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Placing Your Bets On Thessaloniki |
The days are whipping by at a dizzying pace. Which films do you watch? What events should you attend? Where and when do you eat? Who took your schedule? It's nowhere near time to cash in your chips...
Against the Odds
Romanian director Hanno Hoffer gave the perfect answer to the question: "Why don't we see many Romanian films?" He said: "Because there aren't any." The short film director explained that there is but one film school in his country and limited production. Undaunted, he's making another film in April.
The Greek Puzzle Piece
Actress Vicky Volioti, who appears not only in "2000+1 Moments" but also "The Fading Light," spoke about the first film yesterday as a puzzle-like composition. "All the roles add up to one whole," she explained, "if any one were missing it would all collapse." In "The Fading Light" she plays a schoolteacher who is trying to understand why a bespeckled student keeps missing class; it turns out he's a Paganini with serious eye problems -squinting at a dazzling Chalki landscape. (At 10.30am, Greek director Vasilis Douros will discuss the well-made, child-oriented film.) As for director Mimis Kouyoumtzis, he didn't blink when discussing the fact that he went ahead and made "17 to 18", a film about young people, while decades beyond puberty. He had a great time working with his young collaborators - who started off with the burning desire "to do something."
Loaded Dice
Believe it or not Florian Flicker based his zany "Holdup" on a true story. Sometime in the not-so-distant past a clumsy robber tried to rob a money-less tailor's shop. There is no clear good or bad guy in the film as the wanna-be-thief appears with a ridiculous wig and fake nose, and his prisoners try to survive. The Austrian director talked about his project's exploration of the relations between men and Germany's interest in his country's film.
Pick a Card
The jury won't set up the criteria until the end for judging the 15 entries in international competition, explained jury head Jerzy Skolimowsky yesterday. The seven-member jury also isn't into chatting and collecting opinions. They are instead watching. They did agree (with some objections from one of the youngest jurors, director Fred Kelemen), in yesterday's press conference that digital technology is having a major effect on film and directors are struggling to find a new voice. Greece's Fotos Lambrinos used the podium to explain his awe at Iranian cinema. Mexico's Jorge Sanchez pointed out that there's a lot of momentum in his region's cinema. Meanwhile Judit Elek noted that style wasn't as importance as boldness for new filmmakers.
Cheating at Roulette
One day director Jerzy Skolimowsky dreams that cinema will break the dream-barrier, and what we see on screen will replicate the way the brain jumps from one image to another. The Polish director related his efforts to tell the truth with anti-regime cinema in his early years. Skolimowsky shared stories of his first Hollywood-scale production (the somewhat disastrous Panavision "Adventures of Gerard"), drinking vodka with Jeremy Irons (to convince him to make "Moonlighting"), and use of interiors (taking a cue from Greek tragedy's unifying place, characters and time). The director revealed that besides his talent as a director, he can be found painting on 2.5 X 1.5 meter wooden vertical slabs. In painting, there are no producers, budgets, capricious film stars on his back. There is also a film in the works - the story of Poles who go to the US and make the entire world readjust their roulette tables.
Changing the Rules
Two Iranian directors displayed the wealth of their country's new cinematic production, and their strong creative fire. First "The Day That I Became a Woman" director Marziyeh Meshkini talked about the lose-lose situation of many women in her country; they often go from children deprived of the length of their childhood to elderly women who cannot reap the benefits of gathered wisdom and respect. There are about 500 male directors in Iran, she noted and only 10 women (including niece Samira Makmalbaf). Meshkini discussed her role in setting up a rigorous film school. Her colleague, director Jafar Panahi, explained that it took the threat to return all his international prizes to festivals, for his film "The Circle" to receive a license. He explained that things are better than they were in past decades - with the independent press backing his work. Just the same he opted to make and hide copies of his work and secretly screen "The Circle" on video, when Iran's film festival wouldn't show it. Despite its international acclaim, "The Circle" (which touches on prostitution) has not yet been shown in Iran. He added: "When you live in a circle, you learn how to get out".
Fortune-tellers
At 11am today, about 20 film professionals from state cultural and other film organizations from throughout the Balkans will discuss the conclusions of their second meeting this week.
Trust Your Instincts
As the festival-related parties (see Warehouse C last night, circa 3am) and lunches begin, festival-goers have realized that there's more to life than cinema. Yesterday artist Mark Hadzipateras launched the festival-sponsored exhibit "One Time, One Dream" at the Kalfayan Gallery (Mitropoleos 72). Take a break from the movies to check out his work, which is known on both sides of the Atlantic for its fun and wit.
Quote/Unquote
"New filmmakers think film is a lot of trucks and wardrobe. It's absurd." - Mexican producer Jorge Sanchez on young directors.
"We are still waiting for the James Joyce, Shakespeare or Chopin of cinema." - Director Jerzy Skolimowski.
Angelike Contis
First shot, #79, 15/11/2000
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