30th Premier Nights: English difficult to find diamonds

In one of the most important periods of British cinema, in the 1980s, he focuses with the tribute “This is England” the Athens Film Festival Premier Nights which this year celebrates his 30th birthday. 13 films of that decade, which made a great or lesser sense in their time, will be hosted in the halls where the festival is held. These films are “The Force of the flesh” (Bad Timing) by Nicholas Reg, “Sid and Nancy” (Sid and Nancy) by Alex Cox, “Rita, Sue and Bob together” (Rita, Sue and Bob Too) by Alan Clark, “Would you like to be ‘Wish You Were Here’ by David Leland, ‘Radio On’ by Chris Petit, ‘Dream Weekend’ (The Long Good Friday) by John Mackenzie, ‘Mona Lisa’ by Neil Jordan, ‘Long voices, unspoiled lives’ (Distant Voices, Still Lives) by Terence Davis, ‘Babylon’ by Frank Rosso, ‘Big Hopes’ (High Hopes) by Mike Lee, ‘The Draftsman’ contract by Peter Greenaway, ‘My friend’? I) by Bruce Robinson and “My Beautiful Laudrette” by Stephen Friars.

On 4 May 1979 the Conservatives won the election in Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher became the country’s first female prime minister and, as it turned out, would evolve into the 20th-century most famous and catalytic politician in the United Kingdom, after Winston Churchill. The paradox is that while for the majority of the British the era of “thutcherism” in England is identified with a relentless period of social inequalities, impoverishment of lower strata, huge unemployment rates and an outbreak of racist-fascist behaviors, for the cinema of the time Thatcher has been beneficial.

She was very little interested in the arts, so in her day several directors of the older “fortress” were forced, in the absence of sufficient resources, to resort to advertising or television to survive. But British cinematography lived a course of development, during which some of its best films were produced. There are not a few who consider the 1980s to be a decade completely interwoven with the reality established by Thatcher, until the last important era for British cinema,” as noted by the artistic director of the Premier Nights, Mr. Luke Katsikas. “It may be because the less state financial support for creators, the more independent initiative and the establishment of small production companies, which fearlessly trusted young and adventurous directors like Stephen, flourished. Friars, Neil Jordan, Peter Greenaway etc.” Therefore, with these 13 films proposed by the festival – one of which, unfortunately, is missing by Ken Loach, the greatest enemy of Thatcher who had also presented film films in that decade, with a great example of “Eyes and smiles” (1981) – the tribute “This is England” is valuable to those interested in the history of cinema in a classroom. Why don’t we forget that all these films are hard to get in touch with the public through other streets (platforms, television).

INFO The 30th Athens Premier Night Festival will be held October 2-14 (Astor, Asty, Dane 1 & 2, Cinobo Opera 1 & 2, French Institute, Concert Hall, Pallas).