Books by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Όψεις ανθρωπολογικής έρευνας. Πολιτισμός, ιστορία, αναπαραστάσεις , 2011
Το κείμενο έχει ως στόχο να αναδείξει μέσα από μία σύντομη ιστορική επισκόπηση της εθνογραφικής κ... more Το κείμενο έχει ως στόχο να αναδείξει μέσα από μία σύντομη ιστορική επισκόπηση της εθνογραφικής κινηματογραφικής παραγωγής, τις σημαντικότερες ταινίες που πραγματοποιήθηκαν στην Παπούα Νέα Γουινέα στα πλαίσια των ενδιαφερόντων της κοινωνικής ανθρωπολογίας. Οι ταινίες που σχολιάζονται και ιδιαίτερα εκείνες που πραγματοποιήθηκαν μετά το 1970 όχι μόνο αποτυπώνουν τις κοινωνικές συνθήκες και τις σχέσεις των τοπικών κοινωνιών με τη Δύση μετά την ανεξαρτησία της χώρας, αλλά προσφέρουν κι ένα ευρύ φάσμα του εθνογραφικού ντοκιμαντέρ στην εν λόγω περιοχή, αναδεικνύοντας τις κινηματογραφικές μεθόδους καταγραφής και τις γενικότερες εξελίξεις στον εθνογραφικό κινηματογράφο, με αποτέλεσμα η περιοχή της Παπούα Νέα Γουινέα να μπορεί να θεωρηθεί ως ένα παράδειγμα στην ευρύτερη εθνογραφική φιλμογραφία.
Carol Reed. Εκδόσεις Πάπυρος , 2007
Non Catalog of the 59th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 2018
On the occasion of the Balkan Survey tribute on Romanian cinema of the 59th Thessaloniki IFF (201... more On the occasion of the Balkan Survey tribute on Romanian cinema of the 59th Thessaloniki IFF (2018), this article explores some iconic films that left an invaluable legacy for the future, inspiring the generation that put Romanian cinema on the world map at the beginning of the century, and laid the foundations for a cinematic tradition linking Pintilie with Puiu.
Non Catalog of the 62nd Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 2021
On the occasion of the first ever retrospective organized on Binka Zhelyazkova's work during the ... more On the occasion of the first ever retrospective organized on Binka Zhelyazkova's work during the 62nd Thessaloniki IFF (4 - 14.11.2021), this article examines the films of the great Bulgarian auteur.
Cristian Mungiu, 2012
Placed in the context on the New Romanian Cinema this article explores Cristian Mungiu's films - ... more Placed in the context on the New Romanian Cinema this article explores Cristian Mungiu's films - his shorts, as well as, the first four feature films he made.
58th Thessaloniki IFF Non-Catalog, 2017
This text was written on the occasion of the special tribute organized by the Balkan Survey secti... more This text was written on the occasion of the special tribute organized by the Balkan Survey section of the 58th Thessaloniki IFF (2-12.11.2017).
Prophesies from Another World: Sci-fi and Cli-fi (1950-1990), 2020
The article examines how the fear of otherness is presented in science fiction films and how the ... more The article examines how the fear of otherness is presented in science fiction films and how the genre offers a fertile ground to see ourselves through the Other, to understand and face our phobias, our prejudices, our differences.
Destination: Journey, 2021
The article examines how ethnographic films have recorded the journeys in foreign lands.
The Art of Reality: Beyond Observation, 2023
The article examines the influence of Robert Flaherty's "Nanook of the North" on ethnographic doc... more The article examines the influence of Robert Flaherty's "Nanook of the North" on ethnographic documentary and Observational Cinema.
Handmade Cinema: Non Catalog of the 63rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival , 2022
The article examines the use of mass media by indigenous peoples as a means of gaining control ov... more The article examines the use of mass media by indigenous peoples as a means of gaining control over their representations and resisting the cultural dominance of official state narratives. Furthermore, it focuses on two iconic examples of the so-called "Fourth Cinema", Ngati by Barry Barclay and Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner by Zacharias Kunuk.
Goran Paskaljevic, 2009
Goran Paskaljević is an artist whose cinematic career already spans forty years. His work include... more Goran Paskaljević is an artist whose cinematic career already spans forty years. His work includes fifteen feature films, thirty documentaries and shorts, and is marked by a consistency in both aesthetics and ideology. A humanist, infused with the simplicity of Italian neorealism and in particular, Vittorio de Sicaʼs work, Paskaljević makes films that are based on simple narratives, which describe, sincerely and delicately, the emotions and life of ordinary people, always siding with the weak and the oppressed. Through his stories, Paskaljević relates to us the human condition, highlighting the small existentialist dramas of the young and the old, of those living on the fringes of society and of the underprivileged, emphasizing the efforts they make to survive. Everyday people interest him most, those who have to deal with the consequences of historical events and are forced to find ways to cope, while always maintaining the hope for a better life. He treats his characters with warmth and empathy, putting forward their human dimensions, complete with faults and merits; he does that without reproducing stereotypes or resorting to cliches and he neither moralizes nor manipulates his audience. Even though in most cases the situations his characters have to face are beyond their control, and ultimately their struggle is in vain, the efforts they make, the tenderness they manage to maintain, their faith in their dreams and fantasies, are not only moving, but also radiate an optimism, constituting expressions of resistance against a pre-established fate. With his national reality as a starting point, Paskaljević tells stories that underscore the complexity and contradictions of the socio-political conditions of his time. Without aiming to make openly political films, he is nevertheless unable to remain detached from what is going on in his country: with a critical eye, he observes and records the events shaping local life, addresses the fundamental social tensions that underpinned the politics of his country during the nineties, and wields a covert social critique which is usually expressed through metaphor and symbolism. Paskaljević captures the mood of his native land; he describes social ties (especially intergenerational relationships) and life in the city and in the country; he addresses the hardships of immigration, social and political transitions and, of course the impact of civil war on his country. With realism and poetry, black humor and irony as his weaponry, his films succeed in genuinely representing real life on the big screen and in conveying the filmmakerʼs personal account of his time.
by Fotini Tsibiridou, Eftihia Voutira, Aimilia Voulvouli, Raymond Detrez, lambros baltsiotis, Dimitris A Kerkinos, Brunilda Zenelaga, Lyubomir Georgiev, Marica Rombou-Levidi, Anna Apostolidou, Αριστείδης Σγατζός, Georgios Mavrommatis, Maria Koumarianou, and Panos Hatziprokopiou Selective texts from the Proceedings of the International Conference Organized by the Department ... more Selective texts from the Proceedings of the International Conference Organized by the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies (University of Macedonia-Thessaloniki) in collaboration with Via Egnatia Fountation, organized on the 24th, 25th and 26th of February 2011.
Drafts by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Book Reviews by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Filmicon: Journal of Greek Film Studies, 2015
Filmicon: Journal of Greek Film Studies, 2020
The cinema of the Balkans has a rich history of creativity, having contributed to world cinema wi... more The cinema of the Balkans has a rich history of creativity, having contributed to world cinema with a fair number of masterpieces, as well as with significant national film movements and trends. Directors such as Dušan Makavejev, Yilmaz Güney, Lucian Pintilie, Emir Kusturica, Theo Angelopoulos, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Cristian Mungiu, and Yorgos Lanthimos are auteurs of international stature, known much beyond the cinephile cycles. At the same time, the Yugoslav Black Wave, the Zagreb School of Animation, the Romanian New Wave and the Greek Weird Wave have created an artistic and cultural legacy that constitutes an indisputable point of reference for its achievements. This cinematic tradition remains vibrant today by a new generation of filmmakers who, responding to the global developments of the film industry, are making films in a framework of regional and international cooperation. Following the existing scholarship in cultural, historical and film studies, editors Lydia Papadimitriou and Ana Grgić, present, through a collection of thirteen essays, an examination of the latest developments in Balkan cinema, putting special emphasis on transnational collaborations. Taking as a starting point 2008, the year of the global economic crisis, the assigned texts cover all national cinemas of the region in individual chapters. Balkan cinema is approached with a unified geographic scope, strengthening thus its existence as 'an entity of clearly discernible thematic and stylistic affinities' (Iordanova, 2006: 3). Most importantly, the collective volume enriches Balkan cinema's study by focusing on film industry activities and highlighting sociοpolitical contexts. It is worth noting that some of the cinemas examined in the book (i.e. those from Montenegro, North Macedonia or Kosovo) are discussed for the first time in English literature.
Papers by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Περιοδικό "Δοκιμές", 2010
Αν και το ντοκιμαντέρ Buena Vista Social Club έθεσε ως στόχο την αποκατάσταση του δεσμού μεταξύ τ... more Αν και το ντοκιμαντέρ Buena Vista Social Club έθεσε ως στόχο την αποκατάσταση του δεσμού μεταξύ της προ- επαναστατικής κουβανέζικης μουσικής και της σημερινής μετεξέλιξής της, δεν κατάφερε να ξεπεράσει τα όρια της ρητορικής. Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν μια παραμορφωμένη – για το ξένο κοινό – αντίληψη, τόσο για την σύγχρονη κουβανέζικη μουσική, όσο και για την γενικότερη εικόνα της επαναστατικής Κούβας. Το κείμενο εξετάζει πως το BVSC, μέσα από μια νοσταλγική αναπαράσταση της κουβανέζικης μουσικής και κατ’ επέκταση της κουβανέζικης κοινωνίας - παγωμένης στον χρόνο- παρουσιάζει την Κούβα ως έναν εξωτικό παράδεισο. Αυτός υπαγορεύεται από τα στερεότυπα και το γούστο της δυτικής ματιάς, με το ίδιο το ντοκιμαντέρ να εκμεταλλεύεται το μουσικό πολιτισμικό κεφάλαιο της χώρας προς όφελος της τουριστικής βιομηχανίας.
Although the documentary Buena Vista Social Club aimed to restore the bond between the pro-revolutionary Cuban music and its current evolution, it failed to transcend the boundaries of rhetoric. The result – for a non-Cuban audience - was a distorted perception of contemporary Cuban music and of the bigger picture of revolutionary Cuba. The essay examines how BVSC, through a nostalgic representation of Cuban music and, by default, of – the frozen in time- Cuban society itself, depicts the country as an exotic paradise. This paradise is being dictated by the stereotypes and tastes of the western gaze, while the documentary itself is taking advantage of Cuba’s musical heritage for the benefit of the tourism industry.
Film Festival Yearbook 1. The Festival Circuit, 2009
Film selection is a very subjective procedure which depends on ‘cultural’ sensitivities, ideas ab... more Film selection is a very subjective procedure which depends on ‘cultural’ sensitivities, ideas about cinema, and work philosophy. A film can be chosen because it is moving or important (aesthetically or thematically), or because the programmer feels it must be presented (even though the audience might not like it). A film can also be chosen because it suits the programmer’s specific approach. The programmers express their ideas on the aesthetics as well as on the intellectual value of the film through the programme, which ultimately resembles a completed puzzle, each film combining with the others to produce a certain picture and statement. The programmers’ philosophy is expressed by the way the selected films are grouped and presented, thus developing a certain logic rather than being a mere presentation of films or a showcase of premieres. First and foremost, a programmer is an investigator who uses all possible means and sources to find films for the programme.
Επιθεώρηση Κοινωνικών Ερευνών, 2007
Το άρθρο επικεντρώνεται στην κριτική εξέταση ορισμένων ταινιών που συνεισέφεραν αποφασιστικά στη ... more Το άρθρο επικεντρώνεται στην κριτική εξέταση ορισμένων ταινιών που συνεισέφεραν αποφασιστικά στη διαμόρφωση και εξέλιξη του εθνογραφικού κινηματογράφου. Στόχος του είναι να αξιολογήσει τους τρόπους με τους οποίους σκηνοθέτες όπως οι Robert Flaherty, John Marshall, Robert Gardner και Jean Rouch προσέγγισαν μεθοδολογικά
και αναπαράστησαν κινηματογραφικά τον πολιτισμό άλλων κοινωνιών μέσα από τις υπό συζήτηση ταινίες τους. Οι μέθοδοι τους αναδεικνύουν την αναγκαιότητα των κινηματογραφικών τεχνικών και τη δημιουργία ενός νέου συστήματος σημασίας που θα είναι παράλληλο μ ' εκείνο της γραπτής εθνογραφίας, έτσι ώστε ο εθνογραφικός κινηματογράφος να συνεισφέρει πιο αποτελεσματικά ως αναλυτικό μέσο στην
Κοινωνική Ανθρωπολογία.
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Books by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Drafts by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Book Reviews by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Papers by Dimitris A Kerkinos
Although the documentary Buena Vista Social Club aimed to restore the bond between the pro-revolutionary Cuban music and its current evolution, it failed to transcend the boundaries of rhetoric. The result – for a non-Cuban audience - was a distorted perception of contemporary Cuban music and of the bigger picture of revolutionary Cuba. The essay examines how BVSC, through a nostalgic representation of Cuban music and, by default, of – the frozen in time- Cuban society itself, depicts the country as an exotic paradise. This paradise is being dictated by the stereotypes and tastes of the western gaze, while the documentary itself is taking advantage of Cuba’s musical heritage for the benefit of the tourism industry.
και αναπαράστησαν κινηματογραφικά τον πολιτισμό άλλων κοινωνιών μέσα από τις υπό συζήτηση ταινίες τους. Οι μέθοδοι τους αναδεικνύουν την αναγκαιότητα των κινηματογραφικών τεχνικών και τη δημιουργία ενός νέου συστήματος σημασίας που θα είναι παράλληλο μ ' εκείνο της γραπτής εθνογραφίας, έτσι ώστε ο εθνογραφικός κινηματογράφος να συνεισφέρει πιο αποτελεσματικά ως αναλυτικό μέσο στην
Κοινωνική Ανθρωπολογία.
Although the documentary Buena Vista Social Club aimed to restore the bond between the pro-revolutionary Cuban music and its current evolution, it failed to transcend the boundaries of rhetoric. The result – for a non-Cuban audience - was a distorted perception of contemporary Cuban music and of the bigger picture of revolutionary Cuba. The essay examines how BVSC, through a nostalgic representation of Cuban music and, by default, of – the frozen in time- Cuban society itself, depicts the country as an exotic paradise. This paradise is being dictated by the stereotypes and tastes of the western gaze, while the documentary itself is taking advantage of Cuba’s musical heritage for the benefit of the tourism industry.
και αναπαράστησαν κινηματογραφικά τον πολιτισμό άλλων κοινωνιών μέσα από τις υπό συζήτηση ταινίες τους. Οι μέθοδοι τους αναδεικνύουν την αναγκαιότητα των κινηματογραφικών τεχνικών και τη δημιουργία ενός νέου συστήματος σημασίας που θα είναι παράλληλο μ ' εκείνο της γραπτής εθνογραφίας, έτσι ώστε ο εθνογραφικός κινηματογράφος να συνεισφέρει πιο αποτελεσματικά ως αναλυτικό μέσο στην
Κοινωνική Ανθρωπολογία.