Only Film Fanatics Need Apply
Orange and green passes, staff and journalist cards, tickets, invitations 'all of these are stressing us out. Everyone feels surely what the other person has must be better, a golden ticket to film paradise, or at least a way to squeeze into sold-out films. The entrance numbers are high, matching last year's figures (7,800 entries in the first two days). So many people were trying to get into Mexican comedy 'Esmeralda Comes By Night' the other night, that a short shouting match broke out. It's only cinema, yeah, but sometimes it doesn't feel like it.

What's Done is Done
On Saturday, Bob Rafelson was on hand to present - if not watch - his 1970 film "Five Easy Pieces". With his family looking on proudly, he addressed the crowd: "I have not seen this film since the day I finished it - nor any of the films I've made." After a film is made, he believes it "belongs to the audience." Experience has taught him to ignore reactions. Before the screening, Rafelson talked about why his production company was formed. It was an effort to emulate the spirit of European directors like De Sica, and give America "a personal cinema". Rafelson said: "Let's try it and see who we are." After the director left, "Five Easy Pieces" rolled. Jack Nicholson's no-good former pianist Robert won't be easy to forget. There are memorable comic moments (jumping onto the back of a truck to play the piano), cruel womanising (with his girlfriend pregnant, he has ecstatic sex with Sally Struthers instead) and an unexpected Nicholson weep.

Nobody Owns Pasolini
Young people, government-free filmmaking and Pasolini were among the subjects Aurelio Grimaldi tackled in yesterday's press conference. Meanwhile, the leading lady of his film "Iris" played with her plastic dolls. The young star, it turns out, is his daughter Arancia. "Iris" was a family production, with a screenplay co-written by Anna Maria Coglitori, who is married to the director. Unlike most of his colleagues, Grimaldi doesn't rely on state funding. Though he considers himself a realist, fact and fiction blend in three of his films on Pier Paolo Pasolini. This became a touchy matter with Pasolini's friends in "Nerolio" (about the director's last days). The talkative Grimaldi noted, however, that no one has a monopoly on Pasolini's life. Pasolini's nightly cruises for young men was a solo endeavour. Since the boys never talked, what went on remains a mystery. "Cinema supplements reality," Grimaldi added. Before directing, Grimaldi was a teacher for 12 years, including a stint at a jail for juvenile delinquents. His films have travelled a lot. In Japan one film was censored with "little clouds" covering nude body parts. Next stop: South Africa. "Iris" plays today at 2.30pm and his "Rosa Funzeca" at 2pm.

Regional Women Make Films
The two new International Competition films today are from Greece's neighbours. First, Hanna Slack's Slovenian production "Blind Spot" plays at 2pm. It's about a woman who helps a friend kick heroin. Then, at 7.30pm, Czech/Slovak production "Some Secrets", directed by Alice Nellis, looks at a family five months after the father's death.

Filmmaking Recipe: Humor + a System
Korean director Hong Sang-Soo talked about his work, personality and strange sense of humor yesterday. As for the latter, he didn't realise he had it, until he was 25 and a professor wrote a recommendation. "I had though I was serious, sometimes nasty," the director said. Then people started to find amusing things in his films. He is inspired by quirky details - like the time a car stopped in front of him, containing his friend and his bride, who is 20 years younger. Tinges of jealousy, but mainly curiosity, drove him to consider how this event came about and led to a film. His interesting "system" during production involves giving actors their dialogue and action instructions on the day of the shoot. Minimalism is something that he's always gravitated towards. With a cigarette dangling from his fingers, the Korean innovator shared thoughts on his poor memory and globalisation. When societies become too large, he said of the latter, they lose their flavour. Speaking of which, Korea's strict protection of local film is under siege: some people don't like the fact that 45% of films released must be Korean. Personally speaking, he said, "Being free used to be an obsession, [which became] another form of oppression."

Don't Be Afraid
For at least two Thessaloniki kids, yesterday's screening of "Spirited Away" was their first. At the advice of the nursery teacher, one mother brought her children to the Japanese animation. When the heroine's adventures began, the room filled with chatter. "I'm scared!" a little voice repeated. "Poor girl!" another announced. Parents turned into pigs, eight-armed men and loads of ghosts. Scary, yes. But, though some kids couldn't read subtitles yet, they all burst into laughter when the scared heroine ran smack into a wall.

Dance onto the Big Screen
Director Yiannis Dalianides is going to be honoured tonight at 8pm at the Pavlos Zannas cinema, followed by a screening of his 1965 musical comedy "Girls for Kissing". Dalianides is an important figure in Greece's Golden Age (1960s, 1970s), when hit plays became black and white blockbusters (with company Finos Film prominent). This song-and-dance man is from Thessaloniki. Dalianides worked as a dancer/choreographer in musical theatre initially, after being trained in Thessaloniki and Vienna. He appeared in a film for the first time in 1949 and devoted himself to screenwriting nine years later. Dalianides' diverse body of work began with his 1959 directing debut4.

Don't Mix Up Your Husbands
Bright and early today (11.30am), the Jaime Humerto Hermosillo tribute continues with the Mexican Almodovar's second film "Dona Herlinda and Her Son", about a mother who wants her neurosurgeon son to marry, only he's gay. The same theme pops up in his "Esmeralda Comes by Night". Esmeralda, the polygamous nurse, charmed audiences with her saintly smile and horny police examiner.

Sample Today's Films
Some of New Horizons' offerings today include "This is Not a Love Song" (11pm, two solitary folk leave prison and find tragedy) and "K" (2pm, marriage, penal colonies and fratricide mix) - not to mention more of intriguing Shirin Neshat (5pm). The Balkan section offers Croatian "God Forbid Greater Evil" (11am, the life of an 11-year-old in the 1960s) and "Philanthropy" (5.30pm, an aspiring Romanian writer can't get past the first paragraph). "Oasis" (1pm, a man with a child's mind leaves prison and meets his victim's daughter) is the Asian Vision film of the day. Meanwhile, Thessaloniki welcomed Nan T. Achnas, director of "Whispering Sands". The visit was made possible by the Asia-Europe Foundation, through its ASEF Cultural Grant. New local films include Nikos Zervos' murder mystery and Costas Sfikas' latest metaphysical/social/political contemplation. Orgasmic Cinema continues with "Empire" at 1.30am.

Listening in on the Buzz
At the opening of the Melina Mercouri poster exhibition yesterday, her husband Jules Dassin reminded the festival that "love travels". He was touched by the images of his wife from around the world. The ongoing Greek love affair with Cuba continues with documentary "Cuban Neighbour" (5pm today). One of its most interesting characters is a dark-skinned Greek/Cuban bouzouki teacher, who wants to fuse both countries' music. Marco Bellocchio's health has kept him from jury president duties, like yesterday's short presentation of a diverse international jury, but Thessaloniki looks forward to welcoming him soon. Today's press conferences include: E-magic (11am), Amy/E-magic (12am), ERT (Hellenic State Television, 1pm) and Shirin Neshat (2pm). PS-Don't be afraid to ask questions!

First shot, #116, 11/11/2002

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