Ever heard about the women surrealists? Norwegian director Anne Kjersti Bjørn brings them out of the shadow of their male colleagues with the documentary “Gifted beauties”. See the award winning documentary at the Greek Film Archive from 24 to 30 March.
From 24 to 30 March, the Greek Film Archive will show Anne Kjersti Bjørn's Gifted beauties (2000) and Kleoni Flessa’s Eleni Boukouri Altamura – the first Greek woman painter (2010). The directors will be present at the screening March 24, and will lead a discussion after the films. The screenings are sponsored by The Norwegian Embassy and The Norwegian Institute at Athens.
Program:
- Thursday March 24: Screening at 20.00.
- Friday March 25 to Wednesday March 30: Screenings at 19.30 and 22.00.
In the documentary Gifted Beauties, animation is used in the presentation of the women surrealists.
In Paris during the thirties surrealism grew around the expression "L'amour Fou" (Wild Love). Some surrealists from this period like Salvador Dali and Max Ernst made the movement famous. But did you know that there were rebellious and ambitious women artists who were also among them?
Varo, Oppenheim and Carrington
Remedios Varo, Meret Oppenheim and Leonora Carrington were just a few. Strongly driven, they paved their way going against the conventions of not only the artistic world, but of society as well. They constantly met with resistance, but never gave in.
In Gifted beauties, you will see how these women created a universe with their art that reflects the inner depths of our subconscious making us dig beneath the surface in search of an answer to the question: "What is Real?"
Bold artistic expressions
The story follows female surrealists from the thirties to the work of present day artist Vilde von Krogh. With over half a century separating their work, Ms. von Krogh draws upon the same symbols and mystical animals that fascinated her surrealist sisters.
Through their artwork, interviews, photographs and material from film archives you will get an intimate look at the surrealist women, their bold artistic expressions and above all their love of life.
Gifted beauties has won many awards, including Best Art film, Asolo Artfilm festival in Italy in 2002. Anne Kjersti Bjørn (born 1954) has a socio-pedagogical university degree, and has in addition studied theatre science and visual communications.
Click here to see Anne Kjersti Bjørn’s filmography.
Eleni Boukouri Altamura is the first Greek avant-garde woman artist of the 19th century.
Eleni Boukouri Altamura is the first Greek avant-garde woman artist of the 19th century. An alluring and enigmatic woman who somehow managed to turn her era’s every convention on its head.
Dressed as a man, Eleni studied Painting at the Nazarene school in Rome (1847-50) and in Florence (1850-51). Her example demanded for schools of art and universities around the world to open their doors to women and grant them access to knowledge.
Boukouri Altamura fell in love with an Italian artist, Saverio Altamura, and dared to live her live rebelliously and poetically, at great personal cost.
Director Kleoni Flessa is born in Kalamata in Greece. She studied photography, architecture and history of cinema in Florence and film directing in Athens. She has made some forty documentaries.
Tickets: 7 euro, 4 euro for students.