Directed by enigmatic and brilliant documentary essayist Chris Marker, The Owl's Legacy is an intellectually agile, engaging and sometimes biting look at ancient Greece, its influences on Western culture -- and how many eras have reinterpreted the Greek legacy to reflect their own needs. In French, Greek and English with English subtitles. All 13 episodes will screen once in four separate programs: March 3 at 1:45 p.m., March 10 at 4:40 p.m., March 16 at 4:30 p.m. and March 31, 4:10 p.m. $9 - $12. Students get $2.00 off the ticket price if they present ID at the box office at purchase.
Each of the 13 episodes is centered on a potent Greek word: from “democracy” and “philosophy” to “mythology” and “misogyny.” Marker convenes and films symposia — meals featuring wine and thoughtful conversation — in locales including Paris, Tokyo, Tbilisi, Berkeley and an olive grove on the outskirts of Athens. Footage from these banquets is interspersed with archival materials and interviews (often featuring a stylized or distorted owl image looming in the background). Marker’s diverse group of informants includes composers, politicians, classicists, historians, scientists, writers, filmmakers and actors. Together their contributions form a compelling (and sometimes contradictory) cultural and historical exploration for each theme.
For more information about each episode, visit the Roxie Theater website.