Oscar Winning Director Costa-Gavras Only US Appearance

Philadelphia Cinema Alliance (PCA), continues La Cinematheque: New French Films with the second film in the once-a-month series with Eden is West (Eden ‘a cliques) by director Costa-Gavras Thursday, October 22, 2009 6:45pm, Prince Music Theater (1412 Chestnut Street).

Prior to the screening, Costa-Gavras will receive the PCA Artistic Achievement Award. The special award presentation will include a conversation with the Oscar winning director and a tribute clip reel featuring highlights of “his body of work”:Z (1969), The Confession (1970), State of Siege (1972), Missing (1982), Hanna K (1983) and Betrayed (1988) just to name a few.

Eden is West (Eden ‘a cliques) Synopsis:Uplifting, funny and, occasionally, heartrending… at the film’s centre is Elias – whose personality combines the naivety of Voltaire’s Candide, the innocent charm of Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp and the tenacity of Homer’s Ulysses. Scamarcio’s performance is an absolute tour de force. Eden is West is the journey of one man from an unknown country with an unknown past and an extremely unstable future..

PCA Artistic Director, Raymond Murray says, “With Eden is West, we’re hoping to introduce him to a younger audience in addition to the many cinephiles in our region who already admire and respect his films but haven’t had the opportunity to see much of his more recent work.”

For those of you like me, who before this film series, had never heard the name Costa-Gavras before, here’s a little Wikipedia background:

Costa Gavras is known for merging controversial political issues with the entertainment value of commercial cinema. Law and justice, oppression, legal/illegal violence, and torture are common subjects in his work, especially relevant to his earlier films.

Through popular media, Costa Gavras has brought attention to international issues, some urgent, others merely problematic, and he has done this in the tradition of cinematic story-telling. Z (1969), easily his most famous work, is an account of the undermining in the 1960s of democratic government in Greece, his homeland and place of birth. The format, however, is a mystery-thriller combination that transforms an uncomfortable history into a riveting story.

To purchase tickets to October 22nd Screening of Eden is West:

Members of PCA and the Prince Music Theater and Bryn Mawr Film Institute: $7 for a single ticket /$14.25 for the Series of Three Remaining Films (Your Seat is only $4.75 per film).

General Admission: $9.50 for a single ticket/$18.75 for the Series of Three Remaining Films(Your Seat is only $6.25 per film).

Student Prices: $5 for a single ticket/$11.25 for the Series of Three Remaining Films (Your Seat is only $3.75 per film).

All tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 267-765-9800, ext. 4, 10am to 6pm, Monday through Friday or online at phillycinema.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door on the night of the screenings. Group sales are also available by phone.