Film program Curated by Delphine Leccas
and online publications Curated by Delphine Leccas and locus athens
(*Unfortunately, it was paradise: Selected Poems by Mahmoud Darwish)
Launched in September 2020, the project in seven sessions was planned to be a monthly film program. After a few months break, “Unfortunately, it was paradise” is back in Athens with its program of Greek, Middle Eastern and North African films which mirror each other as they approach similar topics responding to both the history of Tavros as well as its inhabitants. The thematics cover issues related to newcomers that formed – in Tavros as everywhere – an available workforce, but also the struggle of women workers, citizens’ protests to protect the environment against predatory practices, industries and factories as well as labor movements which unite to organize for better living conditions and social justice.
In politically and socially hectic times, from the militant cinema of the 60s till today in Greece and in the Arab world, filmmakers have aimed to reveal subaltern histories, workers and strikes which were purposefully not covered by the media. Diverse in form and format, showcasing movies ranging from fiction to documentary or experimental films, and a cine-concert, the films selected are of contemporary filmmakers but also pioneers whose films are part of our cinema heritage. Indeed, the artistic field of cinema is historically connected to the world of labor. Whether through fiction or documentary films, work, workers and their class have given rhythm to the history of cinema.
AIN in collaboration with locus athens invited filmmakers, artists, curators, activists, to respond and reflect on each screening either through texts, visual essays or online conversations. The resulting material is published online and shared through social media channels and newsletters. These Correspondences create a framework for the screenings and allow for multiple readings interspersed in time.
