2013 was yet another successful year for Ethnofest which remained optimistic and true to its commitment to discovering films that offer a different perspective on documentary film and a new way of thinking about the world around us. This year’s films once again highlighted how difficult, yet beautiful diversity can be.
Ethnofest had the honour of screening Anna Grimshaw’s Mr Coperthwaite: a life in the Maine Woods (2012) at its premiere. In the film, the celebrated anthropologist, author of works such as The Ethnographer’s eye and Observational Cinema introduces us to Mr Coperthwaite, who bought a stretch of land in the Maine wilderness back in 1960 and who is still there living a “handmade life” 60 years later. Through his story, Grimshaw contemplates the notion of time and the importance of wilderness in American culture.
In collaboration with the French Institute of Athens and Élise Jalladeau, as part of “Month of Documentary” (Le Mois du film documentaire) the festival paid tribute to Ateliers Varan, created in 1981 under the guidance of Jean Rouch. Filmmakers David Tretiakoff and Ali Hazara attended the Festival offering an inside glimpse on how the Atelier worked and the methodology used in some of the films that screened.
We were also excited to honour the notable Greek filmmaker Alida Dimitriou, screening The Coalers (1977), Spata – Saint Peter’s Stew (1978), and Fournoi, A Female Society (1982), three of her more obscure films that showcase her varying themes and idiosyncratic approach of her work. The Tribute was curated by Afroditi Nikolaidou with the valuable support of the filmmaker’s life partner, Sotiris Dimitriou.
As part of Ethnofest’s Parallel Events Section, Lebanese filmmaker Pascale Feghali presented a special camera technique that Jean Rouch developed in the ’60s, while professor Symeon Magliveras shared his experiences teaching visual anthropology in Greece and Singapore.
Ateliers Varan
In 1978, the authorities of the Republic of Mozambique ask well-known filmmakers to travel there and film the changes that occurred. Jean Rouch suggests, instead, training indigenous – and future – directors in order to be able to film their own reality. Along with Jacques Arthuys, the Cultural Attaché of the French Embassy, they create a training workshop for documentary filmmaking.
After this first experience, the Ateliers Varan was created in 1981 in Paris.
Presentation with Pascale Feghali
Cinematographer Pascale Feghali publicly presented a special method of camera use, that French filmmaker Jean Rouch developed in the 1960s.
Seminar with Symeon Magliveras
Professor of Anthropology Symeon Magliveras shared his experience in teaching Visual Anthropology in Singapore and Greece.