The Athens International Film Festival 2020 insists on Cinema
«There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life». Federico Fellini
The Athens Open Air Film Festival and the Athens International Film Festival, the two most beloved institutions which are an integral part of the film and cultural experience for both citizens and visitors of Athens from June to September, announce a full of hope «check in» to this unprecedented and difficult occurence that we are all going through and make the promise to keep you company with a film season as enriching and safe as possible.
Note by Loukas Katsikas, Artistic Director of the Athens Open Air Film Festival and the Athens International Film Festival:
«When reality knocks hard on the door, the times do not favor the dreamers. However, for some of us (and I bet we are numerous) there was never another choice. Now too: Being fully aware of our mutual anxieties and hardships, obstinately resisting the tough days we face, we keep on dreaming that we are returning to our precious fixed value, which is no other than cinema and the collective experience of the dark hall. That is the fixed value and that is the experience which we as Festival feel the need to defend, this year more than ever. We will do so, of course, to the possible extent and with top priority everybody's safety. It will be an earnest attempt to the very last minute. The most important thing for now, though, is to dream and to keep on going. We owe it to our audience and to ourselves».
Athens Open Air Film Festival 2020
Our team is continually working in order to adjust the scheduled program of the Athens Open Air Film Festival to the new reality of the city. For this reason we are examing - through constant communication and collaboration with the invloved organizations and institutions - all the possible ways to offer this summer too cultural breaths and unique movie nights, customized completely to the new circumstances and rigorously complied with the measures of public health protection required to confront the present hygiene crisis.
We hope to be soon in the position to announce the program and provide the necessary and therapeutic cultural companionship to the viewers and citizens of Athens, ensuring an indulging and - most importantly - safe film experience.
Athens International Film Festival 2020
Announcement of running dates: September 23rd to October 4th 2020
The Athens International Film Festival was, is and will remain a fervent supporter of that film experience which takes place collectively and in its natural surroundings, which is no other than the movie theater and the silver screen.
Faithful to this idea, we are optimistic that in the coming September circumstances will be suitable and allow the Festival to be hosted in the movie theaters, respectful always of the rules and specs of conduct, as such will be defined by the official authorities of the State and having as an inviolable guide the safety of our audience.
For viewers (vulnerable groups, people who are taking care of patients or because of their profession are in contact with patients etc) who will de facto not be able to attend the screenings, the Athens International Film Festival is already intending to project part of its program digitally too, through a specially designed platform which will ensure a specific number of geo-blocked screenings, complying with all the security and high standard digital interaction specifications by standards of successful examples of major interantional Festivals.
In case the circumstances of the pandemic impose as such, the particular platform provides the Festival with the security to run entirely digitally, maintaing the broad range of its parallel activities, such as masterclasses, discussions, introductions by directors, Q&A's and wide interaction with the audience, adjusted to the web environment.
For more information and continuous updates, stay tuned to the websites cinemagazine.gr, aiff.gr and aoaff.gr as well as the social media pages: Facebook Cinemagazine, Facebook AIFF, Instagram, Twitter.
Until we meet again at our beloved movie theaters, open-air and not, we wish you all good health and strength!
