Riot police were deployed Tuesday night in Thessaloniki and protests across the city were banned ahead of the premiere of Greek filmmaker Elina Psykou’s “Stray Bodies.”
Far-right groups had previously announced plans to disrupt the opening night of the documentary, whose poster features a bare-breasted pregnant woman nailed to a cross and had been deemed “blasphemous” by church officials and right-wing political leaders.
The day’s events followed a fortnight of roiling controversy over the Tribeca-winning director’s documentary debut, which follows the lengths that women in Europe must go to access medical procedures that are outlawed in their own countries.
Appearing in front of a full house before the premiere at Thessaloniki’s historic Olympion theater, an emotional Psykou was greeted with rousing, sustained applause. “Thank you. You’re fantastic. I love you,” the director told the audience. “I’m very happy to have my world premiere at the Thessaloniki film festival.
Far-right groups had previously announced plans to disrupt the opening night of the documentary, whose poster features a bare-breasted pregnant woman nailed to a cross and had been deemed “blasphemous” by church officials and right-wing political leaders.
The day’s events followed a fortnight of roiling controversy over the Tribeca-winning director’s documentary debut, which follows the lengths that women in Europe must go to access medical procedures that are outlawed in their own countries.
Appearing in front of a full house before the premiere at Thessaloniki’s historic Olympion theater, an emotional Psykou was greeted with rousing, sustained applause. “Thank you. You’re fantastic. I love you,” the director told the audience. “I’m very happy to have my world premiere at the Thessaloniki film festival.
- 3/12/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Four Greek fiction features and two documentaries have been selected for this year’s edition of Thessaloniki Goes to Cannes, the Cannes Film Market’s pix-in-post industry showcase. The projects will be presented to potential sales agents, distributors and festival programmers during a presentation at the Palais des Festivals on July 12.
The event is a collaboration between the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Greek Film Center, and the Cannes Film Market. Greece is the only country in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans to take part.
This year, the event’s organizers received even more applications than in years past, according to Yianna Sarri, head of the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s industry arm, Agora. “It seems that even during the pandemic, film directors found a way to be more creative,” she said.
Sarri noted that the annual event has become a prime launching pad for rising Greek talents. Two years ago, Christos Nikou...
The event is a collaboration between the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Greek Film Center, and the Cannes Film Market. Greece is the only country in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans to take part.
This year, the event’s organizers received even more applications than in years past, according to Yianna Sarri, head of the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s industry arm, Agora. “It seems that even during the pandemic, film directors found a way to be more creative,” she said.
Sarri noted that the annual event has become a prime launching pad for rising Greek talents. Two years ago, Christos Nikou...
- 6/11/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Biopic of celebrated Greek songwriter Eftyhia Papagianopoulou wins eight awards.
Eftyhia, a biopic of celebrated Greek songwriter Eftyhia Papagianopoulou, scooped eight awards including best film at the at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy (Helfiac) awards last night (April 14).
The ceremony was conducted online, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and broadcast by public TV network Ert.
Scroll down for full list of winners
Directed by Angelos Frantzis, Eftyhia went into the night with 13 nominations and picked up awards including best actor for Pygmalion Dadakaridis, supporting actress for Katia Goulioni and supporting actor for Thanos Tokakis.
The film, produced by Donysis Samiotis for Athens-based Tanweer Productions,...
Eftyhia, a biopic of celebrated Greek songwriter Eftyhia Papagianopoulou, scooped eight awards including best film at the at the Iris Hellenic Film Academy (Helfiac) awards last night (April 14).
The ceremony was conducted online, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and broadcast by public TV network Ert.
Scroll down for full list of winners
Directed by Angelos Frantzis, Eftyhia went into the night with 13 nominations and picked up awards including best actor for Pygmalion Dadakaridis, supporting actress for Katia Goulioni and supporting actor for Thanos Tokakis.
The film, produced by Donysis Samiotis for Athens-based Tanweer Productions,...
- 4/15/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦¬307¦Alexis Grivas¦39¦
- ScreenDaily
Projects spanning five different programmes, including new directors and international co-productions, are among the recipients of support. During its latest assembly last week, the Greek Film Centre (Gfc) announced its last round of funding pre-approvals for this year, which cover 32 projects spread across four different production programmes and 24 films that are being supported after their premieres, with the total sum coming to over €1.5 million. In detail, five projects have been selected from among the 11 submitted for the New Directors programme (intended for first or second feature films), with the amount of support granted totalling €544,500. The selected projects are: Acrylic by Nikos Pastras (producer: Faliro House Productions), Broadway by Christos Massalas (Neda Film), Gourlomena Matia by Haris Vafeiadis (Konstantinos D Antonopoulos), Medium by Christina Ioakeimidi (Ekso Productions) and Traces of the Lost by Dimitra Arapoglou (x-rated). Also, three projects – The Detached House by Ioakim Mylonas...
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