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Greek Film Fest Chicago! 2013-2014 Lineup

All films screened at:

SKOKIE THEATRE 7924 Lincoln Ave Skokie, IL 60077 847-677-7761

All non-English language films include English subtitles.

Schedule subject to change without notice.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014, 6:00 - 10:00 pm OPENING NIGHT GROUP A 7:00 pm SWING Greece, 2014, 13 minutes Director: Sotiris Georgantas Rating: PG This film is about guilt and how actions can affect someone's life. When Antonia goes to a cemetery to leave flowers on a friend's grave, she meets Alexis, her ex-boyfriend. She didn't expect that and falls into Alexis's trap. She has to confront him and she needs to confess the truth eventually. Is it Alexis's trap or hers? But Alexis is not who she thinks he is. Followed by:

5 WAYS 2 DIE Cyprus, 2013, 15 minutes Director/ Producer: Daina Papadaki Production Company: Sleepwalker Films

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Rating: PG Makis explores different ways of death. Struggling to achieve the most ideal result. Festival Participation 34th Oporto International Festival / Fantasporto 2014 8th Vancouver International Women in Film Festival / VIWIFF 15th Woodstock Film Festival 16th Annual RiverRun International Film Festival 2014 11th Annual San Francisco Greek Film Festival 2014 / SFGFF 17th Annual Dances With Films /DWF17 18th Festival de Cine de Lima 20th International Film Festival Nancy-Lorraine 37th Drama Short Film Festival (37th edition) 28th Edmonton International Film Festival 2014 / EIFF XI Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes de Peru - FENACO CUSCO 2014 15th International Images Film Festival for Women - Zimbabwe 8th LA GREEK Film Festival - Los Angeles, USA Awards Director's Choice Award (3rd Prize) - 33rd Black Maria Film & Video Festival Tour 2014 New Jersey,

USA Best Live Action Film Award (3rd Place) - 7th Boomtown Film & Music Festival 2014 - Texas, USA Steve Pearce Memorial Award (Best Comedy Film) - 5th Wet Your Pants Comedy Film Festival 2014 -

Indiana, USA Best Comedy Short Film Award - 9th Annual Buffalo Niagara International Film Festival 2014 - New

York, USA Menzione Speciale Tema "LIBERO" - Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest (2nd edition) Rome, Italy Best Cinematography Award - Tetovo International Film Festival ODA (2nd edition) - Tetovo, FYROM Best Comedy Film - Limelight Film Awards (7th edition) - London, UK Best Editing Award - 8th edition of the Festival Alto Vicentino - Alto Vicentino, Italy Best Comedy Short - Studio City Film Festival 2014 (2nd Edition) - Los Angeles, USA Best Film - Fuse Film Festival Manchester 2014 - Manchester, UK Next:

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BOB GOES TO THE PARTHENON USA/Greece, 2013, 10 minutes Director/Writer/Producer: Stella Kyriakopoulos Rating: G Starting from a small town in Illinois, the film playfully follows Bob's growing interest in all things Greek as well as his coming to grips with his blindness. The trajectories of these two stories intersect in an uncanny and charming way. The film centers on Interviews with Greeks who helped this man along the way by showing a genuine positive picture of Greek values, especially that of 'filotimo.' Awards 1st Jury Prize at Greek Film and Foto Week, Toronto, Canada 2013 Ending the night:

FORTUNATE SON Canada, 2011, 78 minutes Writer/Director: Tony Asimakopoulos Producers: Daniel Cross, Mila Aung-Thwin, Bob Moore Company: Eyesteelfilm Rating: PG-13 A documentary by a first generation Greek Canadian, examining his complicated relationship with his immigrant parents as he prepares for marriage. An intimate look at a family's recovery from their son's addiction and their struggle to find love and positivity when life takes harsh and tragic turns. Awards & Festival Participation International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2011 Official Selection Festival du Nouveau Cinema 2011, Montreal Official Selection Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2013, Best Documentary Award

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014, 6:00 - 10:00 pm GROUP A

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6:30 pm

RUNNING DRY (AGONAS DROMOU) Greece, 2012, 10 minutes Director: Dimitra Nikolopoulou Writers: Despina Sarafidou, Dimitra Nikolopoulou Producer: Dimitris Yatzoutzakis Cast: Vivian Kontomari, Mary Lousi, Despina Sarafidou, Yannis Sarakatsanis Rating: G The power has been cut off at Athina's home. Athina, unemployed for some time now, takes her 64 Euros and heads towards the electricity company, hoping to make some sort of settlement. A journey into contemporary Athens, a sometimes harsh city, with an unexpected ending... Followed by:

RF Greece, 2010, 19 minutes Writer/Director: Stavros Liokalos Producer: Louizos Aslanidis Company: Ekso Productions, Greek Film Center Cast: Giogos Souxes, Anna Delaporta, Kostis Siradakis, Dimitra Seremeti, Filippos Louvaris, Ersi Malikenzou, Nikos Zoiopoulos, Kyriakos Sarantis, Natalia Glushko, Lazaros Vartanis, Sofia Manoli, Meletis Georgiadis. Rating: PG-13 When a man tries to fix his television aerial on a day like any other in a city like yours or mine, a series of unexpected events turns his day upside down in a most magical way. Awards & Festival Participation Best Short Film, Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2011 Prix Canal+ (Film purchased for broadcasting on Canal+) / 33rd Cinemed Best Short Film, San Francisco Greek Film Festival 2012

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Special Mention / 3rd Balkans Beyond Borders, Tirana Next:

CHELSEA - BARCELONA Greece, 2012, 17 minutes Writer/Director: Alexandros Chantzis Producer: Thanos Anastopoulos Cast: Makis Papadimitriou, Apostolis Totsikas Rating: G Wednesday 6 May 2009. Athens. 35 year old Andreas works as a bank teller and is in debt. He and his colleague, Marios, will watch the football match for the Champions League semi-final, "Chelsea-Barcelona" together on TV. Who will finally win? Awards & Festival Participation Silver Dionysus-2nd Prize for Fiction Film, 35th Greek Short Film Festival in Drama Best Screenplay Honorary Distinction and Honorary Distinction for Leading Actor Makis

Papadimitriou, 35th Greek Short Film Festival in Drama Cinematic Achievement Award, 6th Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival Followed by:

SOMETHING WILL TURN UP (KATI THA GINI) Greece, 2012, 13 minutes Writer/Director/Producer: Thanos Psychogios Cinematographer: Yorgos Giannelis Sound designer: Marios Aristopoulos

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Cast: Evgenia Dimitropoulou, Alexandros Logothetis, Dina Mihailidou, Dimitris Vekiaris, Maria Zorba Rating: PG Based on the book that won the 2011 Greek State Award for short story by writer Christos Economou, the film is about Nicky, a woman living in modern-day Greece, who despite facing a financial impasse, struggles to remain hopeful and maintain her dignity. Festival Participation 2012 Montpellier Mediterranean Film festival, Official Selection 2013 Trieste Film Festival, Official Selection 2013 Aubagne International Film Festival, Official Selection Drama International Film Festival, Official Selection 2012 Athens International Film Festival, Official Selection 2012 Adana Golden Boll International Film Festival, Official Selection Ending the evening:

ONE STEP AHEAD (ENA VIMA BROSTA) Greece, 2012, 126 minutes, Chicago Premiere Writer/Director: Dimitris Athiridis Producers: Maria Drandaki, Dimitris Athiridis Company: Pan Entertainment Rating: PG Yannis Boutaris - leading winemaker, former alcoholic, prominent member of civil society and an honored environmental activist - is, at 68, the unconventional independent mayoral candidate for Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. With the country caught in the spiral of the financial crisis, Boutaris struggles against visible and invisible opponents - including Bishop of Thessaloniki, Anthimos! The film is an insight in the political and social disintegration in Greece, but also a fascinating portrait of an exceptional personality. Festival Participation International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2012, Official Selection Thessaloniki Documentary International Film Festival 2013, Official Selection

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2014, 2:00-10:00 pm GROUP A 2:00 pm

THE LEGACY OF ANDREI SAKHAROV (H KLHRONOMIA TOU ANDREI SAKHAROV) Greece, 2012, 52 minutes Writer/Director: Kostas Argyros Producer: Ioannis Kostas, Maria Birbili Company: Arcadia Media SA Rating: G The "Sakharov Prize" in memory of the Russian fighter for the freedom of thought and speech, Andrei Sakharov, confirms that the European Parliament constitutes a guardian for the respect of human rights and democratic freedoms both within and outside Europe. Last year, two Iranian fighters for democracy have been honored with the Sakharov Prize. Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, activist for human rights, and filmmaker (writer/director) Jafar Panahi, who has been honored in international film festivals. None of these two people were allowed by the Tehran government to travel to Strasbourg to receive their prize in person on December 12, 2012. Among those, who represented the winners was director Costa Gavras, who expresses, in the documentary, his opinion on modern democracy. Followed by:

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BY-STANDING AND STANDING-BY (EKTOS ISTORIAS) Greece, 2012, 73 minutes Writer/Director: Fofo Terzidou Producer: Periklis Kortsaris Rating: PG A look into the Shoah of Europe's most ancient Jewish community, that of Thessaloniki and the unknown story of rescue - only 60 km south of Thessaloniki - of the Katerini Jews, Greece's smallest Jewish community at the time. The documentary discusses historic memory, collective trauma and silence in Greek society. It also analyses the ways the official version of events has been constructed and deconstructs the stereotypes and prejudices that still survive. Awards & Festival Participation 27th Fort Lauderdale Film Festival, Official Selection 2012 Council of Europe, Thessaloniki, October 2012 International Convention on Holocaust in Thessaloniki 14th International Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2012 Jewish Eye - World Jewish Film Festival in Askhelon, Israel, Official Competition Screenings at international Holocaust conferences and workshops in Thessaloniki, Athens, Leipzig

and Paris.

GROUP B 4:10pm

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WILD AND PRECIOUS Italy/Australia/Greece, 2012, 87 minutes Writer/Director: Bill Mousoulis Producer: Bill Mousoulis Co-Producer: Dimitri Athanitis Company: Innersense Productions Featuring: Alessandro Figurelli, Emanuela Zocco, Jennifer Levy, Alan Maglio, Ilaria Andea Malaraggia, Wayne Powrie Rating: PG An Italian cinematographer finds himself in the midst of the Greek socio-political crisis. He returns home to Milano to his ex-wife and daughter, only to be drawn back to Athens, where an Australian TV producer hires his services to film in the middle of the riots. Awards & Festival Participation Nostimon Imar Award, Best Film by a Diaspora Greek, Cyprus International Film Festival Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival, Official Selection Athens International Film Festival, Official Selection Australian Greek Film Festival, Official Selection Cine B Film Festival, Chile, Official Selection Followed by:

DEMOKRATIA, THE WAY OF THE CROSS (DIMOKRATIA, O DROMOS TOU STAVROU) Greece, 2012, 85 minutes, Chicago Premiere Writer/Director: Marco Gastine Co-Directors: Katerina Patroni, Christophe Georgoutsos, Haris Raftoyannis, Nikolia Apostolou, Giannis

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Misouridis Producer: Marco Gastine Company: Minimal Films Rating: PG The May 6 2012 parliamentary election, held in the context of an unprecedented crisis, was an historical moment for Greece. Following the campaign of four candidates, the film explores the political practices in Greece today. Distinctions & Festival Participation Nominated for the PRIX EUROPA 2013 (European Broadcasting Awards) DOCSLISBOA 2012, Official Selection Thessaloniki Documentary International Film Festival 2013, Official Selection

GROUP C 7:06 pm

MY DAD IS A DRACULA (O MPAMPAS MOU EINAI DRAKOULAS) Greece, 2014, 25 minutes Director/Producer: Konstantinos Chaliasas Rating: PG A film about the relationship of a 7 year old boy with his father. The kid believes that his dad is a Dracula, he actually sees him as a "cartoon Dracula figure". It is time for him to deal with his fears, but this will happen in the most unpredictable way. Festival Participation Festival De Cannes - Short Film Corner 2014 International Film Festival in Drama Followed by:

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HEAVEN ON LINE Greece, 2012, 13 minutes Directors: Agnes Sklavos & Stelios Tatakis Writer: Agnes Sklavos Producer: Stelios Tatakis Production: Tatakis AV Productions Cast: Nikos Galanos, Georgia Mavrogiorgi, Giannis Politakis, Giorgos Agelkos, Ioanna Papadopoulos, Nektaria Gianoudaki, Nikos Panagiotounis Rating: PG In the near future, in a world where regulations will determine the course of our physical existence, technology will give us a chance to keep in touch with the loved ones that are gone. Is this a blessing or a curse? Next:

KM Greece, 2012, 10 minutes Writer/Director: Christos Nikou Producers: Angelos Venetis, Iraklis Mavroidis Company: BOO Productions Cast: Evi Saoulidou, Aris Servetalis Rating: PG A car crash as a metaphor for a relationship that is ending. Festival Participation

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Rotterdam International Film Festival, Official Selection Stockholm International Film Festival, International Competition 2012 Next:

COUNTING HAPPINESS India/Greece, 2013, 13 minutes Writer/Director/Producer: Venetia Evripiotou Company: Dassera Art Space Cast: Satyam Singh, Shakir Adeel Rating: G This is the story of 5-year-old Hasan who lives alone on the streets of Delhi selling clockwork chickens. Driven by a firm belief that some mysterious secret lies hidden awaiting discovery, he playfully seeks it out and finally finds it in the sequence of five- the number of letters in his name. Hasan's faith in the attainability of happiness presents him with a gift: the key to one of life's greatest secrets. And the secret is, in the words of ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, that 'Happiness depends upon ourselves.' Counting Happiness is not just a character-driven drama or a children's adventure story. It is a real life portrayal of millions of beautiful children who live on the streets, of their dreams and their innocence as they explore life. Awards & Festival Participation Grand Prize Award, International Film Festival of Canada Most Popular Film, International Film Festival Manhattan Ending the evening:

TIED RED THREAD (DEMENI KOKKINI KLOSTI)

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Greece 2012, 106 minutes, Chicago Premiere Writer/Director: Kostas Haralambous Producer: Kostas Haralambous, Greg Kokkinakis Companies: Arktos, Nova, ERT, Art Factory, VA Films Cast: Thanos Samaras, Tasos Nousias, Efi Gousi, Stefania Goulioti, Dina Mihailidou Rating: R It is 1945. After the signing of the Varkiza Treaty between the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of the Greek Communist Party, armed forces roam the mountainous countryside engaging in intimidation, murder and vulgarity toward leftists who have not declared their allegiance. One of these leftists is Lambros and his wife. The title of the film refers to a familiar phrase from fairytales, as well as the line of blood running through human history that joins everyone - both friends and enemies. The film focuses on the events that occurred after the end of WWII in Greece and the circumstances that led to the Greek Civil War (1946 - 1949). It is a savage tale at a time when human life had little value.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2014, 2:00-10:00 pm GROUP A 2:00 pm

CHORTIATIS: THE CHRONICLE OF AN EXTERMINATION (CHORTIATIS: TO HRONIKO MIAS KATASTROFIS) Greece, 2013, 92 minutes Directors: Chryssa Tzelepi, Akis Kersanidis Rating: PG-13 Chortiatis is one of the numerous Greek villages massacred during the WWII German occupation. The documentary attempts a 'reenactment' of Chortiatis holocaust through first-hand testimony of eye-witnesses, putting forward the significance of historical memory preservation and shading new light on these historical events. Followed by:

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HEROES OF THE FLICKS (AFANEIS IROES) Greece, 2012, 65 minutes, US Premiere Director: Panagiotis Kountouras Writers: Dionysia Arvanitou, Panagiotis Kountouras Producers: Dionysia Arvanitou Company: Q Productions, Fig Leaf Media Production Featuring: Apostolos Karagiannidis, Giorgos ?avas, Giorgos Dimitriadis, Manolis Rizos, Haralambos Dimitriadis Rating: G Thessaloniki's film projectionists are the unseen heroes of Greek movie theaters. The camera enters the walls of their film projection cabins revealing a profession that is fading away. At the same time, presents their stories, their secrets, their loneliness and their viewpoints about cinema, about the audience through time, discovering the cinematic value of a city intimately connected with Greece's International Film Festival. Next:

TRAFFIC (KINISIS) Netherlands/Greece, 2012, 20 minutes Writer/Director: Leonardo Cariglino Producer: Jeroen Beker Company: Aristo Productions Cast: Efi Bairaktaridou, Xaralampos Devetzis, Stella Ermi, Pavlos Melikidis, Hristina Pashali Rating: PG-13

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In Thessaloniki, Greece, Maria a young woman is rushing to attend a meeting for work. She encounters many obstacles in her everyday life, from relationship issues to family conflicts. Ultimately, she will make a terrible discovery under the unbeatable Greek sun. The film refers to the shift of Hellenic values, the appreciation of the past, the parents and the neglect of the present and future, a baby. Followed by:

THE FEAR Greece, 2013, 10 minutes Director/Editor: George Angeludis Writer: Sarantis Panagiotidis Producer/Actor: Angeliki Kroustaloudi Rating: G Based on a true Thessaloniki-based story of a young girl that overcame the physical obstacles of a bone disease to become a world champion in martial arts.

GROUP B 5:15 pm

PALIKARI - LOUIS TIKAS AND THE LUDLOW MASSACRE Greece, 2014, 89 minutes Director: Nikos Ventouras Producer: Lamprini C. Thoma Company: Non Organic Productions Rating: PG "Palikari" deals with labor relations in the early 20th century America, as told through the story of Greek immigrant, trade union activist, and martyr of the Labor Movement, Louis Tikas (Elias Anastasios Spantidakis).

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Followed by: Presentation by Pancretan American Association.

GROUP C 7:55 pm

THE AMORGOS CONSPIRACY USA/Greece, 2013, 18 minutes Writer/Director: Nikolia Apostolou Narrator/Producer: Elias Kulukundis Rating: PG The 'Amorgos Conspiracy' is the true story of the escape of a political prisoner from the colonels' dictatorship in late 1960s Greece. A center-left politician George Mylonas was held in detention on the remote Aegean island of Amorgos, and a plot to rescue him was conceived by his son-in-law, Elias Kulukundis, a young Greek-American writer and ship-owner. The drama unfolds against an idyllic setting of a cruise among the Aegean islands during a heroic period in Greek history, when all Europe was humming the Theodorakis anthem heard in the film score of Costa Gavras' "Z", and ordinary Europeans volunteered their services to aid the cause of Greek liberty. Followed by: Q&A with Mr. Kulukundis. Mr. Kulukundis will, also, have a book signing table in the Theater lobby. Ending the night:

COMMITTED Cyprus, 2014, 90 minutes Writer: Stelana Kliris Producer: Stelana Kliris, Marios Piperides Production Company: AMP Filmworks

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Rating: PG A road trip movie, set in Cyprus, about a chance meeting between a man, being pressured to propose to his girlfriend, and a runaway bride. Festival Participation Cyprus International Film Festival 2014 San Francisco Greek Film Festival 2014 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival 2014 Zanzibar Film Festival 2014 Jagran Film Festival, India, 2014 Protatas Summer Film Festival, Cyprus 2014 Silent River Film Festival, USA 2014 New York Greek Film Festival 2014 Australian Greek Film Festival 2014

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2014, 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm GROUP A 8:30 pm

THE BALLOON (TO MPALONI) Greece, 2013, 115 minutes Director: Natalia Lampropoulou Producer: Villy Kousouflianioti & Sotiris Petridis Rating: PG Nikoleta just lost her husband. Her little daughter, Daphne, cannot realize what is happening and thinks her father is still here. The presence of a balloon will make the situation even more difficult. Festival Participation Athens Film Festival Greek Russian Cultural Festival Cyprus International Film Festival International Random Film Festival - Sweden WOMEN Media Arts and Film Festival - Australia

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Artfools Video Festival Comfy Shorts - Australia Filme Short Film Festival Taratsa Film Festival Ending the evening:

TUNGSTEN Greece, 2011, 98 minutes, Chicago Premiere Writer/Director: Giorgos Georgopoulos Producer: Kostas Georgopoulos Production: Multivision Rating: PG Three stories: a ticket inspector is looking for ways to get out of debt and also to keep his family together. A couple that is one step away from breaking up. Two teenage boys, wander around the city, carrying an old revolver. Awards & Festival Participation Best Film, 8th Romania International Film Festival Best Film, best director, best screenplay, best editing, 6th Cyprus International Film Festival Special Mention Award, 18th International Mediterranean Festival of Tetouan, Morocco Silver Dionysus-2nd Prize for Fiction Film, 35th Greek Short Film Festival in Drama Best Screenplay Honorary Distinction and Honorary Distinction for Leading Actor Makis

Papadimitriou, 35th Greek Short Film Festival in Drama Cinematic Achievement Award, 6th Thessaloniki International Short Film Festival

Greek Film Fest Chicago! 2014 Ends - Thank You!