This year, in the framework of the 44th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, New Horizons presents the work of Canadian artist Michael Snow. Ten of his films will be screened for the first time in Greece in the Thessaloniki Film Museum at the port. Snow’s latest film Corpus Callosum, is among them.
In the framework of the press conference given today, the Director of the New Horizons section, Dimitri Eipides, spoke about Snow’s multifaceted talent, who, besides cinema, is also involved with other forms of art (sculpture, painting, music composition, etc): “I am happy that this year in the framework of the Thessaloniki Film Festival, New Horizons presents Michael Snow, an artist whose has been at work for more than 40 years, who has created a trend in modern avant garde”. “I’ve known Dimitri Eipides since the 70s’ when he lived in Montreal and distributed new, experimental films”, said the Canadian artist. “Mr. Eipides, as a matter of fact, has fine taste. After all, he chose to present my work”, he added jokingly.
Creativity, not experimentation
“I can’t say I prefer one form of art over another, especially at times that I’m involved with more than one of them”, he said, referring to the fact that for the past 50 years he has been involved with all forms of art. As for the element of ‘time’ and how it affects his films, Michael Snow said, “The basic materials of cinema are duration and light. As a cinematographer, I therefore deal with time. In my personal life, I split my time between my work and… replying to my e-mail messages…”. Michael Snow spoke about the future of experimental cinema saying that: “The term experimentation is rather dangerous because it implies an attempt that never turned out well. Experimentation exists in any form of art, as well as in cinema, which is where my films belong. Personally, I don’t understand why we have to categorize. I believe creativity is most important and I prefer this term. A young artist can take something old and continue it, adding something new. This is creativity, not experimentation”.
The future of independent cinema
Speaking about the future of independent cinema, Mr. Snow said, “The future is open to independent producers. Nowadays, the means to produce motion pictures are widely available insofar as the availability of a video camera. This, of course, conflicts with my experience with my latest film, Corpus Callosum, in which I had technical problems as well as a difficult time funding it. I believe, though, that in the future it will only become easier to make films. We might even enter a completely digital age”.
The exhibition
“Selections from the spectrum” is the title given to Michael Snow’s exhibition that opened yesterday at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibition will last until December 7th and complements his film anthology being screened by the Festival in the framework of the New Horizons section. Attending the exhibition’s opening were Michael Snow, Dimitri Eipides and the Canadian Ambassador among others. Snow created new art especially for the exhibition, which comprises an integral part of the artist’s character who once said, “My paintings are made by a filmmaker, my sculptures by a musician, my films by a painter, my music by a filmmaker, my paintings by a sculptor, my sculptures by a filmmaker, my films by a musician, my music by a sculptor... and sometimes, they all work together”.
