«Nomadland»: the Golden Lion of Venice is the Opening Film of the Athens International Film Festival
Shortly after its first global premiere and its triumph at the Venice Film Festival, the highly anticipated “Nomadland” by Chloé Zhao will have its first Greek premiere as the Opening Film of the 26th Athens International Film Festival.
In 2015 a timid Chloé Zhao participated in the international competition of the Athens International Film Festival with her first film, the affectionate “Songs My Brothers Taught Me”, and so a love affair with the Chinese director began. Two years later when “The Rider” justly won the Golden Athena award, the “relationship” became official as did our love for her. A love for an exceptional and thrilling new director of contemporary American independent cinema.
Since last Saturday, the 38-year old Chloé Zhao has been showered with love from the global cinematic community. “Nomadland”, her third feature film, won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival as was decided by this year’s jury headed by Cate Blanchett.
On the same day, the screening of her film at the Toronto International Film Festival received high acclaim, thus officially paving the way to the Oscar’s for Zhao’s low-key drama which is sure to receive a nomination for the exceptional performance by Frances McDormand, her first after her role in the Oscar-winning “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”.
With great joy and honour, the 26th Athens International Film Festival announces the Greek premiere of “Nomadland” as this year’s official opening film and a joyous “reunion” with an old familiar face of the festival, who is now well-aware of her achievements. The Festival’s audience will have the opportunity to watch the film only days after its two world premieres and a few months before its scheduled release in the US, this December.
Some words about “Nomadland”
It is the story of a modern-day nomad, who one morning decides to leave everything behind in order to cross the American West in a trailer by herself, while searching for the meaning of life and a place where she can belong. Her odyssey on the highways, through the deserts and across the neverending horizon of an America which looks like a modern-day Wild West inspired in Chloé Zhao a quiet epic, a minimalist road movie the atmosphere of which is beautifully communicated through Frances McDormand’s face, look and body language in yet another great performance in one of this year’s best films.
We would like to thank Odeon | Fox Searchlight for allowing us to screen this film.
The 26th Athens International Film Festival will take place between 23rd September and the 4th October 2020, in its usual venues, IDEAL, DANAOS1 and OPERA1 cinemas, and exclusively for this year, within the context of the hybrid and safety-minded organisation of the event, films will also be screened at the open air cinemas LAIS - the Greek Film Archive Foundation, RIVIERA, TRIANON STELLA and at Technopolis City of AThens.
The full schedule of the Festival will be presented at the Press Conference which will take place on Wednesday 16th September 2020 at the open air cinema AEGLI ZAPPEIOU at 20:30 and will be streamed live through the Festival’s social media accounts.
For updates and more information tune into the sites of aiff.gr and cinemagazine.gr and the relevant social media pages: Facebook AIFF, Instagram, Twitter.
The 26th Athens International Film Festival takes place under the auspices of and with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
