It has been noted that the financial crisis since 2009 is to a degree connected with the upsurge of creativity in filmmaking. And “it has coincided with a number of acclaimed, international prize-winning films by a generation of Greek filmmakers who have responded to the effects of the crisis in resourceful, compelling and unexpected ways. Capturing the tumult of the current precarity, these films offer surprising, innovative and subtle commentaries on the complex social, political and economic problems faced by Greece. They also reassert the centrality of film at a time when the Greek film industry is itself undergoing profound changes and serious challenges on account of the crisis…” Moreover, whilst many of the initial “weird wave” films were self-financed, the Greek Film Centre (GFC), Greece’s main cinematic policy institution, has been involved in the production of films like “The Lobster” and “Chevalier” and has recently revamped its Funding Regulation Programmes.
Films recently supported by the GFC, include Amerika Square by Yannis Sakaridis, winner of the Best Film Award at Los Angeles Greek Film Festival and Audience Award at the 7th Beijing International Film Festival, Son of Sofia by Elina Psykou, which won the Award for Best International Narrative Feature at the 16th Tribeca Film Festival, Afterlov by Stergios Paschos, Jury Prize for Young European Proffessionals – Mons FIFA 2017, Djam by Tony Gatlif, A Drowing Man by Mahdi Fleifel, Copa Loca by Christos Massalas, Istanbul Story by Fotini Siskopoulou, Kissing by Yiannis Kores, Lines by Vasilis Mazomenos, Onslaught by Vasilis Vafeas, Park by Sofia Exarchou, Pedro Noula by Karolos Zonaras, Roza of Smyrna by Giorgos Kordellas, Thread by The Boy, USSAK…Years Later by Kyriakos Katzourakis, Dialogue of Berlin by Nicos Ligouris, The Extra Mile by Viktoria Velopoulou, The Great Utopia by Fotos Lambrinos, Alki’s Long Walk by Margarita Manda, String-less by Angelos Kovotsos, Shingal, where are you? by Angelos Rallis, Halcyon Days by Giorgos Ch. Zervas, The New Plastic Road by Angelos Tsaousis and Myrto Papadopoulos, and Remembrances by Nikos Kavoukidis.
Greek Film Center Publications: Greek Cinema 2017
Established in 1970 under the name “General Film Investments”, as a subsidiary production company of a state bank, the GFC’s main goals are the protection, support and development of film production in Greece, the promotion and diffusion of Greek film productions, both domestically and internationally, and the promotion of Greece abroad as an appropriate location for filming, as well as the attraction of international cinematic and audiovisual productions in Greece in general.
As regards film production, the GFC participates annually in funding part of the production cost of an average of 15 feature films, 15 short films, 6 documentary features, and contributes small amounts to funding some 15-20 independent production films in these three film categories. The largest part of the GFC’s budget is disposed towards film production (about 60% of the films produced in the country), with funding focusing on supporting new as well as acclaimed filmmakers. The list of productions implemented with the participation, funding or support of the GFC, from its establishment to the present, includes more than 700 films – with around 400 having received awards at Greek and International Film Festivals.
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Read more about Greek Cinema via Greek News Agenda: Greek Cinema | Greek Film Culture Revisited by Vrasidas Karalis; Journal of Greek Media and Culture: Revisiting Contemporary Greek film; #greekdocs: Documentaries in times of crisis
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