GREEK CREATORS’ PRESS CONFERENCE
DOCUDRAMA SECTION
On Sunday, 3 April, a press conference was given by the Greek creators Angelos Spartalis (“Wishes”), Vassilis Mazomenos (“Material Terror”), and Yanis Frangoulakis (“Cavodoritis”) concerning their films which are being screened within the framework of the 7th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival – Images of the 21st Century, in the Docudrama Section. Present at the press conference was the Artistic Director of the Festival, Mr. Dimitri Eipides, and representatives of the Directors’ and Film Producers’ Guilds as well as the Television Producers’ Guild.
Angelos Spartalis: Wishes
Angelos Spartalis’ film is based on the true story of Manoli, a six year old boy with a genetic illness, and the last series of paintings by the creator with the same name (“Wishes”). It is divided in two completely separate parts, the Imaginary and the Real, and it is a documentary filmed as a painter would compose a painting. “The Ecofilm Festival was the reason that I involved myself with film for the first time last year and it was the reason for me to be here today”, he noted, and speaking about his film the creator mentioned that a small part of it is based on a poem by Sahtouris.
Vassilis Mazomenos: Material Terror
Vassilis Mazomenos’ film has as its thematic axis the contradictions and paradoxes of human existence. As he characteristically said, “All of my philosophy revolves around these themes, and more generally I move in the area that is disparagingly seen as ‘poetic cinema’”. Speaking of his film, the creator explained that Material Terror was the beginning of an attempt that ended up in a second version, a fiction film, “Reasons and Sins”, that was screened at the Film Festival in November. But in reality they are two different films. “‘Material Terror’ is a poetic study, a commentary on the consequences of the material world on three figures, a poet, black illegal immigrants, and a yuppie, all victims of this reality” he characteristically said, and continued: “I film in a poetic, essay-like style the relation of the black immigrants, who represent the Holy Drama, touching here on the limits of profanity – at the same time as a yuppie in a spa enjoys the comforts of the material world. Simultaneously the poet gives birth to these images we see while convalescing in an asylum.” The creator concluded by saying that clearly his film blends the edges of fiction and documentary, noting that he himself always moves in that same direction.
Yanis Frangoulakis: Cavodoritis
The film is an attempt to approach the people who live in the forgotten villages of Kafirea (Cavodoro) and their daily lives. Cavodoritis, or Cavodoritikos is a traditional musical piece of the area, with whose rhythms and steps the cinematic approach is made: “The film was an attempt to approach some people I got to know by accident in Cavodoro, and to communicate this acquaintance through film” he explained. Speaking about his film he expressed his surprise at being included in the “Docudrama- Essay” Section, noting the fact that indeed two actors appear in the place of two area residents, but this is not enough to label this a drama. “In fact there was a bet that was won in this film” he declared. “The actors began as such, only to ‘melt’ gradually into the group of locals.” In conclusion he stressed the need for organizations such as the Documentary Festival as well as the need to show respect for directors instead of treating them as people who will simply become institutional staff. “I believe that films have ended up being made in order for institutions to be preserved and that we do not really care about cinema”.
