Atlanta cinema lovers and anyone with an interest in contemporary Greek culture will have the rare opportunity to view the best new feature films from Greece at the second annual “The Best of the NYC Greek Film Festival” to be held Nov. 6 – 8, 2015 on the Emory University campus.
The “Best of the NYC Greek Film Festival In Atlanta” is a showcase of contemporary Greek cinema. It is organized by “Lykion Ton Ellinidon,” a 501( c)(3) non-profit education and cultural organization dedicated to preserving Hellenic traditions through folklore, dance, music, song, costume, language, handicrafts, and customs.
In partnership with the New York City Greek Film Festival, the local organizers have brought the best films of that renowned film festival to Atlanta. This is the second annual film festival.
Over the course of that weekend seven Greek films representing the best films shown recently at the New York Greek Film Festival will be screened. Included are movies which were recognized by the 2015 Hellenic Film Academy Awards – the Greek equivalent of the Oscars – for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Documentary, and other notable awards.
“Greece has at times dominated headlines in the past few years,” said Maria Mandekos Sharp, President of the Lykion ton Ellinidon, the Greek-American cultural organization organizing the film festival. “Both the economic crisis which has thrust Greece in financial headlines recently and the influx of migrants fleeing the Middle East, have put a tremendous strain on Greece. Such pressures often produce art of exceptional quality. These films are no exception and reflect the ethos of the Greek people and current realities in Europe and beyond.”
The films cover a variety of genres including romance, drama, comedy, documentaries, and shorts. All but one are in Greek, with English subtitles. Among the highlights are “Apo Erota” (“Lovestruck”), a charming romantic comedy with a twist; “Kisses to the Children,” an enthralling documentary about Greek-Jewish children who were saved by Christian families during the World War II German Occupation; “Stories of Love and Life,” a series of shorts that includes one starring Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis; and “Committed” a romantic comedy from Cyprus which is presented in the English language.
A detailed schedule and information about the films can be found here.
