Festival Lovers Quick Talk with Konstantinos Sarkas

Festival Lovers

Quick Talk

________

Name: Konstantinos Sarkas

Who is who: journalist, member of the Artistic Committee

I have been a member of the festival’s artistic committee since 2009.

To me, the festival is his audience. The crowded halls. The discussions after the screenings on the steps of the Rialto Theatre and next, at Art Studio 55. The legendary opening and closing parties in Nicosia.

I have suggested about 100 films at the festival, of which 2/3 have been included in the program!

The first film I chose for the festival was Kelly Reichardt’s “Wendy and Lucy”, which I had seen a few months earlier at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. It was a very good example of the opening we wanted to make in fresher, more independent film glances. Today, Reichardt remains a perfectly respectable cinephile power: the latest film of “Night Moves” was nominated for the Golden Lion last year at the Venice festival.

I remember the first festival Cyprus Film Days which I visited as a spectator (to see the “Climates” by Nuri Bilge Gazelle), I realized that this festival is the most serious panorama of world cinema that is made in Cyprus.

This year I look forward to seeing our audience discover the great work of Iranian director Mania Akbari who is currently-without exaggeration– one of the most interesting figures in cinema in the world.

I never thought we’d have more than 2,000 “likes” on our Facebook page. The festival family keeps growing.

I remember that many spectators were afraid to approach the actor Christos Stergioglou, the protagonist of the Academy Award-winning Greek Film “Fangodon”, when we hosted him at the festival. That’s how scary his performance was in the movie. The same character, however, was cordial and perfectly friendly to everyone!

The film that has a special place from all those screened in the framework of the festival, is the “Tulpan” that was screened at the 2009 festival and the reason is because it is a film that stole all our hearts. A simple, rough diamond all the way from Kazakhstan, with one of the most memorable heroes of recent years and a camel claiming parchment of acting. We were thrilled to find it and happy to be able to share it with the Cyprus Film Days audience.

I hope that at some point Cyprus Film Days will grow up to be able to have a full-time presence in the lives of its audience, like the rest of the medium and large international film festivals. With special themed screenings in major cinemas on the island, tributes to great filmmakers, outdoor views, and academy of new film talent.

For next year, I hope that we will still be here making steady, measured, serious and looking openings for the future.