I was born Greek

The life, films and influence of Melina Mercouri (1920-1994) will be explored at a presentation next week

A presentation about the life, times and influence of Melina Mercouri will be held by Dr Andrew Horton, of the Film Program at the University of Oklahoma, at the Greek Orthodox Community Club on Sunday 9 December. An internationally renowned award winning screenwriter and the author of twenty three books on film, screenwriting and cultural studies, his films include Brad Pitt’s first feature, The

 Dark Side of the Sun and the much awarded Something in Between (l983, Yugoslavia, directed by Srdjan Karanovic). He has given screenwriting workshops around the world including Norway, Germany, England, the Czech Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Switzerland and throughout the United States and we are fortunate enough to have him speak at the Greek Orthodox Community Club.

Dr Horton lived and worked in Greece for over eight years during the Junta period in the ’60s, and was personally associated with Melina and her filmmaking husband Jules Dassin. His presentation will share Melina’s influence as a person, as an actress, as a Greek activist against the Junta, and finally as the Minister for Culture in the latter part of her life, assisting the cultural growth of Greece in theatre, film, and the other arts.

The presentation will be accompanied by excerpts of some of her most famous films including Stella (1955), Never on Sunday (1960), Topkapi (1964) and A Dream of Passion (1978). Dr Horton is currently working on a script based on the life of Melina Mercouri I Was Born Greek! Perhaps we can all agree, Greece today needs another Melina or someone like her to help “make a difference in hard times” said Assoc.

Professor Vrasidas Karalis, Sydney University Modern Greek Department. This rare opportunity to see Dr Horton speak about one of Greece’s most influential women will take place Sunday 9 December, 5:30 pm at the Greek Orthodox Community Club, 206-210 Lakemba Street, Lakemba.