Are you a FilmHellene?
1st annual GREEK FILM FEST CHICAGO! Celebrating Hellenic Story Telling
A new movement has been born on the other side of Atlantic aiming to offer real support to the contemporary Greek cinema production. The FilmHellenes of Chicago are inspired by the Greek cultural legacy, motivated by their love for the contemporary Greek cinema, while they support the efforts and the talent of young Greek filmmakers.
During last March FilmHellenes, an independent alliance with its headquarters in Chicago have been founded, including personalities from the fields of cinema, sciences and arts, diplomacy, Mass Media as well as the business sector who love Greek cinema and shape as their mission the promotion of films by Greek filmmakers form all around the world.
They already organize the revival of Greek Film Fest Chicago!, which will take place in September 29th until October 2nd 2011, as announced during their first action, in the line of which the restored copy of ZORBA THE GREEK was screened initializing a cooperative relationship with Michael Cacoyannis Foundation.
WHO THEY ARE
The FilmHellenes is an alliance dedicated on identifying, promoting and celebrating Greek filmmaking excellence worldwide.
Their name came up as a connection to the Philhellenes of the past, notable people from all over the world – lovers of Greek culture. Philhellenism, their movement, through powerful representations of visual art and travel literature, formed an intellectual fashion… prominent at the turn of the 19th century, which contributed to the establishment of the Greek nation-state.
THEIR REASONING
Its a dynamic period for Greek films, thanks to rising Greek talent and films like STRELLA (Berlinale), PLATOS ACADEMY (Locarno), ATTENBERG (Venice, Sundance among others), WASTED YOUTH (opened Rotterdam), HOMELAND (Venice), or DOGTOOTH (Cannes), which was also nominated for a foreign language Academy Award.
The Greek film landscape is rapidly re-defining itself, in spite of the countrys challenges. A new wave of films (both art-house and mainstream) is emerging, which, we strongly sense, will have an appeal not only to the Greek community but also to a wider audience.
MISSION
As a first step, their non-profit (pending) organization will be bringing back to Chicago what is commonplace and thriving in New York and Los Angeles:
A GREEK FILM FESTIVAL
* Showcasing Greek films in the Chicago and surrounding communities by embracing Greek filmmakers from all over the world. The festival would include selections of recent narrative features, documentaries, shorts and animation. The Festival in the future may also include all around the year thematic events, retrospectives and tributes to major figures of the world’s most influential art form.
* Promoting the ecumenical humane values of Hellenic heritage within the Greek community and beyond. Inspire the upcoming as well as older generations of Greek Americans and to reunite them with the Greek language, as it is spoken today, through the cinema.
* Synergizing with, and supporting other Greek organizations in the Chicago area.
* Supporting the universal values of freedom of expression and thought that are fundamental to good cinema.
Their second step, their goal is to continue bringing current Greek films to the Chicago region on a regular basis.
If you are a FilmHellene:
Visit www.greekfilmfestchicago.org (coming soon) to sign up!
Whether you want to just spread the word, be a volunteer or give a financial gift, we welcome and appreciate your support.
Read article about the 1st annual Greek Film Fest Chicago! on the e-magazine REEL CHICAGO with a click here
Files
