"Cinema Paradiso" opens the 13th Athens Open Air Film Festival on Friday, June 23

The 13th Athens Open Air Film Festival begins its summer journey in a few days, starting with a timeless beloved film, the Oscar-winning "Cinema Paradiso" by Giuseppe Tornatore, and a surprise music concert in collaboration with El Sistema Greece!

On Friday, June 23, at the Kolonos Theater, we will enjoy a concert by the 50-member El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra (members of the orchestra are children and youth aged 11 to 26). They will perform live the pieces created as part of the project "B-ME: Blending Melodies: Bridging Cultural Identities", where 15 composers collaborated with 15 musicians from a refugee or migrant background to create original musical compositions with the aim of bridging different cultural identities. Following the impressive concert, there will be a screening of the Oscar-winning timeless film "Cinema Paradiso" (NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO) by Giuseppe Tornatore.

Download the Daily Schedule of the 13th Athens Open Air Film Festival.

PROGRAM

FRIDAY, JUNE 23 | 20:30 | KOLONOS THEATER (Kolonos Hill) | OFFICIAL PREMIERE | FREE ADMISSION
20:30
The El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra (members aged 11 to 26) will perform live the pieces created as part of the project "B-ME: Blending Melodies: Bridging Cultural Identities." (Duration: 50 minutes)
21:20
"Cinema Paradiso" by Giuseppe Tornatore
(Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, 1988 | 123 minutes)
Kolonos Theater (Ippios Kolonos Hill, Ioanninon & Kapanews Str.) | Athens
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Athens.

The premiere will be accompanied by the delightful cinephile beer Fischer, continuing its refreshing partnership with the Athens Open Air Film Festival this year as well.

CINEMA PARADISO

Adorable little Toto lives in a village in southern Italy, becomes fascinated by the big screen of the local cinema and develops a deep friendship with Alfredo, the projectionist. And, just like that, we find ourselves with moist eyes and a broad smile watching a young boy in post-war Italy discovering cinema, life, and life through cinema.

It's hard to explain to someone who has yet to watch the movie why those of us who have the film imprinted in our cinephile gene are reduced to tears when the first notes of Moricone's divinely inspired musical score are heard. He'll probably understand why when it comes to that unforgettable editing of stolen kisses that symbolizes the finest gift cinema has given us: the preservation of memory, the bridging of the collective experience with the individual, our inclusion in the greatest imaginary community, whose members are equal, united by a horizontal line, made of celluloid. but who also retain their uniqueness thanks to their secret, personal projection on what takes place on the screen.

Many people tried to imitate it, even Tornatore himself, but no one succeeded and that says a lot about the lasting value of this magnificent film. Giannis Basileiou

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore | Starring: Philippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio, Jacques Perrin | Runtime: 125΄ | Year of Production: 1988

A FEW WORDS about the El Sistema Greece educational program and the B-Me: Blending Melodies project

El Sistema Greece (ESG) provides access to free music education with the aim of social inclusion and development. Inspired by the methodology of El Sistema in Venezuela but adapted to the educational and social context of Greece, El Sistema Greece uses music as a tool for social inclusion and holistic education, working in different environments, including refugee structures in Attica and Corinth. Since 2016, more than 2,500 students from over 40 countries have benefited from the program.

The El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra was established in November 2017 with the goal of promoting the maximum social inclusion of all its members, enhancing safe and meaningful communication among young people from diverse social backgrounds, and providing high-level music education.

The B-Me: Blending Melodies project is implemented by Sistema Cyprus, El Sistema Greece, and Associação das Orquestras Sinfónicas Juveniles Sistema Portugal, co-funded by the European Union. B-Me brings together 15 composers with 15 musicians from a refugee or migrant background who co-create original musical compositions that bridge different cultural identities.

The B-Me project involves the following composers:
From Greece: Giorgos Dousis, Maria Gouvali, Roxani Chatzidimitriou, Ioanna Topsi-Moutessidou, Alexandros Gkonis.
From Cyprus: Giorgos Karvellas, Andis Skordis, Georgia Christophorou, Kyriaki Iakovides, Boris Sarri.
From Portugal: Ana Seara, Mário Laginha, Anne Victorino d'Almeida, Carlos Garcia, Marta Domingues

The Athens Open Air Film Festival is a beloved summer cinematic event that is an integral part of the cultural experience for residents and visitors of the capital city. It is organized by the Athens International Film Festival and the Organization of Culture, Sports, and Youth of the Municipality of Athens (OPANDA), with Nova as a major sponsor.

For continuous updates, new announcements, and more information, stay tuned to the websites cinemagazine.gr, aiff.gr and aoaff.gr, as well as their corresponding social media pages: Facebook AIFF, Instagram Cinemagazine,  Instagram AIFF, Twitter.