His “journey” to Patras begins again this year mobile municipal cinemaoffering citizens the opportunity to enjoy films free of charge, both in the atmospheric atrium of the old municipal hospital, in the old town, and in the neighborhoods of Patras.

As stated by the president of the cultural organization of the municipality of Patreon, speaking to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, Katerina Geropanagiotiwith the form that the mobile municipal cinema has acquired, we don’t have just one performance, or some summer performances, but now it is an institution, which starts for two months in the summer and continues with events of a festive or anniversary nature, such as, for example, the Christmas, or on anniversaries for the anti-fascist struggle of our people».

At the same time, he emphasizes that “the Patra audience embraces all cultural activities, loves the arts and therefore also the mobile municipal cinema”.

Regarding the operation of the mobile municipal cinema, Katerina Geropanagioti tells APE – BEE that “started in 2015 by the current municipal authority” and continues: “We are not limited to some screenings in a specific place, such as the atrium of the old municipal hospital, but we also go to the neighborhoods of our city, where two films are shown every week, while we mainly cooperate with the cultural associations, so that the citizens watch the municipal cinema».

He also emphasizes that “as a cultural organization we cover all the costs of these events and offer them to the public of Patras with free entry for all».

Regarding the municipal authority’s decision on the operation of the mobile municipal cinema, Katerina Geropanagioti tells APE-MPE that “we believe that it is necessary to offer cultural activities to our fellow citizens” and he adds: “It is the same that led us to go to neighborhood musical groups, to have established the institution of amateur theater, to give a step to amateur theater groups and in general it is the same that leads us to have a multitude of cultural actions, because we believe that culture is a need that must be satisfied. After all, we do everything in our power to entertain our fellow citizens in difficult circumstances, since, unfortunately, problems abound in every single family».

Regarding the public’s response, Katerina Panagioti notes that “Patras has a very nice audience” And it continues: “The public of Patras embraces all cultural activities, loves the arts and therefore also municipal cinema. In fact, there are hundreds of fellow citizens who watch the films shown by the mobile municipal cinema, while we, for our part, make sure to show films that cover all interests».

Regarding the selection of the films shown, Katerina Geropanagioti tells APE – BEE that “in all our artistic actions there is a collective processing by experienced workers of the cultural organization of our municipality, who will look for what new can be shown and how we can embrace productions from other countries as well».

For example“, he notes, “this year we have collaboration with Spanish, Italian and Korean cinema, through corresponding proposals that have been made, while last year we had collaboration with the international youth festival of Ancient Olympia».

So“, he emphasizes, “we enable our fellow citizens to ‘travel’ through the municipal cinema and here we must say that the workers of the production department of the cultural organization deserve congratulations, who essentially have the first say».

Mobile municipal cinema

Answering the question, if a municipal cinema is coming to make up for the absence of summer cinemas, Katerina Geropanagioti notes: “This I suppose is one prisoner, but what we see is that where there is free entry, that is to say in the mobile municipal cinema, in the amateur theatre, in our musical and theatrical productions, it is the need of the people to be entertained, without needing to spend money. In particular, we see people’s will to get out of the house, because it is a social need for people to watch a cultural event. It also allows people to come closer and have the opportunity to communicate and chat with old and new friends».

At this point he states that “it is an issue that there was no state care and concern for the municipal cinema and this shows the lack of sensitivity of the rulers for cultural issues, as well as the absence of support for cultural events” adding: “Patra, although it was first in summer cinemas, unfortunately today there is absolutely no infrastructure, because everything was given to the needs of business».

This year’s screenings of the mobile municipal cinema start on Tuesday June 6 in the atrium of the old municipal hospital at 9:30 in the evening with the first Belgian-produced film “On the playground – the playground”, the central theme of which is violence in schools. The film has received the Fipresci Award – A Certain Look at the Cannes Film Festival 2021, special Award for the Promotion of Gender Equality, has participated in the Sarajevo Film Festival 2021, the San Sebastian Film Festival 2021 (official participation), the London Film Festival 2021 (official participation ), and was Belgium’s official submission to the 2022 Academy Awards.

According to Katerina Geropanagioti, the screenings will continue with a film from Malta, “To Skari”, “where viewers will see the difficulties faced by a fisherman who makes a living from the sea, and then films from South Korea will be shown”. .