DIGITALWAVE 2008 CLOSING CEREMONY (11/22/2008)

DIGITALWAVE 2008 CLOSING CEREMONY

The closing ceremony for DigitalWave, TIFF’s Greek digital competition section, took place on Friday, November 21st.

Mr. Konstantinos Kontovrakis, Head of the Greek Program, thanked the contestants and noted: ‘DigitalWave is embracing the latest technologies and encourages directors to expand their means of expression. We are happy that, besides having the support of the Greek Film Center that sponsors the Digital Alexander award, we also have for the second year Fischer’s sponsorship of the audience award’.

TIFF president Georges Corraface noted: ‘The Festival is embracing the contemporary Greek digital film production. The fact that films are being made with a budget of only 15,000 Euros means that directors don’t have to be competitive in order to get the funding. This is very important for me because it’s only in a context of exchange and communication that we can have remarkable results. We have been waiting for this digital wave in Greece and that is why directors are welcome here in Thessaloniki’.

This year’s Fischer audience award was given to Angelos Spartalis for his film The Snow-White syndrome.

The members for this year’s DigitalWave Jury are: director and producer Thanos Anastopoulos, film critic Manolis Kranakis, producer and film festival consultant Marie-Pierre Macia, distributor and exhibitor Andreas Sotirakopoulos, actress and director Dora Masklavanou and writer Alexis Stamatis.

This year the jury faced a ‘pleasant’ problem of having to choose among six high quality films, that, each in its own way, explored the possibilities of the digital medium. ‘We congratulate the directors – the young ones, but also those with experience – because they haven’t put an end to their explorations. It was with great difficulty that we made our final selection’.

A special mention was awarded to Nikos Kornilios’ film Music of the Faces, ‘a very interesting idea, a difficult bet, where the director surprises us with a successful fictional narrative and an exceptional rhythm’, mentioned the Jury.

The Digital Alexander award was appointed ex aequo to Anestis Charalambidis for his film Ecce Momo!, for his ‘authenticity, originality and courage’ and Angelos Spartalis for his film The Snow-White Syndrome for his ‘wide use of digital media and the possibilities they offer, like the imaginative use of animation and comics within the narrative’.

‘It is the first time I receive an award for my work. I hope that I’ll be able to reach a wider audience in the future without betraying my artistic instinct’, noted Anestis Charalambidis.
Angelos Spartalis explained in a humorous way his incapability of filling applications that led to his ‘exclusion’ from the Greek Film Center’s bureaucratic procedures. He added that last year he had declined the special mention given to him, whereas this year he is accepting the prize money because his collaborators are insisting.

Yorgos Papalios, Greek Film Center president answered that he is touched by Angelos Spartalis’ attitude because it reminds him that he himself had turned down a prize back in 1975. He clarified though that he keep on helping directors who work with digital means. ‘The digital media are the future and we must support the directors working in that area, and the involved laboratories and, of course, screening theaters.

HELLENIC MINISTRY OF CULTURE

The Thessaloniki International Film Festival is a member of INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FILM PRODUCERS ASSOCIATIONS