The 2015 edition of the festival of films from Greater Europe, Europe by Europe, will take place in Paris and surrounding region from 16 March to 15 April. This landmark 10th edition will be inaugurated at the Cinema l’Entrepôt (7-9 rue Francis de Pressensé, 75014 Paris) on Monday, 16th March at 8pm, with a screening of Colour of the Pomegranate by Sergueï Parajanov in a restored version.
The theme of this year’s festival, Body and Soul, examines the infinite articulations of these two components of the human being in two cycles. In the first, Eros or love, and in the second, history in its most monumental embodiment, War. Two potentialities which have in common the utter lack of fear.
Why kick off the festival with Colour of the Pomegranate by Sergueï Parajanov?
The name of the festival, Europe Autour de l’Europe (Europe by Europe) was inspired by the question or the theme of the central and the more peripheral regions of Europe, and the constant shifting between them. The goal of the Festival is to cause and produce in the French capital a European atmosphere favourable to reinforced professional ties, between tradition and the present, a desire to move, circulate and encounter.
By presenting masterpieces from the 47 countries of the Council of Europe, the Festival aims to create an atmosphere of possible spiritual and geographic journeys and the desire and ability to approach the Other. Because if one thing is indisputable, and something on which we can all agree, it’s that a European culture is a reality. The film and the life of Sergei Paradjanov are perfect examples of this.
Colour of the Pomegranate is proof that cinematic heritage is a living thing, that restoration is a grand gesture of ‘reanimation’ of archives, and at the same time a call for projects from young filmmakers.
Sergueï Parajanov born in Georgia in 1924 (d.1990), is considered the great national filmmaker of Armenia, where his ancestors were from. Controversial in the USSR during his lifetime, imprisoned several times, he is now admired for his singular and original aesthetic. He has communicated to us this profound tenderness, which at this time of ‘rising extremism’ may serve to guide us in its beauty, its modernity, its liberty and its humanism.
Opening Night Programme
8pm Opening Ceremony
8:30pm Colour of the Pomegranate by Sergueï Parajanov (in a restored version) with Sofiko
Tchiaoureli, Melkop Alekian, and Vilien Galestian
The film relates the life of the 18th-century Armenian-Georgian poet Aruthin Sayadin in successive episodes, like the illuminations of Medieval book of hours, in almost static, highly decorative tableaux : the majesty of authentic decors, palaces and monasteries, the exquisite splendour of princely costumes and warriors’ uniforms, the richness of the props (animals, books, carpets, fruits , flowers) compose a sumptuous world for this biography of the poet, embodied at different stages of his life by diverse actors, including the statuesque and regal Sofiko Tchiaoureli. Cut by censors at the time of its release, the film will be shown here in its entirety.
The film will be followed by a cocktail reception
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About the Europe by Europe film festival
The Europe by Europe film festival was founded in 2006 by filmmaker Irena Bilić. Her cultural ambition is to help a wider public discover the films of European countries whose history, literature, languages and current events are less well-known to us. The festival’s goals, then, are to see more contracts signed with distributors, derivative media publishers, broadcasters and producers; to consolidate and enrich private and institutional partnerships; but also to increase and diversify their public (15 000 viewers are expected to attend the festival this year).
The festival will present 72 feature films and 62 shorts from 40 countries – a selection compiled by founder-Artistic Director Irena Bilić. In all, 135 films will be presented this year, making this the biggest line-up ever. The great majority of films are from countries with a low production capacity (61%). The nine films in competition are unreleased in France, and looking for distributors.