15th AOAFF powered by DEI: “The Hours” and “Howards End” in the garden of the Helenic Foundation of Books and Culture
The 15th Athens Open Air Film Festival, powered by DEI, is delighted to announce a new collaboration with the Helenic Foundation of Books and Culture (HFBC), organizing for the first time two film screenings with literary connections in the Foundation’s garden in Paleo Psychiko.
FROM BOOK TO SCREEN
A collaboration between Athens Open Air Film Festival & HFBC
Thursday, July 3 & Friday, July 4
HFBC garden, Paleo Psychiko
Arrival time: 20:30 | FREE ENTRANCE
On Thursday, July 3, and Friday, July 4, two beloved Oscar-winning films based on novels will be screened: The Hours by Stephen Daldry and Howards End by James Ivory. The screenings will be introduced by poet and psychoanalyst Thanassis Chatzopoulos and translator and literary critic Katerina Schina.
DETAILED PROGRAM | FROM BOOK TO SCREEN
THURSDAY, JULY 3 | HFBC Garden, Stratigou Kallari 50, Paleo Psychiko
20:30 — Arrival
21:00 — Introduction & discussion about the book and the film by Thanassis Chatzopoulos, poet & psychoanalyst
21:30 — THE HOURS (2002, 111')
Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris
Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) and her famous novel Mrs. Dalloway—celebrating its 100th anniversary this year—lie at the heart of Michael Cunningham’s acclaimed novel The Hours. Cunningham interweaves the stories of three women, living in different eras and with distinct personalities, bound together by Woolf’s work and a philosophical quest to explore time, identity, and the transformative power of art.
We see Woolf in the English countryside of the 1920s battling her inner demons, writing until her suicide in the River Ouse in 1941; housewife Laura Brown in 1950s Los Angeles, who finds no meaning in her perfect-looking life and makes a life-altering decision; and Clarissa Vaughan, a publisher in late-20th-century New York, feeling vulnerable and melancholy as she organizes a party. These women seek meaning in existence, confronting both inner struggles and outer circumstances in pursuit of love, hope, or despair.
The film was both a critical and commercial success, earning nine Academy Award nominations and winning Best Actress for Nicole Kidman. The Hours by Michael Cunningham was published in Greek in 2000 by A.A. Livanis, translated by Lyo Kalovyrnas.
FRIDAY, JULY 4 | HFBC Garden, Stratigou Kallari 50, Paleo Psychiko
20:30 — Arrival
21:00 — Introduction & discussion about the book and the film by Katerina Schina, translator & literary critic
21:30 — HOWARDS END (1992, 140')
Directed by: James Ivory
Starring: Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave
E.M. Forster’s celebrated novel vividly portrays Edwardian England at a time of social upheaval and explores the increasing intersection of the intellectual and financial worlds. At the heart of the story is Howards End, a countryside estate, where Forster brings together two distinct families: the Schlegels, progressive intellectuals passionate about the arts, gender equality, and free thought; and the Wilcoxes, pragmatists immersed in business, cars, and capitalism.
A (tragically comic) chain of events begins when the impulsive younger Schlegel daughter becomes engaged to a Wilcox, forcing these two worlds into an unavoidable collision. Though the story explores societal constraints, class conflict, and gender roles, it ultimately champions connection and empathy as the key to an authentic life.
One of the standout films of the 1990s, James Ivory’s Howards End earned nine Oscar nominations and won three: Best Actress (Emma Thompson), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Art Direction.
The novel Howards End by E.M. Forster has been published in Greek multiple times: in 1992 by Kastaniotis (translated by Yuri Kovalenko), by Kleidi–Nea Synora Livanis (translated by Giorgos Kousounelos), by Ermias (translated by Pavlos P. Nathanael), and in 2007 by Metaichmio (translated by Gogo Arvaniti).
Film Subtitles: Lena Tachmazidou & Giannis Papadakis
Subtitle Editing: Giannis Papadakis – projecT:TLING.
The Helenic Foundation of Books and Culture (HFBC) was founded in 2024. Its mission is to promote Greek literature both domestically and internationally, highlight books as educational, cultural, and entertainment media, and showcase Greek culture and language around the world. ELIVIP operates under the supervision and support of the Ministry of Culture.
FREE ENTRANCE (first-come, first-served basis)
The Athens Open Air Film Festival powered by DEI celebrates 15 unforgettable years and, in collaboration with the City of Athens’ Organization for Culture, Sports and Youth (OPANDA), continues its rich program with free, high-quality film screenings in some of the most beautiful locations across the city.
Discover the full program at www.aoaff.gr
The 15th Athens Open Air Film Festival is co-organized with OPANDA and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture.
The screenings are delightfully refreshed once again by the cinephile Fischer beer.
With delicious Elite Crackers and Allatini cookies.
With the generous support of Armani Beauty.
For more updates and announcements, follow the festival on www.aoaff.gr.
For continuous updates, new announcements, and more information, stay tuned to the websites cinemagazine.gr, aiff.gr and aoaff.gr as well as the social media pages: Facebook AIFF, Instagram Cinemagazine, Instagram AIFF, Twitter.
