Fiasco of the operation to «rescue» films from the basements of Finos Film

The recent operation of the Ministry of Culture and the Greek Film Centre at the historic building of Finos Film in Metaxourgeio, under the pretext of the «chemical leak», which was followed by the triumphalism of the Deputy Minister of Culture, Nicolas Yatromanolakis, seems to have been a botched scenario, which ended with the transfer of uncatalogued material outside the prescribed procedures in the unsuitable conditions of the EKC garage. George Arvanitis speaks of a «strange story» and Nikos Kavoukidis of «real looting». «There was no leak», asserts eyewitness George Mouzakitis.

With feelings ranging from anger to anger. And with heavy expressions, such as «looting» or «stealing» or «mockery». This is how part of the film world greeted the news that was triumphantly served up by the press office of the Ministry of Culture: «An important part of the history of Greek cinema has been rescued by the Ministry of Culture and Culture and the Greek Film Centre», with reference to the recent operation that took place in the historic building at 53 Chiou Street, Metaxourgeio, which in the past housed Finos Film and, later, film laboratories for image («Cinemagic») and sound («Axelere»). Last Saturday, always in accordance with the triumphalism of the Ministry of Culture, «there was a chemical spill, with the immediate risk of losing important cinematographic works of our audiovisual heritage».

Even worse, people in charge, cinema people who had worked with Finos, who know the Chios Street area like home and were present on Saturday during the events, chuckle. Mostly, though, they categorically deny that there was a chemical spill in the building. And even though the ministry's press release cited it as the reason for the hasty operation, presenting the Deputy Minister of Contemporary Culture Nicolas Yatromanolakis as something like the ’Zoros« of our cinematic heritage, who »mobilized the Greek Film Center to rush to the spot, collect and transport to a safe location the relevant material«.

What material was collected? How was it collected? And on these issues there are vertical objections. In any case, the notorious press release referred to ’a number of important films of Greek cinema of inestimable cultural value«. And to »some 500 reels including, among others, Greek films such as The Weeping Meadow by Theo Angelopoulos, The Fruits of Athens by Nikos Panagiotopoulos, and Tonia Marketaki's Crystal Nights«, which “have been rescued and are now in the hands of the Greek Film Centre, in order to make a detailed recording and then proceed with the procedures for their digitisation”.

And he informed us that «with the agreement of a representative of the owners of the building and after approval from the Fire Department for safe access to the building, under the supervision of the president and the general director of the Hellenic Film Centre, Markos Cholevas and Pantelis Mitropoulos, the collection and transportation of materials began on Saturday afternoon, which was completed on Monday 26 July».

«In 2013, Finos Film left the building at 53 Chios Street, moving all its equipment and films to its new offices in Cholargos, as well as to the company's studios in Spata. The dozens of films that were at risk of total destruction from a chemical spill did not belong to Finos Film and of course the company had no authority or responsibility,» followed a statement from the company 24 hours later. So the tapes were not Finos Film's! And if that was all?;

«There was no leak!»

«There was absolutely no chemical leakage», says George Mouzakitis, co-owner of «Cinematzik» and owner of «Axelere», companies that, like the historic Finos Film, have been closed for years, but in underground warehouses of the building on Chiou Street they house their old machines and hundreds of boxes with negatives, sound reels, hot water bottles, etc.etc. from Greek cinema films and many commercials.

Mr. Mouzakitis, therefore, not only was present in the operation, but he was the one who, along with his partner, Christos Gartaganis, were informed at about 17.00 on Saturday afternoon by residents of the building on Chiou Street that the Fire Department appeared. The two rushed to the spot and found that indeed the Greek Cinema Centre had brought two fire trucks to Chiou Street, citing chemical leaks that would destroy the materials stored there. They were even informed by a Fire Department officer about this, while the president of the CySEC, Markos Cholevas, the lawyer Christina Pigaki, the producer and member of the Association of Independent Producers of Audiovisual Works (SAPOE) Eleni Kossifidou and the director, member of the Association of Directors of Greek Film Producers and member of the Greek Film Producers' Association, were also present.Elina Psykou, member of the Greek Film Academy, and a few transporters, while the general director of the CyBC, Pantelis Mitropoulos, was added along the way.

Mr.Mouzakitis and Mr.Gartaganis were of course surprised that so many people from the film industry had managed to gather in such an extraordinary circumstance. The two of them knew, after all, that it was impossible for there to have been a chemical spill, since, as Mr Mouzakitis categorically assures us in a communication we had with him, «the premises have been cleared of chemicals for ten years. The barrels were emptied at that time and there is no risk from chemicals. Otherwise, how else would we go down to the basements with the firefighters without a precautionary measure, without wearing masks?».

According to his testimony, this was also found by the firefighters, who, after the autopsy (with a key handed over to them for the building by the owner of the building, whom we sought but did not contact us so far), wanted to leave immediately, with the officer in charge refusing to complete an autopsy protocol. But then Mr. Mitropoulos intervened, who had called the legal advisor of the Deputy Minister of Culture, Nicolas Yatromanolakis, on his mobile phone and gave the phone to the Fire Department officer in charge so that he could speak with her.

Then the transporters went down to the basements and started the process of transporting the material, a task that continued the next day.

But what were they about? Mr Mouzakitis - and not only him - is angry about the press release's phrase about «a number of important films of Greek cinema». «Mostly there were negatifs from dozens of commercials. And films far fewer,» he says. According to reports, even empty boxes, black garbage bags and several completely useless hot water bottles have reportedly been brought to the EKC.

A «bit of a strange story»

Particularly cautious on the phone is the internationally renowned and recognizable filmmaker and director of photography, Giorgos Arvanitis, who also raises his own questions: «I wonder how they decided to go to the Finos building and who called them. Also, what is this story about the chemical leak? There are no chemicals in liquid form in a lab that has been closed for so many years.».

Mr. Arvanitis is also sceptical about the number of the 500 reels «rescued» according to the press release: «Which films are concerned? How do they know there are 500 reels? They have to tell us. In any case, 500 reels does not mean 500 films, as you understand. Also, each film, to be complete, must have, in addition to the reel of the negatif, the “visual” (the mixed part). Otherwise there is no “film”.».

But George Arvanitis also does not understand «why they did not contact the legal owners of the films. The directors or the heirs. And what does it mean that they took the material “to be digitized”? And if someone doesn't want their material digitized, shouldn't they be asked?»

• Finally, Mr Arvanitis, why do you think this operation was carried out?;

«Either for communication reasons or because the Centre has a possible second thought - is it connected to EKOME? Possibly. In any case, for the Ministry of Culture, which is indifferent to our issues, to wake up and get caught up in such a frenzy, something is going on.‘.

The questions

After all this, let's put the questions in order:

■ How was this operation carried out without a prosecutor's order, since, according to the testimonies, there was no leakage of chemicals?;
■ If there was nevertheless a leak, was an autopsy protocol drawn up by the fire brigade?;
■ If there was not and the materials were nevertheless removed, should this not have been done in the presence of a judicial officer and a catalogue of what was removed?;
■ How does the management of the CySEC and the Ministry of Culture know that these are «historical films» and not just useless objects, since the material has not been sorted and remains in boxes?;
■ If valuable film material is nevertheless included, have all the directors or heirs of the deceased, who are affected by the transfer of the negatives, films owned by them, been informed?;

In the garage of the CySEC

But the show doesn't end with the questions. There was, after all, a sequel. At noon last Monday, when the driver of the truck with the materials that had been removed from Chios Street went to the CySEC premises to deliver them, the department responsible for the receipt of materials, expressing strong reservations about the receipt without legal accompanying documents and before the establishment of an official committee to record the materials, refused to receive the material.

However, the CySEC administration intervened and received at the Centre's premises (’illegally«, according to sources) the materials that were transferred to an underground storage area - garage, where they remain to this day without legal documents and, of course, outside the prescribed maintenance conditions. Their cataloguing will be done »at some point« by a technician and then it will be decided whether the material will remain at the CySEC or where it will go? Towards the ESME, as the bad tongues say?;

■ «Things that expose Mr. Yatromanolakis to the entire film community»

Even the overall value of the material is strongly questioned by filmmakers, such as the great documentary filmmaker, vice-president of the Greek Film Archive, honorary member of the Society of Greek Directors, the Association of Greek Film and Television Technicians - ETEKT and the Association of Greek Cinematographers, Nikos Kavoukidis, who, outraged, contacted the newspaper. «I denounce this looting as Kavoukidis, a child of Finos Film and a 67-year filmmaker and I demand that the Centre tell us which films it took. The negatives that were in custody belong to each filmmaker. What did they get? On what documents did they take them? Where would one look for ownership? Most, after all, are hot copies, worthless and many promotional films. It is a question whether among this material there are 7 - 8 films. After all, we have the negatives of Angelopoulos’ and Panagiotopoulos’ films in the Film Archive. And what chemical leak are they talking about? The labs haven't worked for years. Are they kidding us? They cannot publish such ridiculous things that expose Mr. Yatromanolakis to the entire film community.».

He also strongly questions the ability of the Greek Film Centre to preserve the materials in the necessary conditions required. He expresses his deepest sadness that the Ministry of Culture or another body has not moved so many years to buy the historic building of Finos Film where the old Greek cinema developed and the new Greek cinema was born, a legendary landmark that ’has now been treated in this unholy way«. And he points out that, if the Ministry of Culture was really interested, it would have taken care to create a Museum of Cinema there. This was also the wish of George Mouzakitis, who tells us that he had often addressed the Ministers of Culture who passed by from time to time. Often, but in vain.

It is worth mentioning, however, that an official proposal for the purchase of the historic building of Finos Film and the creation of a museum has been submitted to the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, by «Open City» through the director and municipal councillor Kyriakos Angelakos. However, it has not received any response so far.

Natalie Hadjientoniou