Giannis in the Cities

In-person:

filmmaker Eleni Alexandrakis; Laurie Hart, chair, UCLA Department of Anthropology, and co-director, UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies.

Admission is free. No advance reservations. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first come, first served basis. The box office opens one hour before the event.

Giannis in the Cities

Greece, 2024

During the Greek Civil War fought between 1946-1949, childhood itself became a frontline in the clash between government and rebel forces. Under the guise of offering protection and education, the Greek government enticed parents to surrender their children to a system of Childcare Cities that served as indoctrination mills that oftentimes alienated their wards from their own families. In her riveting, visually striking adaptation of the memoir of Greek writer Giannis Atzakas, writer-director Eleni Alexandrakis tells the searing story of Atzakas and his experience growing up in these harsh institutions all the while unable to shake the memory of his rebel father and his longing for — and aversion to — a reunion.

DCP, b&w, in Greek with English subtitles, 90 min. Director: Eleni Alexandrakis. Screenwriters: Eleni Alexandrakis, Panagiotis Evangelidis. With: Philippos Milikas , Marios-Konstantinos Gatetzas, Konstantinos Athanassakis, Aineias Tsamatis, Agni Stroubouli, Evi Saoulidou.

Programmed and note written by Senior Public Programmer Paul Malcolm.

Part of: Giannis in the Cities