LINK #157
S eptemb er 1 5 s t 2020
MOVIES
Content K.A.NE. p. 4 - 7
Volunteers & Collaborators
p. 18
QUOTE OF THE WEEK p. 8 Terry Pratchett GET TO KNOW US p. 9 If you were a movie or tv series character, who would you be? p. 10 What movie title would you give to 2020? p. 11 If you were about to get an Oscar, for what category would it be? HOW TO SAY? p. 12 Life is a movie MAIN ARTICLE I p. 13 - 14 The influence of cinema QUOTE OF THE WEEK p. 15 Louis Lumière
p. 35
MAIN ARTICLE II p. 16 - 17 Foreign movies, why not? MAIN ARTICLE III p. 18 - 19 The film industry wants to go eco
ART REVIEW p. 28 - 29 “Lost in Hollywood” by System Of A Down
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? p. 20 - 21 Greeks and Czechs laugh together
PLACE TO TRAVEL p. 30 - 31 Kalamata's Hiking Club
MY PROJECT p. 22 Baptiste: Medianeras
EVENTS p. 32 - 33
MY SENDING ORGANISATION p. 23 Pistes-Solidaires
RECIPES p. 34
INTERVIEW WITH AN ESC VOLUNTEER p. 24 - 25 Interview with Marlena Kaczmarek
p. 35
INTERVIEW WITH A LOCAL VOLUNTEER p. 26 - 27 Interview with Sofia Pouloupati 2
Previous & Planned Escalivada with anchovies Catalan cream
Annalisa
Paula
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Volunteers Agata
Γεια σού, cześć, hello! I’m Agata and I’m a world curious person. I like new challenges, hiking and dancing. Every day I solve logical puzzles, read and jump. I like to smile at others. I decided to apply for ESC because I think it really is an opportunity: I didn’t want to miss the chance to visit a different country, make friends and learn a language that is kind of unheard of in Poland. I believe my two months in Greece will be amazing and I hope I’m gonna bring a lot of good for the dogs I’m gonna look after. I am Annalisa, I come from the wonderful city of Bologna Annalisa Hello! (Northern Italy). I have an academic background in International
Relations (European Affairs) and look forward to become a project developer in international cooperation, tackling social issues through the participation of civil society. I am spending a year in Kalamata, volunteering at the K.A.NE’s office, helping out with the design and management of youth mobility and social projects.
Baptiste
Hi everyone!!! My name is Baptiste and I come from France. I’m working at the office making videos for K.A.NE. I’ll stay here until the end of September and I’m pretty excited about this whole experience. It’s the first time that I’ve been away by myself for this long, it’s a huge new experience for me.
My name is Catarina and I’m a 21 year old girl from Catarina Hello! Portugal. After finishing my studies, I decided to stop for a year
to clarify my ideas and decide what I will do next. Right now, I will be a volunteer here in Kalamata for the next six months, I’m working at the Therapeutic Horse Center Ιππόσχεση in Analipsi (Messsini). It’s the perfect combination between learning and being in contact with nature. There’s not much to say about me, I’m a calm person and probably my hobby is to listen to some rock music while reading a book or walking around the city.
Hania
Kalimera! My name is Hania and I come from Poland. I am a volunteer at K.A.NE.’s office and I will stay here in Kalamata until the end of August. I really like to travel, because I think life gets boring if you stay in one place for too long! One of my biggest dreams is to live for at least couple of months in several different countries, so I can truly experience other cultures – not just as a tourist.
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Volunteers Kamil
Hi! I’m Kamil from Poland. I’m 22. I decided to try out EVS to experience something new in life and search for my own way, as I’m not really sure, what my future entails. I’m a big fan of sports, especially football. In my free time I like to ride my bike, stay active in general, listen to music or watch some intricate movies.
Kassandra
Hello! I am Kassandra and I come from Germany. I am eighteen years old and I’ve just finished school, so now I have time to experience something new and to travel. This is why I take part in the ESC in Kalamata for one year and I am pretty excited about it. I work in the Dog Rescue Center, because I love dogs and I want to support them.
Katerina
Ahoj, I’m a red hair, open-minded designer from Czech Republic. I lost my job in the film industry for a while because of the virus, so I decided to come back to lovely Greece for two months as a volunteer to meet inspiring people from all over Europe and also Kalamata. Because all of us are different outside but the same inside. Art is an important part of my life and the best moment for me is when life becomes an art piece. It seems possible here in Kalamata!
Magdalena
Hi, my name is Magda, I come from Poland and will stay here in Kalamata until the end of January. I have a degree in Civil Engineering, but I didn’t like working in my profession, so now I’m switching to graphic design. And that’s what I will do here as a volunteer - help with all the design issues and create a consistent visual identification of K.A.NE. My idea of a time well spent is hiking, road tripping and checking out every cafetería in town.
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Volunteers Marlena
Cześć! I’m Marlena and I come from Poland. I’m 23 years old and I study in Kraków. I like new adventures and challenges and that’s the reason why in July I’m going to start my EVS in Kalamata. In my free time I like riding my bike, spending time in the forest and painting. Also, I love travelling and getting to know new places. My favourite painters are Picasso, Dali, Miro and Matisse.
Paula
Hola!!! My name is Paula. I come from Buenos Aires in Argentina, but I’ve been living in Madrid, Spain since last year. I studied audiovisual production and web development. I decided to volunteer and travel as much as I can because I think it’s the best way to discover myself and learn about cultures, history and life. I will only stay in Kalamata for 2 months making digital content, teaching Spanish and writing in this wonderful magazine.
My name is Tania. I come from a town in the northeast of Tania Yuhu! Spain. I studied psychology, although now I don’t have in mind to
dedicate myself to it. Honestly, now what I want is to know new places and live new adventures. My life plan is to live in as many different countries where I can. I will stay in Kalamata for a year and I’m volunteer in The Dog Shelter. I love the nature, sea, music, photography and enjoying the life.
Viktor
Čau, I am Viktor, a 20 years old dude from Czech Republic. I’ll stay here until August 2021 so I will be here for a one whole year. Actually I have just moved from my parents house and this is for the first time when I am living on my own. Most of my time I watch some TV shows or read good books. Looking forward to writing many amazing articles for you.
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Collaborators I am Filaretos Vourkos. For the last 15 years I am working Filaretos Hello, in the field of Non-formal education as a volunteer, youth worker
and youth trainer. 10 years ago, I decided to create the Youth Centre of Kalamata, in order to initiate youth work in Kalamata and promote active citizenship as factor for change.
Jelena
Hi, I’m Jelena Scepanovic, an EVS coordinator in K.A.NE. and a volunteer of the Youth center. I came from Montenegro in 2012 as an EVS volunteer. I really liked the idea of the youth center and the work that K.A.NE. does, so I decided to stay and be part of it.
everyone! I am Nadiana, ESC & VET coordinator in Nantiana Hello K.A.NE over the last few years as well as Greek teacher. I am
passionate in travelling around, meeting new people and organising festivals.
Spiros
Hello, my name is Spiros Koutsogiannis and since the beginning of 2020 I am a project manager and responsible for the Research and Development department of KANE. I hold a degree in Civil Engineering and I have been working in the EU funded projects field since 2010, having implemented almost 65 projects.
Anna
Hi, I'm Anna Charalampous. I'm here to help with K.A.NE. social media, website and administration. I'm happy to be part of the team promoting youth work, education and volunteerism, both locally and globally.
Nancy
Hello World! I’m Nancy and I have been working in K.A.NE. since 2017 as a Project Manager and EVS/ESC coordinator. I’m passionate about meeting new people and exchanging knowledge, experiences and ideas. I love the fact that many young people visit every year my hometown Kalamata and contribute to our society.
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Quote of the week
“The whole of life is just like watching a film. Only it's as though you always get in ten minutes after the big picture has started, and no-one will tell you the plot, so you have to work it out all yourself from the clues.� Terry Pratchett Author: Kamil
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Kassandra I would be Beatrice Prior from Divergent.
Question 1:
Katerina
If you were a movie or tv series character, who would you be?
The Thing from the Addams Family because it's so basic and clever, or Darth Maul from the 1st Episode of Star Wars because of the best make-up and double-sided lightsaber.
Agata Nikolas from the film Le Petit Nicolas. A cheerful child eager for adventure. Funny story from his life. Lots of ill-considered ideas. This is what I like very much. Annalisa
Magdalena
Some 15 years ago I would have said “Mary Poppins”. Now I think it looks like a zombie mix between Karen Blixen (Out of Africa), Turner (Condor/ Three days of the Condor) and Andy Sachs (Devil wears Prada). I could mention 10 to 15 more characters, but it’s better if I stop here.
Recalling some recent events, I would be the girl (Marzia) from Call Me By Your Name. Marlena : I have always wanted to be a secret agent so I would be Elizabeth Keen from the “Blacklist” or, changing the topic a little bit, I would like to be Donna from the “Suits” or Carrie Bradshaw from the “Sex and the city”.
Baptiste When I was younger I wanted to be Indiana Jones. Now I’m more like Walter Mitty from “The secret life of Walter Mitty”. He’s a simple man who’s daydreaming of crazy adventures.
Paula Lagertha from Vikings. She doesn't need an army, she knows how to defend herself.
Catarina When I was younger I wanted to be a Marvel’s superhero like the Black Widow, but now I think I would be one of those characters with a lot of dreams and expectations. Hania Some kind of innocent looking psycho.
Tania Alice in wonderland to smoke the hookah with the caterpillar, have tea with the Mad Hatter and the white rabbit and talk with the Cheshire Cat. Kamil
Viktor
I’d be Tony Montana from Scarface, as the journey of going from rags to riches would be fascinating.
Alien because he is black and badass like Samuel L. Jackson. 9
Question 2:
What movie title would you give to 2020? Agata
Katerina
Strange time - start time.
8 Million Ways to Die.
Annalisa
Magdalena
2020 makes me think of an movie titled “Non ci resta che piangere” (Nothing left to do but cry). You should watch it to understand, but here’s a little scene: “Ricordati che devi morire!”“Come?”“Ricordati che devi morire!”“Vabbene.”“Ricordati che devi morire!!”“Sì, sì, no, mo' me lo segno proprio...” (Remember you must die! What? -repeat Ok. - repeat - Yeah, don’t worry, I’m taking notes.)
“It’s okay to panic”. There is an actual movie with this title - a documentary about a Polish scientist explaining climate change versus people’s lack of knowledge and ignorance. I highly recommend watching it, English subtitles are available Marlena “No light at the end of the tunnel”. Paula Skip. It's an intense year and so many bad things mostly happened; so we can skip it before something much worse happens. Tania Some situations that we have experienced this year have been like being inside an episode of Black Mirror.. Viktor 2012.
Baptiste Scary Movie because I’m really afraid of 2020. Catarina Die hard. Hania Home alone. 2020 is like kevin’s house - full of traps. Kamil Demolition. Kassandra Apocalypse Now. 10
Hania Best song, for sure.
Question 3:
Kamil
If you were about to get an Oscar, for what category would it be?
I think it would mean a lot to win in the Best Original Screenplay category. Katerina
Agata
Best Visual Effects- it's kind of my job.
The best supporting actor.
Magdalena Best Original Score! So the music. I can’t really imagine creating a whole movie soundtrack at the moment, but I definitely would love to have the skills! Marlena When it comes to awards I would be rather given a Golden Raspberry Award for my jokes and sense of humour.
Annalisa
Paula
Some days I think it might be Best Director. Some other days it’s definitely an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Baptiste
Best director! Maybe… if s/he wins, production, that is what I studied, wins too. Or we can create a new category….
Best actor because I love playing characters in movies or on stage.
Tania I guess Best Photography. Best actress for sure not!
Catarina Best Documentary!
Kassandra
Viktor
Best song because I really like music.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
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How to say? “Life is a movie”
Das Leben ist ein Film.
La vie est un film.
Życie to film.
La vita è un film.
La vida es una película.
H ζωή είναι μια ταινία.
A vida é um filme.
Život je film.
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S
The influence of cinema
ometimes, a film can be badly perceived by the public or by certain spheres that can harm its reputation. Like certain musical genres or groups, video games or certain literary works, some films are considered to have a bad influence on individuals (especially youth). We will try to understand what these films are criticized for and whether they really have a bad influence on people.
thize with it, the main character is not shown as a hero. On the contrary, we see him committing morally unacceptable acts. This prevents us from fully identifying with him. Even if one manages to identify with him (which may seem worrying), the film shows us that even if he is the origin, Arthur Fleck is completely overwhelmed by events. He doesn't really do all this with the aim of overthrowing the ruling class, but rather to be recognized for his true worth. These elements show that "Joker" is not a simple call to burn all the rich.
The last and most striking example fully illustrating this concept is Todd Phillips' movie "Joker". This psychological thriller recounts the genesis of the greatest enemy of the superhero Batman. It follows the character of Arthur Fleck, a man suffering from a psychiatric disorder and relegated to the bench of society. Faced with the difficulties he will encounter, Arthur will gradually sink into madness and commit the irreparable. The film was much talked about when it was released, especially for its violence. But above all, the film was accused of inciting hatred towards the rich. Indeed, in a scene where Arthur takes the subway late at night, he witnesses the assault of a woman by 3 traders. Wanting to defend her, he finds himself targeted in turn by the 3 men and decides to take out his revolver to shoot them. Following this act, he becomes a hero for the working classes of the city. A cult of personality ensues and ends with a mass uprising proclaiming loud and clear "Death to the rich!".
In spite of everything, a large number of people and associations wanted to ban the film. In particular associations of victims of mass shootings who feared a phenomenon of imitation. This has already happened with another film set in the same universe, "The Dark Knight Rises". During a preview screening of the latter in Aurora, a man opened fire on the crowd present, leaving 12 dead and 58 wounded.
At first glance, when we look at the film for the first time, we can indeed easily detect a message of hatred towards all the rich. But the film is much more subtle than that. First of all, even if one can empa-
“
(...) Cinema, just like video
games, comic books or rap music, does not make people violent (...)
�
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If we go back in time, we realize that this is not the first attack of this kind. One example among others, on March 30, 1981. US President Ronald Reagan was shot after a speech at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. The author of this assassination attempt would confess a few days later that he was inspired by the film "Taxi Driver" to commit his act. Looking at all this, we could say that wanting to ban films such as "Joker" is legitimate. Except that in my opinion this is not the case. If these events take place, it is not the fault of the films themselves. Even if it was, there would be no point in banning them. Cinema, just like video games, comic books or rap music, does not make people violent. Individuals who act out after watching
attack or other tragic event. Even if a person was really inspired by this film or this video game, that dangerous individual would have been inspired by something else anyway. In such cases, it is not the film that is dangerous, but the person watching it.
“ (...) Individuals who act out af-
Cinema is no worse influence than any other art or entertainment. The only influence it can have is on unbalanced individuals by nature. This is unfortunate because during these events the film is criticized for what it was trying to denounce in the beginning. Take for example "Orange Mécanique" by Stanley Kubrick. The film depicts the daily life of hyper-violent teenagers in the midst of an English society that no longer understands them. The government will then take measures of barbaric behavioral therapies to try to rehabilitate this youth.This film questions us about the morality of society and tries to prevent this violence. However, during its theatrical release, gratuitous acts of violence perpetrated by juvenile delinquents broke out all over England. Even if the censorship committees did not have enough evidence implicating the influence of the film on these events, the damage was done.Following this, Kubrick received numerous death threats which pushed him to remove the film from the theaters. This self-censorship would last 27 years, until the death of the director. In a way, "Orange Mécanique" was a victim of the phenomenon he wanted to denounce.
ter watching a movie or playing a video game are already violent by nature.(...)
”
a movie or playing a video game are already violent by nature. Even if they admit to having been inspired by this or that work, it is only a pretext. If the person acts, it is because he or she is influenced by the environment that surrounds him or her and the one in which he or she grew up. Even if the work in question was a trigger for that person at the time, it means nothing. It could have been any other work of fiction or any other real event. In fact, it is usually a real traumatic event that is at the origin of the individual's exaction. That's why, in my opinion, there's no point in banning a work because it could be the cause of an
In conclusion, a film can indeed be a bad influence on a person who has something bad in him or her in the first place. This does not mean, however, that the film should be banned, because the person would use another pretext to do so. It's up to everyone to make the effort to learn about what they are going to see and to know the difference between fiction and reality. 14
Author: Baptiste
“The cinema is an invention without any future.”
Louis Lumière
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Foreign movies, why not? When you think about cinema, what comes to your mind? I will say that for a lot of people it will be Hollywood, the American movies, the superheroes and those hardcore characters that will save the world, and we often forget that we have a whole world to explore. Why does this keep happening? When I say foreign movies, I’m talking about non-English language movies, so they actually might not be a foreign for you! We have this idea that the good movies come from Hollywood or from London. Of course, they created some of the most amazing movies, but why don’t we give other nations a chance to shine with their cinema? With this article, I’m not criticising anyone, I’m Portuguese and I don’t give a big importance to Portuguese cinema, I’m only trying to explore this topic and try to find the reasons why this happens. I would say the main reason is the language. Watching a movie in English is just so easy, either because we understand English or because you can find subtitles for every English movie. Also, I know some people who don’t like to watch ‘international movies’ because of the language barrier, the spoken language is not familiar and they are not used to the sound, so they simply choose to watch just another American movie about New York city life. Some years ago, I started watching international movies (and tv series as well), especially Middle Eastern and European, and I realized how many amazing and interesting stories were “hidden” from me, because I was only watching English-speaking movies. Watching these movies made me realize that there is a different perspective for the same subject, even about the cultures, for instance. With this, I want you to be sure, I don’t hate America, but the truth is, if you only watch American movies, you will only have their perspective and it is not always the right side of the story: why are they always the heroes? So, yes, I highly recommend you to watch some other movies: you will learn more about a certain country just by watching their cinema, you will discover new cultures and a new language, find new music and ways of expressing feelings and messages. It’s an open door! (Tip: if you want to start, you can check the Oscar list of Best International Feature Film). 16
The other reason why we don’t watch international movies, in my opinion, is because we don’t give value to our national cinema. For example, in my country, we first watch the American/English movies, after European productions and just then we give an opportunity to the Portuguese cinema. The ICA, the Portuguese Institute of Cinema and Audio-visual, published a document about the percentage of Portuguese people that went to the cinema during 2018, and only less than 2% of viewers went to watch Portuguese movies, the American being the biggest one, with 71,3 % of viewers. So why do we have these numbers? Why don’t we give an opportunity to our national cinema?
we have this idea because, as an audience, we don’t demand high quality? We are just used to Soap-Operas, always with the same story, and we believe our cinema will be the same? My big advice to everyone would be to give a chance to your country’s cinema. It is true, not all the movies are good, the plot might be poor, sometimes some interpretation might not be the best (and sometimes there is some obscure business behind the scenes), but that’s how they will get better, how they will improve. If we have a small market and small audience, it is difficult to produce great movies with little budget, so I believe the producers and the actors/actresses try their best and we just need a little patience and an open mind, because we might get a surprise!
We can raise questions, actually this article is more like a self reflection, I’m also evaluating my own behavior. Why do we think like this in general? For instance, is the Portuguese cinema all bad or do we actually have good movies, but we just saw or heard about this awful movie and we assume that everything else is also bad quality? Do
“ (...) we don’t give value to our national cinema (...)
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Author: Catarina
The film industry wants to go eco Two. On average, this is how many minutes of a series or movie are shot during the entire shooting day. In addition to a horrendous sum of money, it takes a lot of light, water, fuel and other materials. Albert comes to the rescue and wants to convince the filmmakers to go eco. Who or what is Albert? It is a project co-founded by the British Film Academy (BAFTA) to reduce the carbon footprint of large-scale productions and to encourage filmmakers to promote sustainable development through their channels. The originators conduct trainings, during which they make creators aware of ecology and climate change and above all, they give tips on what can be changed to save not only raw materials used in production, but also money. So far they have cooperated with the BBC, ITV, Warner Bros and have just signed a contract with British Netflix. Raw materials used on the set. Cameras, computers and lights used to shoot specific scenes are only a fraction of the electricity consumed on the set: there are also strong lights in the changing rooms and, above all, the energy that powers computers during post-production (editing a 20-minute series takes around a week). Transport plays an important role in productions recorded in several locations. Film crews fly from place to place, consuming hectoliters of fuel, and productions that do not need to travel so much are not better - they often use an excessive number of cars, which emit additional exhaust gases. Food served by cate-
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ring is often in plastic packaging, which additionally adds tons of plastic into circulation. In addition, it is common practice to throw out costumes and props in the garbage. What to do to reduce resource consumption on the set? It turns out that you can implement simple steps to reduce the carbon footprint of your movie productions and also save money. In the series "Dark Heart", ITV Studios hired actors from London, which eliminated air travel, and the creators of the British-French "Informer" put on travel by rail, thanks to which they saved about 37 000 pounds. The team of the fourth season of production of "Poldark" managed to reduce the carbon footprint by 40.6% only by changing the lighting (using LEDs) and engaging in the production of local extras, producers or lighting specialists (previously the crew was „imported” from other cities).
70%, incl. by switching from generators to mains power and persuading its employees to ride in one car (carpooling). Other productions have implemented, among other things, the use of catering from local food suppliers, hybrid or electric cars, and the widespread use of biodegradable cookware and reusable bottles. Albert gives special certificates to the products that follow their guidelines and evaluates them appropriately (from 1 to 3 stars) according to the progress in the field of sustainable development. You may find more information about Alberta here: http://wearealbert.org/
The creators of "Peaky Blinders" turned out to be the most ecological so far. In addition to hiring local workers and changing lighting, they rented props and costumes, giving them a second life. The "Victoria" series - popular in Great Britain - has reduced its carbon footprint by
“ (...) "Poldark" managed to
reduce the carbon footprint by 40.6% (...)
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Author: Marlena
What’s the difference? Greeks and Czechs laugh together Greece and the Czech Republic have seemingly little in common. The main obvious difference is the climate, which results in many other logical differences. According to many studies, warm weather and sea make people more open minded and positive. We can see that, for example, in the number of sunny hours per year: in Czechia, we have about 1500, while in Greece the number is around 2500. This is where more vitamin D and endorphins come from, which seem to ensure a happier life and a positive open mind, which I absolutely admire in Greece. The Greeks live in the now! They don't think much about what will happen tomorrow or what happened yesterday, they rather enjoy often a strong bond for life. every passing minute. This brings a lot of joy and sorrow. On the contrary, a lot of sun also brings fatigue and the need for rest - siesta. Thanks to this, On the other hand, the Czech nature seems the prevailing opinion in the Czech Republic colder and more closed. However, when you is that Greeks are a very lazy nation. But the make a friendship in the Czech Republic, it is opposite is true. According to statistics, Greeks are more working than people in the Czech Republic. However, wages in Greece are lower, so in this case even higher performance results in over-indebtedness, unemployment and poverty. Thanks to the warm weather, Greeks can enjoy long summer evenings full of fun, food and alcohol. Despite this fact, however, they do not drink more alcohol than the Czech beer nation. As of negative indicators, Czechs are perhaps only leading in alcohol consumption. At 11.6 liters per head, they drink 3.7 liters more pure alcohol per year than the Greeks. And life expectancy is increasing in southern Europe. 20
The most important difference, from my point of view, lies in the presence of the sea. It's not just about swimming and lounging on the beach: the view of the sea brings calm and slowing down. And in Greece, it is not just an ordinary sea, but crystal beauty blue water. But these two nations have surprisingly much in common, too. The first data that we can quantify is the population of both countries, which is around 10 millions. Another thing that is somewhat different from other Mediterian states is the sense of humor. In the Greek, there is often a great deal of irony and black humor, which is very similar to the Czech one. Laughter is one of the most important components of human communication, and Cze- The important Czech director Petr Zelenka chs and Greeks often understand each other in works in a very similar way. His existential this regard. dramas turn into an absurd cycle of events at some point, and the viewer no longer knows Evidently, this can also be observed in cinema- what mystification is and what reality is. Even tography. The current so-called “Greek Weird these films contain very intelligent ironic huWave" has many elements in common with the mor. Among his films, I recommend watching Czech absurd existential comedies from the mainly Loners, Lost in Munich and Wrong 1990s and around the year 2000. At the head Side Up. No one would call them purely comeof this "Greek Weird Wave" is the director Yor- dies, but I am convinced that the Greek viewer gos Lanthimos. His films such as Kynodontas, would very easily understand this wit. Alps, Lobster seem like a serious drama on the outside. During the observation, however, the It is not important to look for what divides viewer discovers that these are worlds full of us, but what unites us, and laugh together. their own rules and inexplicable phenomena. Each film has a strong dose of ironic humor.
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Author: Katerina
My Project name of the project Medianeras place of the project K.a.ne Social Youth Development address Kalamata, Greece website https://ngokane.org/en/home-page/ facebook & e-mail https://www.facebook.com/kane. kalamata/ info@ngokane.org youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCMW5Pjw-wpEBSd5pAA_4eMg
My name is Baptiste and I am volunteering in K.A.NE.’s office in Kalamata. K.A.NE. is a non-governmental organisation that promotes national and international youth work.
People I work with: I work with another volunteer, Paula from Argentina. She’s helping me in the shooting and editing of videos. I also work with my ESC Coordinator, Nadiana.
What are my tasks? My role in K.a.ne is to make videos for the Youtube channel “K.a.neTV”. Among other things, I have to make a presentation video to promote K.a.ne. I have to present the organization and its projects: The Youth Centre, The Educational Centre, the Street Festival and K.a.ne Digital.
What I love about my project: I studied audiovisual production and I have loved cinema since I was young, so I obviously love my project! I like it because it’s really creative work. What I am learning from it: I studied audiovisual production but I never really worked on the technique. This volunteering allows me to learn a lot of things about the technical side of the field. I am learning a lot about shooting and above all about editing. I think it’s a really interesting experience.
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Author: Baptiste
My Sending Organisation Pistes-Solidaires is a not-for-profit NGO developing access to all types of mobility with one aim: to make professional experience abroad accessible to all. Firstly, for volunteering, they rely on programmes such as the European Solidarity Corps or the Civic Service with an international focus. These mobilities are programmes financially supported by the European Commission (ESC) or the French Government (Civic Service). For these two programmes they have many offers throughout the year. For internships, jobs or volunteering opportunities, they have created wanago.world: a unique service in France which brings together on the same site offers of internships, jobs or volunteering in many fields and many countries. Wanago.world gives access to information and good deals for any international internship. This service meets the expectations of students who need to do an internship abroad. Finally, they have developed the Take Off device. It is aimed primarily at young people who have never experienced expatriation and wish to take a short-term view of it. Short-term means experiences of 1 or 2 months abroad.
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name Pistes Solidaires address Pau, France website https://www.pistes-solidaires.fr/ facebook https://www.facebook.com/pistesolidaires/about e-mail com@pistes-solidaires.fr
My experience: Everything went pretty fast for me. I contacted Pistes-Solidaires in June and they sent me the Kane’s offer almost instantly. I had a videoconference scheduled in the beginning of July and I received a positive answer within a week. They accompanied me really well during the preparation and answered all of my questions. I feel well supervised during this experience.
Author: Baptiste
Interview For this LINK’s edition, I interviewed the one and only Marlena Kaczamarek, a volunteer from Poland, who was living in Kalamata for 2 months and is now leaving.
ESC Volunteer
Name Marlena Kaczmarek Nationality Polish Hosting organisation K.A.NE. Volunteering project Unity in Diversity Place Kalamata | GREECE
Interviewer: When you compare Polish and Greek
mentality, can you see any differences? Marlena: Openness, I think that on the first glance the Polish people aren't that open. Also, here there is this popular 'siga siga' mentality. In Poland, I have never experienced such a thing, that people work and live that slowly. But maybe it's a good thing because they may enjoy life more. Also, that everyone here is late (including me): in Poland it doesn't happen that often. Interviewer: What do you like about Greece and Kalamata the most? 24
Marlena: I love that wherever you go here, you might find something interesting like banana trees, basil bushes or palm trees. Sometimes you might bump into fig trees and accidentally steal some of their fruits. And of course I love the sea, it makes me calm. Interviewer: Did you have any cultural shock on your arrival? Marlena: Yes, I had! To be precise, I'm amazed by this all the time. There are no beach thieves. I'm not afraid of leaving my phone on the beach and going to the water because I know that when I'm back, the phone will still be there. In touristic places I visited before, I would never just leave the phone on the sunbed. course I had some, I wanted to develop myself as a person, gain new skills, learn new things and in the end prepare a podcast that I would show later to my future employer. But the reality is quite different, so let's just say that the expression 'don't expect anything' that is on the wall in the volunteers’ apartment is very accurate in my case.
Interviewer: Back in Poland, do you have any Greek stereotypes? And are they true? Marlena: We have this expression 'to pretend that you are a Greek' which means that you pretend that you don't know something, but the other party knows that you know it. Also, in Poland there's a stereotype saying that Greek people are lazy, but I dont think it's true.
Interviewer: Did you enjoy this project? Marlena: Yes, it was a nice experience, especially because it came after the quarantine. I felt that I needed to refresh my head and I did, so I'm really glad that I've taken part in it. And I would recommend it to anyone who's reading this right now. Give yourself a chance and go on ESC, it doesn't cost you anything except for your life courage.
Interviewer: What do you do when you're not working? Marlena: Cooking. I cook a lot here and also try to experience new things like new cousine, views (the best are from the mountains) or just go to the beach and relax there (boring, I know!). Interviewer: Did you miss something from Poland? Marlena: My bike, I really miss riding my bike, exploring new forest paths and feeling super tired after all. Also, I miss pierogi - the best food in the world! Interviewer: Did you have any expectations before the project started? Marlena: Well..I tried not to have any, but of 25
Interviewer: Viktor
Interview For the LINK movie issue, I interviewed Sofia Pouloupati, a volunteer in the documentary festival of Kalamata.
Who are you and where are you from? I'm Sofia Pouloupati and I'm from Kalamata. I‘ve been working for the Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival for the last 4 years, contributing to all kinds of tasks, like translation/subtitling, graphics creation, site management/social media, communication with the filmmakers‌ you name it. What is your motivation to work as a volunteer on the documentary festival and do you want to participate also next year? At first, it was the contact with new people and filmmakers from all over the world that motivated me to participate. I also thought it was a good opportunity to gain knowledge and experience through my participation. But it is such a great experience, that it is no coincidence that those who participate for the first time as volunteers wish to do so again the following year. What do you think about volunteering in general and have you also been a volunteer before this festival? It was my first time as a volunteer, and the opportunity came along in a short period that I was between jobs, when someone talked to me about it and suggested that 26
Local Volunteer
Name Sofia Nationality Greek Organisation Peloponnisos International Documentary Festival Place Kalamata | GREECE
it would be nice for me to check it out. Before that, I had never volunteered before, nor can I say that I had thought about it. However, in general, I consider the experience gained through the participation to be incredibly positive. Do you like movies and do you have any closer connection to them? I generally like to watch movies (and series), mostly with company but also on my own when there's time. I watch all kinds of films, though lately I prefer more science fiction and thrillers. I don't have
any closer connection with cinema though and I only see it as an entertainment or a pleasant way to spend your free time. Do you think that documentary films have a specific function or that they are even more important than other genres of movies? The documentary differs from fiction films both in terms of its creation technique but also concerning its audience and purpose. I see documentaries as a means of education and raising public awareness on issues that are not widely known through the media. And I can see, through my work at the festival, that it reaches particularly young ages, opens up children's horizons and makes them think, raises questions and cultivates the ground for constructive discussion.
lean to like -or dislike- some character while watching a film, I don't think I've ever been identified with one so much that I could say that, you know what, this is my life, that's me, that's my personality. But who hasn't said to oneself, watching movies, that “I'd like to have those powers” or “this life”, or - at least – “this body”… So for me, that's the process of watching a movie: to get in someone else’s shoes, be someone else, live somewhere else, do something different through the character, even for a little while. Personally, for me, it is always heroes with superpowers.
Do you prefer movies or books? Well, I never say no to a good book, and even though the stimuli you get from watching a movie are overwhelming, I can say that books travel me in their own way, they stay in my memory longer and they somehow touch me deeper. So I always avoid watching a book’s film adaptation if I haven't read it first and I can say that almost always the result of the film in relation to the book disappoints me. I only wish I had more time for reading books than the time I spend watching films.
What movie title would you give to 2020? Well, that's hard... Judging by all the unpresented things we live and all the crazy things that happen, like the virus straight out of Plague Inc., the international lockdown, our grotesque government, tensions with our neighbor country, the explosions in Lebanon, riots worldwide, nazis and dictatorships nearby…. It could very well be a dark humor doomsday film with an ironic title like “The Year of Living Stupidly” or “2020: Clear Vision of Hell”– and it would be a movie that would instantly become a Netflix blockbuster.
If you were a movie character, who would you be? Even though I'm fascinated by movies and I
If you were about to get an Oscar, for what category would it be? Well…. I really do not know how to answer this… I guess, if I master film editing and special effects (LOL), I could be nominated for the Best Film Editing… Photos by nik.gr
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Interviewer: Kassandra
W’Art?!
“Lost in Hollywood”
(a song by System Of A Down, album: Mezmerize, 2005) "So that’s how I think of Hollywood. People who don’t live here see it as a fantasy land. But I see people giving up their morals, giving up their lives, giving up everything for this town. All the girls who came here to be actresses and ended up as porn stars; all the girls who came here to be models and ended up strippers…" Daron Malakian understands Hollywood’s dirty reality pretty well. Before he became a co-founder and guitarist of System Of A Down – one of the most recognizable rock/ metal bands – he had lived near Santa Monica Boulevard with his parents. As a child he witnessed all that’s wrong with Hollywood, even though his parents tried to protect him. From the playground of his school he would watch prostitutes, homeless, drug addicts and drunks walking down the streets. Growing up, he witnessed countless stories of broken dreams: ambitious musicians with their talents being taken advantage of, young actresses beautiful dreams, being promised fame, but ending up on a being forced to become porn stars to survive, street corner. hopeful young artists becoming drug addicts. He saw people coming to L.A. full of hope and Having eye-witnessed those experiences, in his adult life as a successful musician, Malakian decided to write a song about
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the way Hollywood really was. The lyrics of the „Lost in Hollywood� ballad depict this cruel world of competitive music/movie industry, where people exploit others on a daily basis. Showbusiness manipulates people, makes them cynical, breaks them.
for young artists, but also as a reminder for us, not to trust the colourful images of carefree "fantasy land" Hollywood that we see in TV and newspapers. Lyrics I'll wait here, you're crazy Those vicious streets are filled with strays You should've never gone to Hollywood They find you, two time you Say you're the best they've ever seen You should've never trusted Hollywood
"Lost in Hollywood" is an over 5 minutes long grim ballad. The lyrical subject is trying to warn a girl, who came to Hollywood in order to fulfill her dream of being famous. He tells her that she will be treated as an object, manipulated and exploited. He shows her a city full of lies, deception, selfishness, dirt and crime. I wrote you and told you You were the biggest fish out here I consider this song a musical masterpiece. I love You should've never gone to Hollywood that it is full of emotional, protracted howls perfor- They take you and make you med by Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian. Their They looked at you in disgusting ways sonorous, clear voices give me shivers every time You should've never trusted Hollywood I listen to this song. A subtle guitar track is just a background for beautiful vocals; quietly growing I was standing on the wall, feeling ten feet tall drum rhythm is building tension. It creates a very All you maggots smoking fags on Santa Monica Boulespecific mood of hopelessness, feeling of injustice vard and sad rage. This is my front page, this is my new age All you bitches put your hands in the air I think this song deserves a bigger recognition. It And wave 'em like you just don't care sends a very clear message: it exposes a dark side All you maggots smoking fags out there on Sunset Bouof any artistic industry, which is based on human levard talent exploitation to get enormous money for big All you bitches put your hands in the air business companies. This song serves as a warning And wave 'em like you just don't care Phony people come to pray, ah, ah, ah Look at all of them beg to stay Phony people come to pray, ah The lines in the letter said, "We have gone to Hackensack" Look at all of them beg to stay Phony people come to pray All you maggots smoking fags on Santa Monica Boulevard All you maggots smoking fags out there on Sunset Boulevard All you maggots smoking fags out there on Hollywood Boulevard You should've never trusted Hollywood You should've never gone to Hollywood All you bitches put your hands in the air And wave 'em like you just don't care You should've never trusted Hollywood 29
Author: Hania
Place to travel Kalamata's Hiking Club You don't have to be a child to feel like a child. Just go on a trip with the Hiking Club of Kalamata - ΕΟΣ Καλαμάτας. It was my spontaneous decision and by the way the best in my life!
It was going to be a rainy day. I only went there with two other girls. We didn't sign up but we could still go on the trip. When we were supposed to leave, people from the Hiking Club told us to leave everything in the car and we started the expedition. We didn't really understand and still wanted to take our backpacks. Only one lady told us that we can take them, but we are 100 percent sure that they will be completely wet. And she was right. Fortunately, she convinced us and we left things in the car. We also dressed up in nature, because we didn't think that a swimsuit would be necessary from the very beginning of the trip. Our first steps started at the foot of Mount Lycaea, where the beautiful Neda River flows out, which is the natural boundary between the Prefecture of Ilia and Messinia. It was crazy when we found out that we had to go into the water in our shoes and make sure the shoelaces were well tied. Our whole trip to the 30
waterfalls on the river was a great adventure, where I felt like a little girl who came up with an idea that is very ridiculous. Everyone seemed very happy during the trip. Most of the people have already been on this trip a few times, but they were still very adventurous. They gave us advice on which side of the river it is better to go. In some places, the river was very rushing, in others there was no feeling of bottom. We could jump from the cliff to the water and swim inside the cave, where it was dark and water was flowing down on us from the ceiling. This feeling when you are in such a place for the first time in your life and you don't know what awaits you next is unearthly! Then we climbed the rope, my dream of a climbing wall finally came true! Next to floating waterfalls there was a rope to climb and we had to use it. There were a lot of waterfalls and the biggest one we called Niagara Falls, but I don't know if this is the official name. Then we swam in the crystal water and admired the beautiful wildlife around us. After crossing the mountainous terrain, we got into a car pack, and drove along winding paths to the village of Neda, where we had a delicious Greek dinner. During our adventure we made a lot of friends with the local people and are already planning further adventures. I'm really happy that I wa-
sn't held back by the bad weather and I could have survived that day with the Hiking Club. I strongly encourage everyone not to spend lazy time on the couch, but to take an interest in local activities of adventurous people and children's curiosity. Ideas to spend time creatively: hiking club, stud farm, furniture refurbishment, city games, shrubbery forming, hairdressing, dance learning, making comics, storytelling, podcasting, murals, orienteering, creation of family trees, escape room games, survival, parkour, the art of illusion, animal training, pantomime, archery, paintball, hula-hoop, fencing, juggling, beekeeping, water and cross-country skis, public speaking, cycling. Have fun rediscovering the world!
Photographers: Alimonos Manolis and Vassilis Nikas
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Author: Agata
Previous
Events Kalamata Creative Documentary Center presents: regular film screenings
Mountaineering Association of Kalamata - EOS Kalamatas
Organizer: Kalamata Creative Documentary Center Place: Kalamata old town Date: to be announced Time: evenings Link: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeDocumentaryCenter/
Organiser: Kalamata’s city hall and CoE Faris Date: 27/9/2020 Place: Temple of Apollo Epicurius Level: Beginners Leader: Kostas Konstantopoulos Contact: 6942233010 Website: https://eoskal.gr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oreibatikos. kalamatas/
Kalamata Creative Documentary Center starts another season of regular screenings. The dates are TBA, so check their facebook page from time to time for more details. Be prepared for a variety of thought provoking, awareness raising films focusing on many different social (and not only!) topics. The entrance is usually free.
Animasyros13 International Animation Festival Place: Syros (the island) Date: 23-27.09.2020 Link: https://animasyros.gr/ Animasyros International Animation Festival, the largest Animation Festival in the country, will be held for the 13th consecutive year, presenting a rich artistic programming as well as international collaborations, from 23 to 27 September 2020, on the island of Syros, in co-organization with the Municipality of Syros – Ermoupolis and the Representation of the European Commission in Greece. Responding to the special conditions that prevail due to the pandemic of Covid-19, Animasyros 13 adopts a new form, that of “Phygital”. The rich program of the Festival will be shown in situ on the island of Syros, while the most important part thereof will be broadcasted in a secure live streaming platform, giving the viewer the feeling, from anywhere in the world, that s/he is actually attending the Festival, while it actually takes place.
13th Ascent of Taygetos 2020 Cycling road race by Σ.Π.Ο.Κ. EFKLIS Organiser: Σ.Π.Ο.Κ. EFKLIS Place: 23rd of March Square - Upper Market of Kalamata Date: 27/9/2020 Time: 11:00 a.m. The racing cycling department of S.P.O.K. EFKLIS organizes with the support of the Municipality of Kalamata the inter-club road cycling race named "13th Taygetos Ascent 2020", on Sunday, 27th September 2020 in Kalamata. The race is included in the competition program of E.O.P. and gives a rating to the individual and group ranking of E.O.P. The total route is 45.27 km with 1280 m altitude difference. 32
Ilias was born and raised in Attica. He studied Psychology at the University of Ioannina and is a certified coach. He began dancing as a self-taught hip hop and breakdance performer at the age of ten, and has since trained in many different kinds of dance.
Planned
“Fixation in Duo” is a performance that has many questions to ask: is there development in obsession or are we just circling around ourselves and our usual behaviours? Can we truly communicate with one another when each of us is lost in the vortex of our own obsession? The performance was fun, but tricky, clever and dodgy, but relatively easy to understand, there were some laughs of spectators, but also consternation. It was all arranged in the styles of Hip Hop and Popping, and it certainly reached the younger audience. You can see his performances here: https://vimeo.com/iliaschatzi and, although they don’t include smashing faces into cakes, as the dancers did on stage, I still truly recommend to watch them.
26th Kalamata International Dance Festival Organizer: Ministry of culture & sports, Municipality of Kalamata and “PHARIS” Kalamata Municipality Beneficiary Organisation Place: Multiple Locations Date: 21/08/2020 to 30/08/2020 Tickets: free to €10-12 Link: http://kalamatadancefestival.gr/index.php/en/ This year, the 26th Kalamata International Dance Festival had to follow special instructions issued by the Ministry of Health (e.g. the use of masks was mandatory). For ten days, leading Greek and international artists showed their work to art lovers from all over the world. The festival took place in various locations, the spectators could enjoy amazing performances in places like Kalamata Castle Amphitheatre and Kalamata Dance Megaron, but there was also a stage in the Main Square of the city - giving an opportunity to everyone to be a part of the events and see some performances completely for free.
Solidarity events for Beirut: documentary screenings and other
I personally had a chance to see several shows in Platea Agiou Georgiou and I must admit that many of them were this type of artistic choreography, focusing strongly on the human body and its abilities, emotions, feelings, strengths and weaknesses. And although the dances looked highly polished and it certainly required enormous effort and many months of hard work on the part of the performing dancers, I could not feel the message and profundity that certainly were there. I am sure that dance connoisseurs were satisfied, though. But one show definitely caught my attention. It was “Fixation In Duo” by Ilias Chatzigeorgiou.
Organiser: Kalamata Creative Documentary Center Place: parking lot of Archaeological Museum of Messenia in Kalamata Date: 3-5/9/2020 Time: 20:00 Price: free Link: https://www.facebook.com/ events/324287012025048/ As a part of the global assistance to Lebanon to deal with the consequences of the 4/8/2020 explosion, Kalamata Creative Documentary Center, in cooperation with other organisations, created the three-day event on 3-5/9/2020 with the aim of raising money to be distributed to people in immediate need. The event included screenings, music, speeches and an exhibition of works of art for sale. There was also an official guest and speaker, Ms. Zakia Akra, a researcher at the Center for Mediterranean, Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Peloponnese. The entrance for the events was free, although there were a solidarity lottery and a box for financial support. 33
Author: Magdalena
Recipes from Spain ESCALIVADA WITH ANCHOVIES
Easy 1 h 15 mins 4 servings
Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Two large eggplants Two large red peppers Two onions A head of garlic Two ripe tomatoes Four slices of country bread Anchovy boat Black olives Olive oil Parsley Salt Pepper
Preparation: 1. The escalivada is grilled, but as in our kitchens that can be somewhat problematic, we will do it in the oven, so we start by preheating it to 180º C. 2. Wash and dry the peppers and aubergines well and lightly brush them with olive oil. 3. Peel and cut the onions in half. 4. Put everything on a tray. Add the three or four cloves of unpeeled garlic and roast until everything is done. (The time will depend on the oven, and the peppers will surely be done faster, so watch and remove the vegetables as they are roasted. It should take about an hour) 5. Let it cool covered with a cloth and when you can do it without burning, remove the skin of peppers and aubergines, as well as the seeds, and cut into strips using your hands. Then put everything in a fountain. 6. Remove the skin from the garlic and crush it in the mortar with the parsley, the salt and the pepper. Add olive oil to taste, mix well and dress our escalivada with this mixture. 7. Let it rest for at least a couple of hours before serving. 8. At lunchtime, put the bread to toast until it is crunchy. Then, rub garlic and tomato on the bread. Add olive oil and salt. 9. Finally, put the escalivada on the bread and add four anchovies and some black olives on the top. 34
Author: Tania
CREMA CATALANA (Catalan Cream)
Ingredients: Easy 20 mins 4 servings
• 500 ml of milk (normally whole milk is used, but we have also prepared it with semi-skimmed milk and it is equally delicious and creamy) • 1 cinnamon stick • The skin of half a lemon • Orange peel • 4 egg yolks • 15 gr of cornstarch • 60 gr of sugar plus 1-2 tablespoons per serving to caramelize on top
Preparation: The Catalan cream is a kind of pastry cream or custard with a crunchy crust based on caramelized sugar. Legend has it that its invention was like many other desserts due to an error, when in a convent some nuns wanted to make a flan for a bishop who was going to visit them and, as is often the case, it did not turn out well. So that Her Eminence would not have to wait, the nuns caramelized the surface and served it, thus giving rise to the burnt cream. 1. Put a glass of milk in a bowl along with the corn flour and stir so that the cornstarch dissolves. 2. Add the 4 egg yolks and the sugar. Beat well so that all the ingredients are mixed. 3. Put the rest of the milk to heat in a wide saucepan (low flame) and add the cinnamon stick and the lemon and orange peel. 4. When the milk starts to boil, turn off the fire and remove the cinnamon stick and the lemon and orange peel. 5. Add the mixture of eggs and sugar to the milk. Stir so that the ingredients blend. 6. Turn the fire on again to the minimum. Continue beating the mixture without stopping so that it does not stick, until it starts to boil again and it thickens. 7. Turn off the heat and put the cream in individual clay containers or in a source. Let it cool. 8. When serving the Catalan cream, put sugar on top and burn it with a burner or a burning shovel until the sugar is caramelized. 35
Author: Tania
The volunteers responsible for this publication are hosted in Greece in the framework of the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Commission. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
