How much an award costs...

Recently I returned from the Angel Film Awards, Monte Carlo; a Festival for Non Violent Films. The experience was unique, not only because Monte Carlo is a breathtaking place to see but also because this festival even small, had wonderful people full of positive energy, ideas.

Many creative people, screenwriters, producers, directors, actors, journalists, people who work behind the scenes, from all the places of the world, were there. The hosts, Rosana Golden, Dean Bentley, Daniella Gonella, the Master of Ceremonies, Babita Sharma and the wonderful, full of great female professionals, jury, they all created a relaxing, friendly ‘Monte Carlo’ atmosphere, as if we knew them years now.

What was the most important feeling I had, was that all participants, were open to communicate. This atmosphere of talking and sharing and exchanging information, cards, ideas, thoughts, even suggestions of cooperation, impressed me.

I had no idea how much an award costs. How can value a piece of paper… I accepted two awards, one ‘Best Family Drama’ and the other ‘Special Mention for Best Screenplay’. I started writing this script when I was pregnant to my little Antonina, the miracle of our life. It took me almost nine months to complete it (before correcting it, of course). Months, days and nights of constant work and constant love in words; a baby in words, I would say.

 

 

No, an award cannot be paid with money. Is a moral and sentimental recognition that this endless love for creation, of building a new universe with worlds, of creating a whole village of people, characters, painful and happy events, creating a sort of a new life, is appreciated by others, outside my own being, and that is important: It touched others’ hearts...

As I said in my speech, in tough periods like the one we are living now in Greece, where the old and rotten is replaced painfully and slowly by new and clearer conditions, these two pieces of paper give me strength to move on, to keep on creating new worlds, emotions, feelings knowing that I follow the right, full of light, path…  

Jury members: Daniella Gonella, producer and Suzanne Kendall, actress.

(Photo: Thank you e. christophorou)