The 5th annual London Greek Film Festival (8-18 October 2012) drew to a successful end on the evening of 18th October, at west London’s Westbourne Studios. The ‘Odysseus’ Awards ceremony that concluded the festival brought together cinematography artists, directors and festival participants, as well as Greek dignitaries based in London (heads of the Greek Consulate and the Greek embassy’s Press Office among else). The end of the film festival also marked the conclusion of the photography exhibition “Olympic Flame: the Flame of Peace’, which was presented in collaboration with the ERT Archives.

The London Greek Film Festival, independent, creative, extrovert and optimistic, has one essential aim: to become the international meeting point for Greek film from around the world and to promote modern Greek cinema in all its facets.

Through its presence in London the festival states: “we are here, we are creative, we are efficient and optimistic and we believe in a better tomorrow. Today’s Greece cannot be disregarded as just a country of financial, political and social crisis. This is proved by the positive and substantial presence of Greek creators in a festival such as this. We also need to highlight the smooth and creative cooperation with ERT (Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation), the national broadcaster, as well as the Press Office of the Embassy of Greece in London.

Highlighting the significance of the festival Guardian commented (6 October): “Whether those [recent Greek films] represent a dawn or twilight for the country's film-making will be easier to judge after this event, which brings a handful of features, shorts and documentaries.” Whereas Time Out London wrote of the festival (9-15 October): “In the face of adversity, Greek cinema battles on.”

In its comment the Embassy of Greece Press Office mentioned (26 September) that “It is an extremely important event which promotes Greece and its culture to London, a major cultural metropolis of Europe. (...) It presents one of Greece’s best-known showcases and meeting points for emerging talent, and seeks to promote the importance of film as a means to develop the next generation of filmmakers and moving image artists. (…) Definitely consists one of the most important initiatives of cultural diplomacy in the British capital.”

Due to the high artistic and creative quality of all this year’s entries, the jury of the festival decided to split the awards in some categories between two or even three winners.

Special Screenings
The Best of the Best

Michael Cacoyannis Foundation inaugurated its collaboration with the London Greek Film Festival with a tribute to the most of the award winning, the best of the best, films screened in the Festival during these five consecutive years of its presence in the UK.

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