EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME
The 50th TIFF Salonica Studio Educational Programme was launched on Thursday November 19 in Warehouse 13. It will run from Friday November 20 to Sunday November 22. The initiative was initiated four years ago within the Agora context of the Festival, in collaboration with the Cinema Section of the Thessaloniki Aristoteleion University Fine Arts School.
The Salonica Studio programme has been a successful event that has been steadily growing in scope acquiring international status with its Four Corners European Programme, one of its basic pillars. Four Corners has received support and funding from the European MEDIA programme and includes four large cinema schools: the Aristoteleion University Cinema School (in collaboration with the TIFF) from Greece, the Bournemouth Screen Academy & Skillset from the UK, the ESCAC (Escuela Superior de Cine y Audiovisuales de Catalunya) from Spain and this year NATFA, the Cinema Academy from Bulgaria.
TIFF Director Despina Mouzaki welcomed the participants at the opening session and pointed out that the since 2006 the cross-cultural Four Corners programme has taken great strides: 33 students are taking part this year from the four country-members, but also from Germany, Estonia, Slovenia and Rumania. “Welcome to Salonica Studio where you will acquire knowledge and experience as well as an inkling of cinema industry”, she said, adding that the TIFF will continue to support the Salonica Studio foundation.
The head of the Thessaloniki University Cinema School, Nikos Tsinikas commented: “I am sure that this year’s Salonica Studio / Four Corners programme will prove an enriching and creative experience. It is through cross-cultural programmes such as this one that students from various countries can work on a common goal: to express their creativity in their films. The fruit of this collaboration will no doubt result in films that will be screened at future TIFF events.”
Christian Routh, the ESCAC head of studies, stated that after the three workshops that took place in Spain, UK and Bulgaria the students are now ready to work on issues of production and realization. The marketing consultant for Salonica Studio / Four Corners, Peter Belsito, remarked that the difficult part is not writing a scenario and shooting a film, it is to bring the film to the audience and for this reason the Salonica Studio will evolve around issues such as distribution and marketing.
Athina Kartalou, programme assistant and responsible for the TIFF publications, declared that the programme participants are ready to start work and Themis Veleni, coordinator of the Salonica Studio / Four Corners programme, presented in detail the three-day educational programme which will afford the students the opportunity to develop scenario proposals in small groups, to attend seminars and deepen their knowledge on the issues under discussion.
The Salonica Studio / Four Corners counts with the support of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism and with that of the MEDIA programme
