The first film screening ever realized at the Little Theater of Ancient Epidaurus was a large success of the 8th Athens Open Air Film Festival which organized it in collaboration with the Athens & Epidaurus Festival on Saturday the 30th of June with the projection of the film «Electra» directed by Michael Cacoyannis.

Viewers started with an early arrival at the idyllic Little Theater of Ancient Epidaurus with the pine-covered surrounding and the wonderful view to the sea.

The Festival’s Artistic Director, Loukas Katsikas, welcomed and thanked the numerous viewers for their presence by saying:

«I am supposedly here in order to say a few words to you, in reality, however, I am speechless because my co-workers and myself are very moved. Today’s event is a long-time dream which is realized with your support. Besides, from such a similar and clearly romantic dream started, eight summers ago, the Athens Open Air Film Festival. We attempted to liberate the experience of watching films from the tight boundaries of the film theater, of the open-air cinema and spread it first all over our town and then in places outside of it».

After a brief retrospect of the most special and magical destinations visited until now by the Athens Open Air Film Festival, Mr. Katsikas continued by saying:

«In this spirit, we wanted to be the first ones to open the gates of the Little Theater of Ancient Epidaurus to cinema, reciprocating in a way what cinema did for the art of theater. As Michael Cacoyannis adapted in an exemplary manner «Electra» for the big screen, so did we want to transform, with all due respect, this sacred theater ground to an open-air cinema».

Furthermore, he referred to the film «Electra», its international impact (Award in the Cannes Film Festival, Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film) and its director’s achievement, Michael Cacoyannis to «travel» our country’s mythology and our ancient drama’s history abroad, introducing both to countless viewers world-wide.

Finally, the Festival’s Artistic Director completed his speech by warmly thanking for their collaboration and support the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation and its Director, Mrs. Xenia Kaldara who attended the screening, for granting the screening rights for «Electra», the Municipality of Epidaurus, Thodoris Vasilopoulos and the company Art of Sound for the high-quality audiovisual support of the screenings, the film-goer beer Fischer which tastefully accompanies this summer’s screenings and the hotel THYMELI and the restaurant ALKION in Ligourio as well as the hotel PLAZA in Ancient Epidaurus for their hospitality, the City of Athens Cultural, Sport and Youth Organization for its constant and ardent support, the whole Athens International Film Festival organization team but also the viewers who embraced the screening and came along by several places of the country in order to experience this mystic opportunity, «encouraging us to repeat and develop similar initiatives».

The 8th Athens Open Air Film Festival is carried out in collaboration with the City of Athens Cultural, Sport and Youth Organization including screenings, throughout the whole summer, in the city's special corners, archaeological sites, parks, squares and some of the most beautiful museums and spots in Athens, with free entrance to the public.

«Athens 2018 World Book Capital»

The screenings of the 8th Athens International Film Festival that express literary interest are integrated in the «Athens 2018 World Book Capital» framework, an international distinction received by the Athens municipality and our town from UNESCO which lasts for a year, from April the 23rd 2018 until April the 22nd 2019.

The 8th Athens International Film Festival is member of the cultural network Athens Culture Net - Athens Municipality, which has as founding donor the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.