For the 15th year, the Arts Arena presents L’Europe autour de l’Europe for a screening and discussion. Founded in 2006 by Irena Bilic, who will be with us, the festival presents art films produced by the countries of Greater Europe with special attention to connections between classic European filmmakers and new talents of contemporary cinema.
Dimitris Papaioannou blends experimental dance, physical theater, visual and performance arts in dreamlike immersive environments. Director, choreographer, performer and visual artist, he takes full artistic control of his productions, including set, costume, sculptural installations and lighting design. The first Greek in the performing arts whose creations are co-produced and commissioned globally, he can use minimum resources or work on the largest possible scale, such as the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Athens in 2004. He has been nominated twice for an Emmy and twice for an Olivier Award and is the first Greek artist to receive the European Theater Prize. Papioannou was a frequent artist in residence at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center.
The documentary The Bull’s Heart focuses on Dimitris Papaioannou’s performance “Transverse Orientation.” Directed by Eva Sefani and produced by Onasis Culture, the film follows the preparations behind the project and its tour across Europe, observing up close as Papaioannou and his collaborators give shape and breathe life into the work. It is a fascinating view of a major artistic work in progress.
Eva Stefani is the director of more than 30 films, spanning from ethnographic to experimental cinema. Her work has been screened at numerous international film festivals, receiving prestigious awards (Oberhausen, Cinéma du Réel, FIPRESCI, etc.). Festivals such as the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and L’Europe autour de l’Europe and universities such as New York University and Columbia have organized retrospectives of her work. She has also participated in international visual arts exhibitions, most notably documenta14 and the Venice Biennale. She is professor of film studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Faculty of Media and Communication Studies).
Eva Stefani will be present for the screening and discussion afterwards.
Reservations are required.