Stella Grammenos-Dimadis Blog

Do Lectures 24 th April-27 th April, 2014 There was one statement that I kept with me as I embarked on the incredible journey to the 'Do Lectures', a series of lectures, a first for Australia, and notably a unique series of 20 speakers sharing their passion with 70 attendees. That statement was simply, “once you attend the 'Do Lectures', your life is never the same, and you will go away from the lectures a changed person”. I was curious to see how this was to happen and what changes were going to be stirred within me. The Do Lectures were conducted at Payne's Hut, within the Alpine region of Victoria; picturesque, unique, taming, and above all, reinvigorating.   We slept in tents, were fed gourmet food made by local produce and chefs, relaxed, listened and thought about journeys. Life long dreams that were made into tangible realities. I constantly thought about how I would change, and change I did. That change revolved aroun...

I'd like to share the speech that I presented in opening the Art Exhibition at the Hellenic Museum on Sunday the 9th of March, 2014, in celebration of International Women's Day. A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.-Diane Mariechild. What started as a conversation between Varvara Ioannou and myself on how to promote women in the community for International Women's Day, gave rise to an idea that flourished to become the remarkable exhibition aptly titled TRANSFORMATION,. Metasximatismos. This revolves around the theme of CHANGE as specified for International Women's Day by the UN. Varvara Ioannou, founder for Food For Thought and 2006 Nominee for Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award and Elizabeth Gertsakis, an art historian and artist in her own right, have worked tirelessly to bind the event together bringing forth the many talents of the artists represented. The seven Greek Australian Women artis...

"I'm drawn to filmmaking that can transport me.  Film can immerse you, put you there." Kathryn Bigelow 25.12 What began as a discussion with Antonios Baxevanidis on the wonderful writer Thanasis Papastergiou ended up throwing me on a journey of psychological exploration, in particular when I began to read CHRISTMAS, a short story by Thanasis Papastergiou.  What I encountered was a surreal story, very visual, on an ageing man confronted with loneliness on Christmas Day.  In order to fill his life with some semblance of normality, he prepares gifts, organises a luncheon for his family and attempts to connect with them.  Through the story the audience witnesses a man grappling with reality, emotional torment, illusion and the power of his ancestors on his state of mind.  This got me thinking about reality and I figured that in order to discover our reality, we much explore our illusions, thus began the adaptation of...

Art in its perfection is not ostentatious; it lies hid, and works its effect, itself unseen.-Joshua Reynolds 1774 From the moment that my prep teacher gave me some crayons and butcher paper at the age of five, without a word of English to be able to communicate to her and say 'thank you' I immediately gained an understanding of the universal language of art. I found freedom. Whereas before I was constrained in being able to express myself I now had the tools to tell, what seemed to me to be the world, what I was seeing, feeling, noticing and appreciating. I was given wings in the true sense of the word. I began to fly and from that moment onwards I never stopped. Creating all forms of art for me is how I function, mentally and physically; it is my way to express myself in all aspects of life. Thus at five years of age my passion for the Arts was formed and has stayed with me ever since. It makes sense to note that when Winston Churchill was asked to cut a...

The Counselor “ Love is being in bed with you, the rest is waiting.” The Counselor, 2013 I love an opening scene of a film that delves immediately into love making. The relationship is sealed, it becomes the pivotal denominator during the film, and there is nothing else that can happen that can take that importance away. The movie opens with The Counselor (Michael Fassbinder) intimately lying under white sheets with Laura (Penelope Cruz). In this tender moment he asks her to say something sexy, “I want you to put your hands up my dress”, she says, “but you're not wearing a dress”, he coyly remarks, “What does that have to do with it?”, sighing, relishing the moment, then commenting, “You've ruined me”, completely foreshadowing the tragedy that will unfold. For the rest of the film, it is this relationship that remains as the focus, and the demise of the Counselor, whose name we never find out, as he pursues his drug trafficking quest. In the mi...

TABU a film by Miguel Gomes Nothing's said till it's dreamed out in words And nothing's true that figures in words only. Les. A Murray (The Daylight moon-1987) 'Poetry and Religion' TABU Occasionally a film comes along that makes you sit and watch it with eyes wide open, and any interruption will be snarled at. Tabu is so unique that as a filmmaker faith in the art itself will replenish the creative streak that at times hides for any number of reasons. Tabu is filmed in Black and White. This makes it all the more stronger. The visuals therefore are stark. The film is separated in two parts. Part one aptly named, Paradise Lost which follows the life of Pilar in contemporary Portugal who painstakingly attempts to support her friend, Aurora, who gambles and who thinks that her maid is practising voodoo against her. When Aurora falls violently ill, she asks for one man to come to her bedside, Gian Luca...

4TH GREEK-AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Four years ago, Jim Koutsoukos and Ange Arabatzis, decided that a platform to showcase Greek-Australian filmmakers was needed in Australia. The talent they found was immense. The venue was the Loop Bar in Melbourne, and filmmakers were enthusiastic and forthcoming with their films. Filmmakers had included, Christina Heristanidis, Viron Papadopoulos, John Evagora, Jim Stamatakos, George Goularas, Christos Linou, Bill Mousoulis, Jason Raftopoulos, Madeleine Parry, Christopher and Christine Kezelos, Anna Kannava, Anthony Maras, and myself, Stella Dimadis. What they found was that the audience flocked, applauded and felt proud of these innovative filmmakers that were creating stories for and within Australia. This year, Jim Koutsoukos, Stella Dimadis and Katerina Kotsonis joined with the Greek Film Festival, as part of Antipodes, secured Napoloeon Perdis as a sponsor for best film and have encountered phenomenal success, a...