It premiered on Thursday 7th Terrace Movie Larisa Festival and for the 7th year in a row we climb the rooftops of the city! The Taratsa film festival of Larissa is the summer habit of the people of Larissa and beyond, making the summers in the city pleasant and creative.
Featuring award-winning films from 45th Drama Short Film Festival and dedicated to "Man"!
The contributors and volunteers of the festival invite us to experience with them the unique moments they have prepared, from the films that will be screened and bring to the fore immigration, the stigma of diversity, mental health and human relationships as they are formed in today, even the creators who will host the 7th Taratsa Film Festival of Larisa.
THE Dimitra Baratsi and the Olympia Kalambaliki organizers of the festival, spoke at The Common Sense? about the films that have been selected this year by the Festival, the messages it wants to pass on to the public, the support the city has shown to the festival with the organizers and volunteers as well as the spectators and finally what follows next.
The interview in detail:
The 7th Terrace Movie Larisa Festival is dedicated to man. What led to this decision? we see play out in our society which of these have played a role in the choice of films.
Art has always seemed to reflect the problems of society. One can notice that according to the social phenomena of the time, corresponding artistic currents are formed. We could say that they are like two chains that consciously or unconsciously influence each other. The films that will be screened at the Festival have as protagonists the Man who fights in his daily life, the man of refugee, immigration, diversity, stigma.
We see that in the screenings you have selected films from the 45th Drama Short Film Festival. Is this a collaboration with the festival?
Three years ago, our collaboration with the International Short Drama Film Festival began. We are very honored by this cooperation and we wish it to continue for a long time. The films are provided free of charge within the framework of the Taratsa Film Festival of Larissa and are screened for free, as is the case with all the films of our Festival.
We also see that there are three bonus films from new creators?
So in the last few years we have added a new theme to the Taratsa Film Festival of Larisa, in the context of which the stage is given to new creators and we are very honored that they choose our Festival to be the first screening of their films! We hope to be their charm (laughs) ..
We are now talking about the seventh festival, we see that it has become an institution in the city. How do the people of Larisa deal with it?
The love we receive is the strength that pushes us to keep going. There are always obstacles. First and foremost .. the weather! Last year the screenings were postponed due to rain, this year due to heat... Nevertheless, the people are here and support the Festival! That alone you can imagine how touching it is for us! When it starts to get summery, the first messages start: "when are we going up?" (laughs) we could say yes.. it is probably the summer habit of the city!
Will the festival travel to the rest of Thessaly this year?
As every year, this year too, the Larissa Taratsa Film Festival travels to Thessaly! It is important for us to convey the different atmosphere of the Festival to every region of Thessaly and that it is not only a privilege of the people of Larissa. August is a month of "movements" in the region with the first station Velika (Las Ramblas-Spitaki) on August 3rd, followed by Rapsani on August 12-13th, Almyros on August 26th and other areas that will be announced soon through the social pages networking on Facebook & Instagram (Taratsa film festival Larisas).
How accessible is the festival to people with disabilities, as it takes place on rooftops in other cities?
Difficulty in accessibility is generally a reality. But this is also the message we are sending from the first day of the Festival in the state! Why have only one accessible roof? Why shouldn't access for people with mobility difficulties be self-evident in 2023? The only rooftop dining area that gives everyone lift access is the Upper. There will be the last day of the Festival for this year ... with the hope that there will be other accessible spaces in the future.
What is your favorite moment at the festival?
Would it be too trite to say that there are many? (laughs) I think that if we could single out one, it would be the last day, where after the end of the screenings and the necessary cleaning up of the space, all the volunteers sit together, relax and discuss the route of the festival, the fun we will have happen, the films shown and we renew our meeting!
Did you include yourselves among the volunteers or was that a coincidence?
No coincidence! The Festival is a purely voluntary activity! We are all volunteers! The fact that there is an organizing committee does not change the fact that we all contribute the same, from setting up the space and machines, arranging the crowd, hosting the invited creators, etc.
Is there cooperation with other organizations this year?
The Region of Thessaly, the French Institute of Larissa and SICAEL (Association of Catering and Leisure Shops of Larissa) have been and are by our side from the beginning of the creation of the Festival. Special mention needs to be made of the movie screening venues that their owners willingly grant us every year and they are none other than 'Klimax', 'Monkey & Donkey', 'Upper' and 'The EARTH Cafe'. This year. also, we would like to thank the agricultural machinery store "Pappas Paschalis and Son" who is sponsoring the volunteers' shirts.
It seems that every year the festival is attended by important creators who present their work. Who can we expect to see this year?
It is our great honor that Mr. Giorgos Moutafis will come to our Festival with his multi-award winning Documentary "The other half". The heat, however, as it turned out, was not our ally on July 15, as a result of which the screening and visit of Mr. Moutafi was postponed to the beginning of September.
It is very honorable for the creators to accompany their film and talk to the audience that comes about their work. Last year we had Mr. Giorgos Gousis as a guest with his film "Magnetic Fields" and it was indeed a pan-Thessalian first screening. The discussion with the audience that followed was unique!
How do you imagine the Festival in the coming years?
We would like the Festival to continue to deliver! To offer culture, different ideas and images that will expand the minds of the viewers. We imagine that there is access for everyone and we would certainly like to have the weather as our ally... Are we asking too much? (laughs)
His program 7th Taratsa Film Festival Larisa
Saturday 22/7 : award-winning films from the 45th Drama Short Film Festival (Climax)
Sunday 23/7 : award-winning films from the 45th Festival of Short Drama Films (Monkey & Donkey)
Monday 24/7 : screening of the French film "PAPICHA" from the IFcinéma digital library of the French Institute (Upper)
Screenings start at 21.30 and entry is free for everyone.
It should be noted that the films are aimed at an adult audience.