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Art+Culture | Who’s behind whatt+Culture | Who’s behind what
Ar

Élise Jalladeau
The French
connection

The Managing Director of
Thessaloniki International Film
Festival on her cinematographic
journey. H Γενική Διευθύντρια
του Φεστιβάλ Κινηματογράφου
της Θεσσαλονίκης μιλά για την
κινηματογραφική διαδρομή της.

by Melina Melikidou

So, how did you become a “Greek”?
I found myself working in Athens as
member of the diplomatic corps. I
came in 2010, at the beginning of the
recession when a lot of Greeks were
leaving to work abroad. It was a true
challenge. I think I adapted quite easily
as my relationship with the place wasn't
one of passion, adoration or hatred. I
hardly knew Greece and I hadn't visited
since 1976. Greece became my second
homeland without me being critical
towards the country or its people. That's
how I became Greek via my neutrality.

But you came to Thessaloniki for
a reason.
In Athens I worked at the French
Institute organising the Francophone
Film Festival. When my work there
ended, I returned to Paris only to find
out there was a job opening at the
Festival that might be suitable for me. I
prepared a list of propositions and I was
eventually nominated Director.
The city in 5 words.
Nightly, lively, marine, poetical, youthful.

Your favourite walk.
I was born and raised in Nantes, a
city that like Thessaloniki has a big,
important port. I love its waterfront;
every week we walk all along it. Α walk
in Ano Poli is equally exciting. You can
learn a lot about a city's history and

54 GREC14N S/F 2018