Now in its sixth year as an international event , the Thessaloniki Film Festival opens windows to other parts of the world, to new ideas, trends and belief systems, and to the state of cinema today.
This year the festival is very proud to present a retrospective of renowned French director Claude Chabrol. Twenty-five films will be offered, including Chabrol's latest production, Rien Na Va Plus, which opens the Festival on Friday, November 21 (the film, Chabrol's 50th, won both the Golden Shell and Best Director awards at the recent San Sebastian Film Festival). This program will be the largest retrospective of Chabrol's films ever mounted, starting with Chabrol's first, Le Beau Serge (1957-58) and covering the whole spectrum through Rien Na Va Plus. In addition, a book of essays on Chabrol and his films will be published to coincide with the retrospective.
Another exciting offering this year will be the tribute to Mexican master Arturo Ripstein, widely considered to be the most important and innovative Mexican director. Ripstein's reputation as the leading figure of Mexican film has taken off in recent years in Europe. Starting in 1965 with his first film, Tiempo De Morir, Ripstein has made more than 20 feature films. Of those films, 12 will be screened in Thessaloniki -- the largest screening of Ripstein's films in Europe to date, including El Castillo De La Pureza (1972), El Imperio De La Fortuna (1985), La Mujer Del Puerto (1991), and Lecumberri, El Palacio Negro (1976), which has never-before been shown outside of Mexico. The tribute is being organized in collaboration with the Festival International Cinema Giovani of Torino.
As previously announced, additional spotlights will focus on selected works by Portugal's Manoel de Oliveira and Russia's Alexander Sokurov.
