Views of the world

8th International Countryside Documentary and Animated Film Festival

For the 8th consecutive year, the Cypriot countryside is ready to enchant you with the sheer force of the moving image. In a small magical marble theatre, under the star-studded sky, at the village of Platanisteia, a feast of moving images is set up, an feast that embraces all tastes. In extending a listening ear to its multi-faceted public, the most innovative-in-conception and original- in-execution festival organized in Cyprus is ready to unfold its summer line-up. Listen closely...

I. Getting to know LADISLAS STAREVICH
Born in Russia to Polish parents, the enigmatic figure of Ladislas Starevich, was first productive in Lithuania, where he directed the first animation film in the history of film starring two dead beetles, while at the same time working as the director of the museum of natural history. It was the legendary “Lucanus Cervus” (1910), the result of his vain effort to put on camera the battle between two living creatures from that species, which –being noctural animals- would fall asleep every time he would turn on the lights on the tiny set. For years, the unsuspecting public was convinced that he was an insect trainer, hence the title of the documentary film, “The Bug Trainer”, which reveals his unique artistry and his troubled life.

II. From Berlin with love
Heinz Hermanns, Artistic Director of Interfilm Berlin –the most active short film organization in the world- presents a hand-picked list of the best animation films of the year. Interfilm, now on the organizational wheel of the Berlin International Short film Festival, has a small distribution company and organizes the pioneering “Going Underground”, a daily festival of 90 second films shown on LCD screens in the Berlin metro, offering 1.5 million people the chance to vote for their favorite film through sms or e-mail.

III. A panorama of animation film
A 90-minute animation film screening of international and Cypriot films, many of which have been awarded at international festivals, chosen with care by the Artistic director of the Festival Yiorgos Tsangaris and his collaborators Jonathan Ostos and Nicos Synnos.

IV. Cypriot Documentary films
The tribute kicks of with Paschalis Papapetrou’s documentary on The weaving women of Cyprus, a documentary on Hambis Tsangaris from the series MONOGRAMMA and lastly Gymnasio Rizokarpasou, a documentary film by Natasa Louca. The weaving women of Cyprus is a voyage into, the customs and traditions of the art of weaving, resulting in some of the most seminal artists of the area. Artistically related to this, is also MONOGRAMMA, since its aim is also to showcase Cypriot artistic creative heritage, by presenting Cypriot Printmaker Hambis Tsangaris. As regards to Natasa Louca’s documentary film, it refers to the legendary high school of the remote Rizokarpaso area, the only Greek voice in the occupied land of Cyprus, where Greek Cypriots remain in enclaves under Turkish rule for the last 40 years.

V. Registering memory
Persona non Grata revives the incredible life of Frans Wuytack, through memories have been put down in history, but a history “smaller” and more personal than the one we read in school history books. Starting out as a revolutionary priest, he brought upheaval to the poor Venezuelan neighborhoods, where he was kicked out from in the late 1960’s. Thirty years later, he returns as a famous sculptor, trying to find traces of the people he once loved. Return to Mylos tells the story of another brave man, political objector Agathocles Kypriotis, who found himself on the island in 1946 and stayed for the following 17 years, filming the life of the locals, contributing essentially to the modernization of the place.

VI.Workshop: Registering and Bring to Life Folk Stories
As part of this year’s festival, a group of artists (documentary film makers, camera operators, dramaturges and animators) will visit the villages of Anogyra, Pissouri Avdimou, Agios Thomas and Alektora with the aim of collecting folk stories from the locals. The narration of the stories will be filmed and during the festival there will be a compilation process with pieces of animation, the final result to shown on the closing night of the festival. The workshops will take place on Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st, 09:00-12:00 and 15:00-18:00 and they will be open to the public. The process will be coordinated by animator Nicos Synnos and dramaturge Ellada Evangelou. For participation or questions, please contact us [email protected].

VII.With Music and Image
The time between screenings and workshops will be brought to life through the music of different bands as organized and coordinated by Lefteris Moumtzis. These musical happenings will take place inside and around the picturesque Plataniskia village tavern and their character will be acoustic.

VIII. Photography Exhibition
The last stop in our artistic venture is a photography exhibition of the work of Anne Creusot, a guest exhibiter at the Hambis Carving School – Museum. The young photographer, born in France in 1981, presents her work from a project entitled “La Lunga Strada di Sabbia” (The long road made of sand), when in 2007 she traced the steps of Pier Paolo Pasolini on his journey on the shores of Italy in 1959, interpreting his words with images.

IX. Closing Ceremony
The 8th International Countryside Documentary and Animated Film Festival – Plataniskia will be completed with the screening of the film “The Adventures of Prince Ahmet” (1926), Lotte Reiniger’s masterpiece, with live musical accompaniment by Marios Takousis and Lefteris Moumtzis.

The Festival is being organized with the collaboration between the non-for-profit cultural organizations Views of the World, with the Hambis Printmaking Museum – School, which is hosting the Festival on its premises. Support is being provided by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.

Click here to download the detailed programme of the festival.