While Renos Charalambidis’ new film “Night Herald” is being edited, a tribute to his film career is being organized by the Hellenic Film Society at the Museum of the Moving Image from October 13 to 15 in New York (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=K40y3Prsa-o).

As stated on the New York Film Expo website “…the retrospective pays tribute to one of Greece’s true creators, whose life’s work is his art, encompassing his talents as a director, actor, screenwriter and musician . Renos represents the best side of Greece and Greek cinema with his personal reflections on modern Athenian life at the core of each of his films.”

“A retrospective for a director is a rare opportunity to reflect on his work in the presence of an audience. And when the audience is that of New York, which is characterized by its cosmopolitan outlook that gave birth to independent American cinema, the retrospective becomes a test of the durability of old films both over time and on foreign-speaking, well-informed audiences. It is a great honor for me to present this overall presentation of my work at a time when I am finishing my new film in editing “Night Announcer”. I consider it to be the beginning of future retrospectives for directors of my generation,” he told the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency. Renos Charalambidis and adds:

“The public, Greek and international, through a retrospective acquires an overall picture of the work of a certain era and you can enter more deeply into the creator’s universe. All this makes me feel extremely lucky to be living the experience of a retrospective in a film metropolis.”

The special screenings in his filmography

The program of screenings at the Museum of the Moving Image begins with “Four Black Suits” on Friday, October 13 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfYMYTZ8PDo). A road movie starring four bankrupt undertakers who organize the heist that will give them the chance to change their lives by leaving the profession – which initially started as a temporary livelihood solution, but stayed with it for life. A feel-good adventure of life and death and a lesson in the power of love for life. It will be followed by a discussion with David Schwartz, founder of Cinema Projects and former Chief Curator of the Museum of the Moving Image.

The Saturday, October 14 the “No Budget story” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMXRZGnBgeY ) will be shown. A romantic comedy with a poetic mood that deals with the utopian desire of a young man who fantasizes to be a director, to make a poetic-space film of strictly personal expression. The black-and-white “No Budget Story”, by the then twenty-six-year-old director, was praised by Variety, contributing decisively to the development of what was called “Greek Independent Cinema”. A discussion with film historian Andrew Horton will follow. Andrew Horton is a professor of film at the University of Oklahoma and the author of thirty books on cinema including books on the films of Theodoros Angelopoulos (Princeton U Press, 1999).

On the same day, “Heart of the Beast” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErLYbkwn3k ), a mix of urban noir, wry comedy and bittersweet satire of human foibles, starring David Schwartz in dedicated panel.

Her Sunday, October 15 will be shown “Cheap Cigarettes” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WizlrsT27ew ), a film-tribute to the center of Athens and to the unrequited love, which marked the beginning of the 2000s thanks to the urban romance and its nocturnal, youthful aesthetic. A discussion with film historian Andrew Horton will follow.

In pursuit of the authentic cinematic experience, “Cheap Cigarettes” and “Heart of the Beast” will be screened on 35mm film copies that traveled to New York courtesy of the Hellenic Cinema Center.

The events of the tribute in New York

At the Greek Consulate in New York, from October 11 to 27, there will be a photo exhibition behind the camera of the film “Four Black Suits”, focusing on “Ithaca” by K.P. Cavafy.

On Sunday, October 15, there will be a concert by the internationally renowned jazz vibraphonist Christos Raphaelides before the screening of the film “Cheap Cigarettes” at the Museum of the Moving Image. After their collaboration at the Alternative Stage of the National Opera, in 2021 and 2022, where the film was staged as a musical performance directed by Constantinos Rigou, Renos Charalambidis and Christos Raphaelidis meet again in New York, presenting the music of the film written by Panagiotis Kalantzopoulos, arranged for solo vibraphone (https://www.nationalopera.gr/enalaktiki-skini/enalaktiki-skini-mioyzikal/item/4092-ftina-tsigara).

As part of the retrospective, Andrew Horton’s book “Renos Haralambidis: Cinema & Manhood as radical carnival” from Ianos publications will be presented (https://www.ianos.gr/renos-haralambidis:-cinema-manhood-as-radical- carnival-0556551).

On October 13, at 11:00, a masterclass will be given by Reno Charalambidis at the archetypal “The Players Club”, New York’s oldest actors’ club since the end of the 19th century (https://hellenicfilmusa.org/master-class- renos-haralambidis). As part of the masterclass, the documentary “Filming the heart of the beast” will be available with English subtitles on YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=7NkWBft4bf66LwjD&v=SW4m–D8IX0&feature=youtu.be).

On October 12th at Hana House, Brooklyn, after the discussion “Directors on Directors” with Reno Charalambidis and distinguished filmmakers there will be a retrospective party.