Amidst an atmosphere of optimism, fueled by the revitalizing force of cinema, the opening ceremony of the 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival took place on Thursday, November 2nd. The evening was hosted by the iconic comedian of Greek cinema and theatre, Dimitris Piatas. “The man who will guide us through this ceremony is a great actor, an iconic comedy star of Greek cinema and theater” he mentioned before giving the floor to the renowned Greek actor. “At this time, Thessaloniki is my home, and I am very happy about it. It's even more delightful to be standing in front of 700 cinephile friends in this marvelous venue, the Olympion, which began operating in 1950, just a year before I was born,” Mr. Piatas humorously remarked, heralding the launch of this year's festival.
Then, the floor was given to Eleftheria Thanouli, President of the Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki Film Festival and Professor of Film Theory at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, who spoke about the importance of film festivals in an evolving environment. "In the two years that I have had the honor to serve as president of the Board of Directors, I have had the opportunity to witness firsthand the significant impact of the Festival's work, not only for the city of Thessaloniki but also for a very large network of filmmakers, producers, and cinema professionals across Europe. The Thessaloniki Film Festival rightfully stands among the most significant film festivals, despite operating on only a fraction of the budgets other festivals have. Nonetheless, it consistently innovates, takes the lead in new initiatives, and turns Thessaloniki into a lively and international hub for cinematic developments over a complete ten-day period. Therefore, I would like to extend special thanks to the members of the Board, the general and artistic management, and the entire team of the Festival, including employees and volunteers, for the passion, love, and imagination they put into their work. Likewise, I would like to sincerely thank the State institutions, the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Central Macedonia, and the Municipality of Thessaloniki for their unwavering support and faith in this institution. Despite the crisis threatening cinemas and the recurring crises in politics, the economy, and the environment, film festivals internationally remain more vibrant and valuable than ever before. And you know, this is not a paradox. History has shown that during times of upheaval or in periods of significant change, festivals not only survive, not only endure but instead flourish, aiding in finding solutions. Festivals don't merely showcase films; they serve as a space for gatherings, creative fermentations, and explorations. This is the aim of the 64th Festival, which starts today. The films, the retrospectives, the competitive sections, the developmental initiatives of the Agora and a plethora of parallel events invite all of you not only to get to know the cinematic past and present, but also to envision the future. In closing, I'd like to express something optimistic, at least from my perspective; despite the fear and concern surrounding the future of cinema in our times, as a historian, I assure you that cinema, for over 120 years, has consistently weathered crises, one after another. It is constantly changing forms and transforming itself according to the needs of society, and that's not at all a bad thing. In fact, to paraphrase a well-known line from Woody Allen's Annie Hall, cinema is like a shark; it must keep moving forward, or else it will die. Wishing you all the best, may we have a great Festival.”
Mr. Piatas went on to comment on the two original posters of the Festival, designed by the visual artist Vassilis Selimas, blending magical realism with the children's perspective. As he distinctively expressed, "What is cinema? It's a big screen and a shared experience under the light of the projector in a dark room. This cinema pulls us into a fantastic universe where magical creatures reside, along with intangible ideas that remind us of what we've forgotten, and most importantly of all, enable us to become children once again.”
Immediately afterwards, he gave the floor to the general director of the Festival, Elise Jalladeau. "At the 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival, we are making many changes. I would like to highlight one of these, which best expresses our philosophy and the hopes of the world we live in today. It concerns the enhancement of the Meet the Neighbors+ section, which includes films from our broader neighborhood. We'll soon discover which neighborhood this is. First of all, we honor the person to whom the Festival owes its present form, the individual who taught a whole generation about cinema. The Golden Alexander of the Meet the Neighbors section is renamed "Golden Alexander - Michel Dimopoulos". Michel taught us to see beyond the surface of images, to hear the whispers of a different reality, and to uncover the true secrets of the seventh art. Michel looked beyond the borders of the country into the cinema of our neighborhood and the entire world. The films featured in this section originate from 36 countries within this neighborhood. The people residing in this neighborhood for thousands of years, those who labor, love, sing, and hope, are our neighbors. They craft films that portray their fears and aspirations, posing questions for a brighter future. Within these films lies the politics of dreams and optimism. Let's dream through these films and keep our optimism alive. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, the Deputy Minister of Culture for Contemporary Culture, Christos Dimas, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and to all the sponsors and supporters of the Festival. I'm grateful to the Festival's Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, as well. The Festival is its people. Have a great Festival!"
Afterwards, the presentation of this year's Festival spot, directed by Thanasis Neofotistos (AirHostess-737), followed, intertwining the three Fates of ancient Greek mythology with the process and stages of creating a cinematic film. Immediately following, Vice-Regional Governor of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area, Voula Patoulidou, took to the stage. "The journey from the first Greek Film Week to the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival is obviously long and the outcome is impressive. During the years of crisis, the Festival not only survived but, due to proper management, resources, and the people involved, along with support from various entities, it has managed to stand strong once again. Under the direction of Orestis Andreadakis and the new framework of a restart, the challenge was to anticipate, align with the technological and aesthetic advancements of the digital era, and, of course, enhance its competitiveness, leading it to be considered a solid and reliable institution across Europe. Mrs. Patoulidou then highlighted the pivotal role played by the Film Office of the Region of Central Macedonia in attracting audiovisual productions to the area. "Our main objective, one that resonates deeply with your own aspirations, was to place Thessaloniki and Central Macedonia at the heart of the global film industry, and we are now witnessing this goal materialize. The Region of Central Macedonia has supported and will continue to support in practice, using and utilizing NSRF funds, the Film and Documentary Festival.”
Mr. Piatas took the floor once again, speaking about the festival's major tribute to Ghosts, “which invites us into a dark and enchanted world dominated by shadows, illusions, and visions.” This includes a rich film program and a large art exhibition titled "FANT SM S.” He also praised the significant work carried out by the Thessaloniki Film Festival Agora, a section that showcases the cinema of tomorrow, with the prominent singer and creator Haris Alexiou serving as its ambassador this year. Then, he referred to the honorary award presented by the Festival to his old friend and collaborator, Nikos Perakis, and the retrospective of this year's edition, which highlights the versatile Greek artist's work as both a director and a production designer.
Right after that, the screen was filled with iconic images from the unique, poetic cinema of Takis Kanellopoulos, the subject of this year's tribute at the Festival. There is also an original art installation celebrating his cinematic and literary work. He is the only Greek filmmaker who lived his entire life and filmed all his movies in Thessaloniki. "I dream of an excursion, a sky, close to the sea, in a place where there is no war, a place that doesn't bear the names Ukraine or Gaza. A city and a place that fits every thought, every image, and every emotion, a city as sharp as a diamond, Thessaloniki," said Mr. Piatas, connecting the emblematic scene of Lili Papagianni from Takis Kanellopoulos' Excursion with the present day.
Next, the Deputy Minister of Culture responsible for Contemporary Culture, Christos Dimas, highlighted the developmental footprint of the Festival. “It is truly a great pleasure to be here. The organization of the Thessaloniki Film Festival continuously expands its activities, enriches and constantly renews its product, creating and nurturing new cultural institutions such as the equally vital Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, ultimately establishing the city as Greece's most important cinematic hub. This year's festival demonstrates a profound sense of social consciousness and brings to the fore issues such as unhindered access to the arts and environmental sustainability through focused collaborations and commendable initiatives,” stated Mr. Dimas. The Deputy Minister specifically acknowledged the late visionary Michel Demopoulos and his contributions to the internationalization of the Festival and film education. Additionally, he emphasized the significance of the Agora Series, which was inaugurated last year by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Specifically, he highlighted the pivotal role of the Agora Series in fostering collaborations within the film industry and audiovisual media sectors. As Mr. Dimas stressed: "The government places considerable faith in the developmental potential of the film production sector and the dynamism of Greek talents. For this reason, it supports and promotes, through a clear strategy, one presented by the Prime Minister at the Thessaloniki Film Festival a year ago, aiming to create a more favorable environment for industry businesses and attract investments. Concluding, I extend my warmest congratulations to all who contributed to the realization of the 64th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. I'd like to extend particular congratulations to the President, Mrs. Eleftheria Thanouli, the Managing Director, Mrs. Elise Jalladeau, the Artistic Director, Orestis Andreadakis, the Vice President, Grigoris Vardarinos, and all members of the Board of Directors, as well as the entities contributing to the continuous development of the Festival. It's evident that the outstanding result we'll experience over the next ten days couldn't be achieved without considerable and unwavering effort, accumulated inventiveness, talent, and a lot of love. After all, these are the essential elements that have defined the Thessaloniki International Film Festival throughout its history, elevating it to the prominent position it holds today and endearing it to our hearts. On behalf of the government and the Ministry of Culture, we extend our best wishes for success and eagerly anticipate enjoying the experience.”
The opening ceremony was wrapped up by Orestis Andreadakis, who commented on the opening film, The Pot-au-Feu, directed by the French-Vietnamese filmmaker Trần Anh Hùng. This movie was awarded the Best Director Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and stands as France's official entry for the Oscar Award for Best International Feature Film. "There couldn't be a more suitable film to inaugurate a festival taking place in Thessaloniki. The film is based on the book La vie et la passion de Dodin-Bouffant, gourmet by Marcel Rouff, which was published in 1924 by the gastronomy icon, Marcel Rouff, praising French cuisine," remarked Mr. Andreadakis. "In reality, Trần Anh Hùng’s film transcends gastronomy and becomes a hymn to life and enduring love, which notably, passes through the memories of flavors and a tradition of a distinct culinary art interwoven with culture. A pivotal character in the film is Dodin-Bouffant's companion, portrayed by Juliette Binoche. She is a great cook herself and, most importantly, a liberated and independent woman. Their culinary coexistence is depicted as a choreography of whispers and unfulfilled desires, a symphony of tastes that recount forgotten yet profoundly significant stories. As you will discover in the film shortly, and as all the cooks and chefs in Thessaloniki know, cooking is both a cultural expression and a repository of memories, traditions, humility, and love. Thus, a recipe with fish and vegetables, for instance, isn't merely a meal but rather a harmonious union between land and sea, celebrating the beauty of our homeland,” he concluded.
The 64th Thessaloniki Film Festival is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Partnership Agreement of the Central Macedonia Regional Operational Program 2021-2027 and the MEDIA programme. Valuable is the support of ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation), official communication sponsor of the Festival, COSMOTE TV, Grand Sponsor of the Festival, Alpha Bank, the Festival’s accessibility sponsor, MasterCard, the Festival’s official payment card, Aegean, the Festival’s official air-carrier, Fischer, the Audience Awards sponsor, and Jameson.
The actions aiming at the reinforcement of Greek cinema’s extroversion and promotion to the international scene are carried out within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0”, funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU and in particular of the sub-programme “SUB 6.3 - Market Extroversion of the Thessaloniki International Film and Documentary Festival”.
