During the International Women’s Festival which kicks off at the island of Lesvos on September 3rd, the Norwegian performance band “The Hungry Hearts” can be seen on stage together with participants from all over the world, celebrating women’s history, culture, achievements and diversity.
Photo: Sappho womenSince the year 2000,
Sappho Travel has created, organized and funded the
International Eressos Women's Festival, which is a two week celebration of women oriented activities and events. It takes place every September in the birthplace of poet Sappho, Skala Eressos, on the island of Lesvos. This year’s the festival will be arranged from September 3rd until 17th.
Celebrating women
- All women are welcome, included and celebrated here, regardless of their race, age, interests, or sexual orientation and gender identity, the organizers say on their webpage. The festival is a non-profit making event which celebrates the history, culture, achievements and diversity of women, and since 2010 it has been a part of the Sappho women organization.
The festival has a rich and exciting program during the two weeks, thanks to the numerous of talented women that arrive from all corners of the world. The program is designed to suit diverse interests and includes a range of live musical and theatrical performances, creative workshops, arts exhibitions, water and land sports, seminars, a range of healing therapies, meditation practices, local walks and several women's parties.
Norwegian contribution
The Hungry Hearts Pin-Up Performance band is invited to hold a performance concert at the festival’s opening ceremony on September 3rd, and on several other occasions during the two weeks. The performance band which was established in Oslo in 2006, have participated in a numerous of film festivals the last years. Through their performances, The Hungry Hearts contribute to visualizing, questioning and examine femininity, sexual orientation, gender and gender roles.
Photo: The Hungry Hearts-We are glad that we can contribute to make discussion and transparency regarding both gender and LGBT (lesbian,gay,bisexual,transperson) issues in Greece through this festival, says the visual and performance artist Tonje Gjevjon. – These kinds of festivals are important channels that make images, movies and discussions come out to an inquisitive audience in all parts of the world, she continues.
Tonje Gjevon is the leader of the band which has 6 female members all together.
The Hungry Hearts develops and produces performance concerts, music, short movies, texts, installations and photos. Their work is inspired by the paintings of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, the books of the Japanese author Haruki Murukami and movies by American director David Lynch, Spanish director and screenwriter Pedro Almodovar, and Swedish director Roy Anderson.
They have also created numerous short films and songs. Their short films have been screened in over 40 international film festivals, such as Paris International Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival (Cineffable), France, and Kansai Queer Film festival in Osaka, Japan. In 2010 The Hungry Hearts won the ‘One Minutes Award’ for the European category for their short film ‘Last Kiss Goodbye’. The same year they were nominated to the ‘Entertainer of the year’ prize at Bergen Gay Galla, Norway. In April 2011 the band performed at L-Beach Festival in Germany, Europe’s biggest festival for women. Their short films will also be screened in festivals in Italy, the Netherlands and Australia in 2011.
The Hungry Hearts will perform both at the opening ceremony on September 3rd and at three other events at Roots Bar, Tenth Muse Bar and the Belle Ville Café between September 4th and 6th. The Hungry Hearts is well known internationally for their “lesbian anthem” - “In Your Face” which they will perform at the opening ceremony.
“Hungry Heart’s” participation at the International Eressos Women's Festival is supported by the Norwegian Embassy in Athens and the Norwegian Institute at Athens.