There are really two hot months in Athens, not in terms of temperature but in term of cultural events. These are June and September! Many of you are already here so why not enjoy some of the events and parties while we still have nice weather.

I am going to concentrate more on two of the events the Athens International Film Festival and Biennale of Athens.



Athens International Film Festival OPENING NIGHTS

The Athens International Film Festival OPENING NIGHTS, was founded by the Athens Film Society (A Non-Profit Organisation) with the intention of:

Ι) highlighting lesser-known aspects/genres of independent cinema

ΙΙ) introducing audiences to some of the best productions of the year

ΙΙΙ) establishing itself as the ideal opening of the coming movie season.

The Festival was launched in September 1995 and continues successfully until now. The movie theatres accommodating the Festival are:

ΑΤΤΙΚΟΝ CINEMAX CLASS / Dolby Digital SR / Capacity: 850 19 Stadiou Street, Athens 105 61 - Metro: Panepistimio (Red Line) LOCATION: CITY CENTER Tel: +30 210 3228821 - Fax: +30 210 3821394 E-mail: cinemax1@otenet.gr - www.cinemax.gr   APOLLON FILMCENTER CINEMAX CLASS / Dolby Digital SR / Capacity: 550 19 Stadiou Street, Athens 105 61 - Metro: Panepistimio (Red Line) LOCATION: CITY CENTER Tel: +30 210 3228821 - Fax: +30 210 3821394 E-mail: cinemax1@otenet.gr - www.cinemax.gr
DANAOS I / Dobly Stereo SR / Capacity: 600 109 Kifisias Avenue & Panormou Street Athens 115 24 - Metro: Panormou (Blue Line) LOCATION: ABELOKIPOI Tel: +30 210 6922655 www.danaoscinema.gr     DANAOS II / Dobly Stereo SR / Capacity: 110 109 Kifisias Avenue & Panormou Street Athens 115 24 - Metro: Panormou (Blue Line) LOCATION: ABELOKIPOI Tel: +30 210 6922655 www.danaoscinema.gr

You can find the detailed program at the website of the festival http://en.aiff.gr/summary.asp?catid=11793

Notice: The program of parties at the english section of the website is not updated and you still see the program of parties of 2006



Athens Bienalle

This year 's bienalle has the provocative and maybe promising :) title Destroy Athens.
From the website:

1st Athens Biennial 2007

Destroy Athens

10 September - 18 November

Destroy Athens tells a story.

The story emerged from a completely empirical observation. We, each one of us, the subject of every action and every conscience is built through the eyes of others. What is important here is that it is not being constructed by others – it is all an internal affair: the subject builds its own self, but its building material is the perception of others. And this fact is the precondition of any recognition, collectivity, connection, participation, sense of community.

.........

If there is something that Destroy Athens is not, then it is not a survey. It does not aim at being a barometer of artistic production at this moment nor teach anybody what is significant today in contemporary art or in the geopolitical circumstances. It does not want to express an opinion about what is important, poignant, interventional or new, it does not wish to argue in favour of a practice or against another, it does not wish to predict where things are heading right now or where they will be tomorrow.

It is a story. We do hope that as a story it has meaning between the moment it begins and the moment it ends.

X Y Z

(Excerpt from the curators' text for the exhibition catalogue)

Find more details at the website of the bienalle

The venue of the bienalle is the wonderful Technopolis or Gazi