week, as they struggle to find happiness and test the limits of their freedom.
ISIS Bride by Morteza Jafari: Based on a true story, the film looks at a young woman who escapes after months of being held as a hostage by ISIS, but finds herself imprisoned by her father who feels disgraced by her pregnancy. She manages to flee to Greece where she is hospitalized in critical condition.
West of Sunshine by Jason Raftopoulos: A man has less than a day to pay back his debt to a violent loan shark. When his young son arrives, everything is turned upside down; now he has to let go of his past and embrace his new self.
Special Screening
Dolphin Man by Lefteris Charitos: The documentary masterfully unfolds the life story and legacy of Jacques Mayol, the greatest free-diver in recorded history, whose life became the inspiration for Luc Besson's cult-movie Le Grand Bleu. Dolphin Man is narrated by the actor Jean-Marc Barr, who embodied Mayol in Besson’s film.
Accessibility format screenings
The TIFF shares the magic of cinema with all viewers without exception for yet another year during the 58th TIFF, in collaboration with the Onassis Foundation and the Onassis Cultural Centre as accessibility sponsors, and the Movement of Artists with Disabilities as accessibility advisor. Two favorite classic Greek films will be presented in accessibility format for all viewers in this year’s edition: the compelling social drama The Engagement of Anna (1972) by the acclaimed Greek filmmaker Pantelis Voulgaris and a hilarious James Bond parody film titled Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation Havoc (1969) directed by the celebrated Greek actor Thanassis Vengos. These films will be screened with audio description [AD] for the blind and visually impaired and SDH [Subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing] (curation and certification by the Movement of Artists with Disabilities).
“The Lost Highway of Greek Cinema: Balcony A & B”
Don’t miss the opportunity to watch two rare Greek films from the past that will be screened in their original 35 mm copies during a special event titled “The Lost Highway of Greek Cinema: Balcony A & B”, in collaboration with the Film Directors & Producers Association of Greece (ESPEK). Giorgos Stampoulopoulos’ Open Letter (1967) follows a young man on his tumultuous journey to personal maturity and awakening, while Costas Ferris’ Prometheus Second Person, Singular (1975) is a modern adaptation of Prometheus Bound that vividly explores the relations between spectacle, viewer and authority.
>>Film Forward
This section presents films of experimental character that break all cinema rules. The line-up of this year’s edition includes 5 short films by distinguished Greek filmmakers: Yorgos Zois’ 8th Continent (Orizzonti Short Films-Out of Competition, Venice FF 2017), Syllas Tzoumerkas’ A Manifesto for the Un-communal (Fuori Concorso-Shorts, Locarno IFF 2017) and Eva Stefani (Acropolis, Virgin’s Temple, Manuscript – documenta14).
