"We just had a huge fight. You see, today we had our first meeting and... we had to call an ambulance. We even had a fire so please be patient. Sorry about all the racket we've been causing."

In his usual joking manner, John Boorman, the President of the International Competition Jury of the 42nd International Thessaloniki Film Festival, described the artistic disputes between the members of the Jury. As some of its members later disclosed, "alliances" among them are being created, break and fluctuate from one film screening to another.

The rest of the members of the Jury present at the press conference were: Eduardo Antin (Quintin), film critic from Argentina as well as Director of the Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, film director from Turkey, Pavel Pawlikowski, film director from Poland, Ana Sofrenovic, actress and singer from Yugoslavia, Soti Triantafyllou, writer, journalist, and film critic from Greece, and Yannis Kokkos, stage director and set and costume designer.

The first question made to the members of the Jury was about the subject of this year's films. Particularly, they were asked if there would be a common theme shared by the films, like "immigration" was last year.

Pavel Pawlikowski answered first by saying, "new directors seem to be inclined towards the same topic this year, something which might be indicative of western Europeans' tendency of finding no interest in their own population."

Eduardo Antin supported Pawlikowski's statement and added that four out of seven of the Jury's members live away from their place of birth.

Yannis Kokkos, who lives in Paris, said that besides people being brave enough to live abroad, there are those that loose their bearings even in their own country.

The next question concerned the Jury's bearing and if they are looking for particular elements in the films. John Boorman considered it a difficult question to answer and explained, "We're primarily interested in our own reactions to a film. As a professional I seek a vision. I look for directors with a personal vision who have something to say and the means of doing it."

Pavel Pawlikowski added that the members of the Jury look for "films that convince us that the director wanted to make a particular film, not just any film." He pointed out that the Jury has not reached any agreements yet.

Eduardo Antin tried to shed some light on the Jury's disputes by saying, "The members of the Jury come from different cultures and so their approaches to films vary greatly", and concluded by contemplating, "What is a film really? That question has not been answered yet."

How does a Jury actually work, though, how do they come up with the awards? "Many of us have been members of other juries as well. I was at Cannes and I can say that when you are closed in a room, alliances are made and broken and balances are disrupted", John Boorman explained, and suddenly stumbled upon an idea-proposal for... a screenplay saying, "it would be an excellent topic for a film." According to Boorman, small groups are formed in the Jury that fervently support one film or another, until they reach an agreement. Since this isn't always an easy affair, John Boorman, with his stylish sense of humour said, "Why don't the other six leave so I can decide by myself!"

The Jury was then asked if they watch the films as members of the Jury or as members of an audience.

Yannis Kokkos said that he watches a film just like any other person who goes to the cinema and after the film is over, he remembers his Jury quality.

Soti Triantafyllou claimed that as a movie-goer she watches good and bad films alike. As a member of the Jury, though, "there's always the temptation of getting up and leaving in the first five minutes of a film or breaking out in laughter." She stressed the fact, though, that the members of the Jury don't consider their jobs bureaucratic since something like that would be unfair for them as well as for the films.

The fact that groups have been formed in the Jury aroused the curiosity of the journalists who wanted to know who sides with who.

Pavel Pawlikowski answered, saying that there are many groups and they continuously change. "Men against women, generation gaps, it's actually quite scary", he said. Ana Sofrenovic added, "After each screening, we all change sides", and Pawlikowski remarked, "and all this while the President tries to keep the peace like the U.N.". Finally, Eduardo Antin said "You haven't seen anything yet... wait until Sunday."

Eduardo Antin, though, (our friend Quintin, as Festival Director, Michel Demopoulos referred to him), besides being a member of the Jury is also Director of a Festival, and was asked by Demopoulos how he copes with his dual status.

"The Buenos Aires Independent Film Festival is quite similar to Thessaloniki's, although less organized. The Jury is really of no importance. Just like the stars don't dictate our futures, neither does a jury's decision affect the future of a director or a film." Antin concluded saying that, "the ultimate meaning is in the films, not the awards, and I strive to keep independent cinema alive, both as a Director and a member of the Jury."