Life is a process of synthesis—of images, dreams, and visions. A vessel that brings together generations and ideas, which met, as if suspended in mid-air, at some crossroads of destinies. And of deeds. On top of that, we need to map out the route. All that's left is to find the signpost.
When his film club project began Kythira High School, 7 years ago, he was looking for exactly this signpost—the one that would scatter stardust along the path that had already been laid out, so that it may be etched into the collective consciousness with distinct characters—multidimensional ones.
This signpost pointing to the sky on the road to the stars goes by the name of Dimitris Leventis. The teacher, who from the very beginning embraced the idea of educating the local youth through film, in that special place where he himself shapes the raw material of their talent: at school.
Dimitris was—along with George Didymiotis – the collaborator and companion in a venture born of the silent breath of creativity. That creativity we all harbor within us, and which, to be transformed into creation, needs a vehicle. A breath of inspiration. «Dimitris is the best colleague I've ever had.», ", Giorgos Didymiotis confided in me the first time we met. No, He didn't say it in a procedural or bureaucratic way, but in an interactive way. His voice exuded the certainty that support would follow. Nothing can be taken for granted, unless you decide to accept that it is necessary. And it was Dimitris Leventis who, from the very beginning, saw the need to introduce the island’s youth—his own children—to cinema as an absolute necessity. A necessity for weaning them off dependence, fostering participation, and «acquiring collaborative skills,» which would gradually lead to «cinematic literacy,» a prerequisite for «expressing emotion through the creator’s critical eye,» as Dimitris characteristically puts it. Because, first and foremost, emotion is the deepest and most essential trace of the human journey.
Below is Dimitris Leventis' interview with Kythera.News.
Q. First of all, I’d like you to give us a historical overview of the entire experience. How did it all begin, what was your role in the early stages, and how did it evolve?.
–At some point in 2013, I attended an event organized by Kythira River Philharmonic Orchestra, the George Didymiotis, ...to present, among other things, glimpses of film projects he had carried out with groups of adults, teenagers, and children. Even before he finished, I was already planning ways to bring this charismatic filmmaker and teacher into contact with the children at our school. It turned out that this wasn’t all that difficult, since he wanted exactly the same thing. Here I must also mention the pivotal role played by Sakis Trifyllis, Principal of the Kythira General High School, which facilitated in every way the promotion and implementation not only of this initiative but also of many other cultural, environmental, and other initiatives. I mention this because, unfortunately, such support is not taken for granted in the Greek school system…
In November 2014, Didymiotis visited the school, where he presented film projects by other students, but above all engaged the audience in a dialogue, «recruited» the first members of the group from among the school's students—both boys and girls—who showed an interest in creative filmmaking. They were the first members of the Kythira High School Film Club.
The group's meetings were initially held in the welcoming conference room of Kythira River Philharmonic Orchestra and The project was incorporated into the school's cultural program. The weekly class was two hours long, but most of the time it lasted much longer.
The main drawback that emerged during the implementation of our first project was the difficulty we had in attending our meetings outside of school. Homework, exams, and other, more pressing matters (parties, etc.) would occasionally thin out the team.
So, starting next school year, The film classes were incorporated into a two-hour block of the project course for the A2 section of the first year of high school.. In other words, the class was now held at school (in the computer lab).
Within this framework, we continued from there until 2019, with the only difference being that the “A” project group consisted of students who had chosen to participate, rather than being a homogeneous group, and the classes were held in the Natural Sciences Lab.
Q. Did you appear in all three movies?;
–In “”World Mad" and in “”I need you", I was involved in the learning process and in production. In the “Swallows” I was involved only in the production, while The outstanding teacher Natasa Giannakaki participated in the classes.
Q. How did the children respond to the call?;
–Didymiotis knows how to captivate his audience, because his love for what he does is genuine. So, it was only natural that the children responded with enthusiasm. They also participated enthusiastically in the filming days as well as in the events to showcase and promote their project. The areas where we encountered difficulties were during the classes and in the pre-production and post-production stages of the film—that is, precisely where dedication and perseverance are required. I believe this is a more general phenomenon, and one that intensifies as the years go by. Our children are wonderful, and the potential they hold (or perhaps don’t hold…) often exceeds even our most optimistic expectations. However, for reasons that cannot be analyzed here, it’s nearly impossible to keep them intensely focused on something for more than 15 minutes, even if that something interests them, and for the most part, it’s not at all easy to get them to stick to their responsibilities. We really struggled with that, but it was worth the effort.
Q. Can you share some information about how the entire process unfolded for each of the films?;
–The procedure was as follows:
The first phase consists of courses covering the history and evolution of cinema—from its origins as a curious innovation in artistic expression to its development into a profitable industry— as well as references to key figures and schools of thought, terminology, conventions, techniques, and so on. All of this is accompanied by a critical analysis of examples and counterexamples, along with assignments, presentations, and critiques of student work. At this stage, the students begin to see some of the possibilities of cinema and to They become familiar with the terminology and techniques necessary to advance to the second stage.
In this second stage, now that they are able to converse «cinematically,» they proceed to gradually put together their own film. After first answering the fundamental question «Fiction or Documentary,» they move on to formulating general ideas for the screenplay. This can take quite some time, and it is by no means easy to reach a satisfactory conclusion. This is because the subject matter must be rooted in their own lived experiences and not merely an imitation.
Next, the script team, which often works outside of school hours and gradually presents its work. In the meantime, classes continue. Once the script is complete, other teams are formed—for directing, cinematography, production, etc.—so that eventually we arrive at a shooting plan that is as detailed as possible.
The production phase is exhausting, but it's also a big celebration. And here we have teams. We hold rehearsals, and eventually we get to the point of filming.
And then comes the painstaking, time-consuming, yet highly creative part editing . For most of the films, this was done during the summer break by a small team in the school's science lab.
What I want to make clear is that the purpose of this whole endeavor is not to make one or more movies. These are the benefits that young filmmakers gain along the way.
Q. What do you think the children gained most from the whole experience? What was the greatest benefit for them?;
-As with any learning process, the benefits (and sometimes the drawbacks…) vary in terms of both quantity and quality. It’s a very personal experience.
I’ll mention a few examples, but if we ask the children or George the same question, I’m sure we’ll hear all sorts of things—both expected and unexpected.
Well, one important thing is developing collaboration skills and fostering consistency and responsibility. The common thread among all the groups we worked with is that At a certain point, the team started to become a group of friends. Bonds were formed or strengthened, and disagreements were set aside. The shared goal brought out the positive aspects of the children's personalities and mitigated the negative ones. Learning to shoulder responsibilities and take the initiative, but also to step back for the common good when necessary, is a life lesson, and these long-term, demanding film projects have given many people the opportunity to gain that experience.
Furthermore, through the «roles» they had to take on during classes or the production (screenwriting, directing, cinematography, acting, sound recording, set design, production, and so many others), Some people—both men and women—discovered new ways of functioning, boosted their self-confidence, and expanded their range of possibilities. In fact, some members of our groups have even pursued related fields of study or are actively involved in film clubs and festivals.
Now, I'm almost certain that most of the participants gained, to some extent, what we might call film literacy, that is, the way in which we can, as a first step, «interpret» what we perceive from a film so that, after each person’s individual internal processing, to experience emotions and critically analyze the information and messages conveyed by the creator. In other words, we’re moving from passively watching (with pizza) cinematic spectacles to active and critical participation, where a close-up or a shaky shot, a jittery edit, or the absence of color or sound, take on a meaning that would elude us without a basic understanding of cinema.
At an even more advanced stage, cinematic literacy enables us to “write”—that is, to use cinematic tools to express ourselves and convey our own messages to others. And some of our children now possess this ability.
Q. What was it like working with Giorgos Didymiotis?;
–We started out as good colleagues and ended up becoming very good colleagues and friends. For my part, I learned a lot from George. He constantly filled me with his childlike, spontaneous enthusiasm and I admired the way he inspired the team. In addition to being a prominent artist, he is also an educator.. Also, It is a treasure trove of knowledge and experiences from Greek and world cinema which should not go to waste. During our collaboration, my role was organizational and supportive. I was the one responsible for ensuring that the team was well-organized and remained focused on achieving its goals.
Q. Did you go to the Olympia Festival? If so, could you tell me a little about the experience?.
-No, I haven't been there. But I've heard great things from those who have. I generally avoid traveling and only do so when it's necessary. Kythira is my whole world, and, unlike the natural world, it has no limits.
Q. Is there a particular moment from the movies that you'd like to share?;
I feel really good every time I remember the pranks we used to pull during the evening or lunch breaks between shoots, with the main theme being the children's «banter» with their favorite character («Didi»). Another truly special experience was when I set out from home in the middle of the night, picking up people along the way so we could film the sunrise at the Saint Pelagia. The boundless enthusiasm and drive, as well as the overall «chemistry» among the team members, made me reflect once again on the benefits of my decision to become a teacher.
Q. How do you see this story unfolding over time? Do you think it has a future as an activity on Kythira? What legacy will it leave behind?;
I consider it very important, if not essential, Film Education in Kythira should continue and be strengthened. However, the whole issue needs to be addressed methodically and with the appropriate seriousness. We must avoid having such efforts rely on the self-sacrifice and passion of just a few. Didymiotis, not only offered without pay his services (we’re talking about many, many hours), but he also purchased and provided equipment (which in some cases sustained serious damage…) specifically for the group’s classes and productions. It’s not about the money. It is a matter of recognizing the significance and importance of such actions.
I envision for Kythira to get a proper movie theater. A [...], to be established and organized, and film festival. Film education should be expanded to all levels of education. Seminars should be organized for teachers.
Q. Young People and Art. How are they connected, and what does each contribute to the other? How can the art of cinema help the young people of Kythira, and what can they offer to cinema?;
Without young people, art would neither evolve nor have any reason to exist. Things are moving forward, because there are young people who shake things up, break the rules, and create. The reverse is not true. I believe that young people, even though they have much to gain from art, do not need it. They have their own beauty, love, and the future. Not everything is art. There is a certain kind of racism directed at «unskilled» young people and others, which bothers me.
The young people of Kythira could take the lead in planning and implementing the initiatives I mentioned above, as well as in many other initiatives they may propose for the cinematic and broader cultural future of their island.
Q. What is your opinion on cinema?;
I'm afraid my opinion on this isn't objective, because I love the movies. I mean the whole atmosphere. The memories of the neighborhood movie theaters where we used to go as a family when I was a child, which would sometimes resound with shouts and laughter and other times fall into a dramatic silence broken only by the faint hum of the projector and pierced by the solidbeam of light from the engine, and later again with my old crew, throwing out one-liners that shocked the decent folk, or with the girls searching in the darkness for the right moment, make me scandalously biased.
I was also very fortunate to have as my literature teacher during my last two years of what was then a six-year junior high school, the Niko Rigas who, as part of the Modern Greek course, His teaching included the analysis and critique of films by Bergman, Polanski, Kazan, and others. We’re talking about 1973–1975, when the junta was still in power, and the most extreme thing is that, since we obviously didn’t have a projector, the professor gave such a detailed description of the scenes (including lighting, camera angles, etc.) that when I later saw those films, some of the scenes felt as if I were watching them for the second time. I was reminded of this while recently reading *The Film Narrator* (RIVERA-LETELIER HERNAN).
However, so as not to leave the question unanswered, let me share my opinion. Darkness all around. Before us, a flat screen, and within it, illusory images. Because, in each individual image—but especially in the composition as a whole—, A premeditated and meticulously executed fraud prevails. And yet, in the end, Through this continuous and ongoing deception, the beauty, truth, and dreams of our world are revealed to us. Cinema has the power to change the world, just like any true art form.
Q. Tell us a little about Dimitris.
As a teacher, I have implemented and continue to implement environmental, cultural, and other programs. In addition to all this, for many years, together with my wife, Karolina Aslani, We carried out many puppet shows, Karolina handled the puppets and the sets, and I took care of the screenplay, directing, and music. I write and have published a series of short stories with Gavriilidis, as well as two collections of poetry through private publication. I have been involved in theater I have written a play in verse that was staged by the Kythira High School theater group, and I have directed one play with an adult troupe and another with a student troupe. I am involved in photo and I have held two solo exhibitions in Kythira. I have also dabbled in A Study of the Flora of Kythira and has been published by the Kythiraikos Association of Athens a book on the subject based on my material.
