- Title: GREECE: SALONIOKA HOLDS IT'S 39TH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
- Date: 13th November 1998
- Summary: SCENE FROM OPERA
- Embargoed: 28th November 1998 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SALONIKA, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Reuters ID: LVA4K04TZ0J5XYC0NXLT1TC5XKO2
- Story Text: What do an eccentric filmmaker, an oscar nominee and dozens of new and witty films have in common? They are all part of the northern Greek city of Salonika's 39th International film festival currently underway.
The festival, now in its 39th year, opened its doors last week and one of its first guests was Greek film director Theo Angelopoulos, winner of the 1998 Palme D'Or for his film "Eternity and a Day" and now honorary president of the festival.
Angelopoulos said he's not thinking about new projects and wants to rest for a while after producing his winning film which he says he is still very close to.
The film chosen to open the festival was Serbian director Goran Paskaljevic's "The Powder Keg" which has been nominated to represent Yugoslavia at the Academy Awards, beating Emir Kusturica's, "Black Cat White Cat".
In a surprising move, the European Film Academy announced during the festival that "The Powder Keg" has won the European "Felix" Film Award for best 1998 European film, beating 30 competitors.
Paskaljevic received only five percent funding from the Serbian government to make his film and was forced to finance his production with the help of France, Greece, Turkey and Macedonia.
Based in Belgrade in 1998 it is an account of the emotional state of the ordinary people of Serbia after years of wars and embargo.The film had its debut in Belgrade two weeks ago and sold a record 200,000 tickets.
Paskaljevic said he has little hope of winning the Oscar but said it was more important to him to show people what his country is feeling, than winning any award for the film.
One of the main highlights of the festival is the opportunity for new film makers to present their films.
This year's International Competition category for best film includes twelve new and emerging film makers from around the world, vying for the $40,000 Alexander award and the second place Silver Alexander worth $25,000.
Bruno Podalydes of France is among the contenders with his first feature length film, "Dieu Seul Me Voit" (God Has My Number).It is an emotional comedy about an awkward and indecisive man--played by Bruno's brother actor Dennis Podalydes-- whose life is turned upside down by three women.
After sitting quietly in the depths of the theatre as the festival audience watched his film for the first time, Podalydes admitted for him laughter is the best judge of his work and what brings him satisfaction.
In an environment full of violent, special effects and action films, Podalydes said it is much harder to sell a film about the emotions.Podalydes said in France new filmakers are given ample opportunity to make films and thinks the rest of Europe should follow its example.
The festival was also marked by the presence of British director Peter Greenaway, known for films such as "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover", "The Belly of an Architect", and the "Baby of Macon".
Often accused of overindulging in shocking and violent surreality in his previous films, Greenaway answered to rumours about his next film currently in production, "Eight and A Half Women" that this new production was a shift from the past to make it more accessible to a wider audience.
Greenaway said he does not apologise for the films he has made, that the adult public wanted sophisticated cinema.
Greenaway presented his opera "100 Objects to Represent the World" during the festival, a prop opera about the objects which he feels 'have defined man in the last 2000 years' as we enter the next millenium.
Incorporating objects from his films and paintings, it is a gorging of the multimedia with three projection screens and a collage of lights, music and text.His ironic English humour plays a part in the opera, as one of his objects is an umbrella, the symbol of security.
He said after the Americans sent off two Voyager spacecraft in the 1970's to the edges of the universe with information on board what on what earth was like, he wanted to make his own list that was less "biased".
Often having been coined as an artist who makes films, Greenaway admits his end goal would be just to paint, the true visual art form, he said.
The Salonika film festivalon Sunday (November 22). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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