Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos

Lykourgos Stavrakos was a Greek film director and founder of the first film school in Greece.

 

From an early age, Lykourgos Stavrakos was interested in film making and becoming a film director. Living in a post-war era and in a state that didn’t have an established national film school, it was almost impossible for him to accomplish his dream. Even though in 1948 the term ‘cinema’ was still an empirical concept, Lykourgos Stavrakos took the initiative to use the very few available resources to establish the first film school in Greece. He was the first to envisage a new generation of filmmakers, emphasising the necessity and value of film education in our society. His passion and engagement were such that soon his name became synonymous with the beginning of the film industry in Greece.

 

The ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ holds great significance for both the history of film education in Greece and the overall modern history of the country. A few years later, people were referring to the School as ‘The Great School of the Nation’ (Megali tou Genous Scholi), to emphasise its legendary nature.

 

In the early 1950s, students were expected to be actively engaged in their studies and to comply with any compulsory work and attendance requirements. The School has successfully assisted its students in finding their professional calling.

 

In this way, Media Arts emerged as a major force in society. Another thing that should be mentioned is that a few months later the School also became involved in publishing: ‘Cinema-Theatre’ (1960) and ‘Greek Cinema’ (1966) were the first and most significant magazines to appear during the 1950s, edited and published within the School. Largely owed to the high-quality content they pioneered, these publications opened up new scenes of cultural awareness and understanding.

The School was granted university status in 1950, when it started awarding taught degrees such as the ‘Film Director’ degree, and the ‘Film Photography’ and ‘Scenography Theatre’ degrees, which were officially recognised. Along with the courses of film production and education, the first Greek Acting Department was formed, which also collaborated with the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun.

 

The year of 1955 is a great one for the film production industry, since it was then that the Film Production

Department was established, operating for the first time in the School. ‘The Rapture of Persephone’ (1956) was the first film produced and presented to the public, becoming an elemental aspect of Greek cinema.

 

During the 1960s, the golden age of Greek theatre, the School became the best institution in film production and direction. Although the years of dictatorship in Greece presented difficulties to each and every citizen, the School managed to continue flourishing, later becoming a place of reflection and innovation. The School provided shelter to the persecuted artists, intellectuals and specialists of the field, without a second thought.  A few years later, in 1979, the School of Drama ceased its operation. Despite the School’s great success and large number of students, Lykourgos Stavrakos had decided to dedicate himself to film education. The large number of students in the film courses grew even bigger, imposing limitations on having both schools, the School of Drama and the School of Film Education, running.

 

It is important to mention that in 1956 the School successfully entered the international circuit. It became a founding member of the Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (CILECT), and the International Union of Schools of Film and Television, which is based in Brussels and is considered to be one of the most authoritative and reliable global organisations in film and television education. In achieving this, the founder of the School received major support from both Schools in Italy and France.

In 1968 the School started providing courses in both Film and Television General Education, by introducing for the first time in Greece the Shibaden Japanese video devices. The same devices were used, within the School studios, for the production of the first national TV programmes.

 

The ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ has known great success in major national and international film festivals, winning awards and honours in both the academic and professional sectors. The everlasting success and award-winning period started 61 years before the School took part in the International Student Festival in

 

Istanbul in 1952, under the supervision of the well-known director George Zervoulakos. Training thousands of students, the School supplied the Greek audiovisual industry with professional skills.

 

The School has now become a permanent member of the association of Groupement Européen des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (GEECT), based in Helsinki, and of the association of South-Eastern Europe Cinema Schools (SEECS). In 2013 the School accepted the honourary invitation of the European Film Academy (E.F.A) to participate as a permanent member in the European Film Awards, as well as in further activities of the Academy, on the development and promotion of European Filming.

 

A series of scientific publications, with technical and theoretical content in the field of Audiovisual Arts, has been steadily produced since 1948, contributing to the development of Greek literature and film education.

Nowadays, the school maintains its strength in film education and film production by continuing to feature in literature and artistic works. With the love and passionate engagement of its teachers, staff and students, the ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ successfully prepares its students for direct entry to the profession while laying the foundations for a lifelong acting career.

stavrakos.edu.gr

 

 

Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos

Lykourgos Stavrakos was a Greek film director and founder of the first film school in Greece.

 

From an early age, Lykourgos Stavrakos was interested in film making and becoming a film director. Living in a post-war era and in a state that didn’t have an established national film school, it was almost impossible for him to accomplish his dream. Even though in 1948 the term ‘cinema’ was still an empirical concept, Lykourgos Stavrakos took the initiative to use the very few available resources to establish the first film school in Greece. He was the first to envisage a new generation of filmmakers, emphasising the necessity and value of film education in our society. His passion and engagement were such that soon his name became synonymous with the beginning of the film industry in Greece.

 

The ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ holds great significance for both the history of film education in Greece and the overall modern history of the country. A few years later, people were referring to the School as ‘The Great School of the Nation’ (Megali tou Genous Scholi), to emphasise its legendary nature.

 

In the early 1950s, students were expected to be actively engaged in their studies and to comply with any compulsory work and attendance requirements. The School has successfully assisted its students in finding their professional calling.

 

In this way, Media Arts emerged as a major force in society. Another thing that should be mentioned is that a few months later the School also became involved in publishing: ‘Cinema-Theatre’ (1960) and ‘Greek Cinema’ (1966) were the first and most significant magazines to appear during the 1950s, edited and published within the School. Largely owed to the high-quality content they pioneered, these publications opened up new scenes of cultural awareness and understanding.

The School was granted university status in 1950, when it started awarding taught degrees such as the ‘Film Director’ degree, and the ‘Film Photography’ and ‘Scenography Theatre’ degrees, which were officially recognised. Along with the courses of film production and education, the first Greek Acting Department was formed, which also collaborated with the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun.

 

The year of 1955 is a great one for the film production industry, since it was then that the Film Production

Department was established, operating for the first time in the School. ‘The Rapture of Persephone’ (1956) was the first film produced and presented to the public, becoming an elemental aspect of Greek cinema.

 

During the 1960s, the golden age of Greek theatre, the School became the best institution in film production and direction. Although the years of dictatorship in Greece presented difficulties to each and every citizen, the School managed to continue flourishing, later becoming a place of reflection and innovation. The School provided shelter to the persecuted artists, intellectuals and specialists of the field, without a second thought.  A few years later, in 1979, the School of Drama ceased its operation. Despite the School’s great success and large number of students, Lykourgos Stavrakos had decided to dedicate himself to film education. The large number of students in the film courses grew even bigger, imposing limitations on having both schools, the School of Drama and the School of Film Education, running.

 

It is important to mention that in 1956 the School successfully entered the international circuit. It became a founding member of the Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (CILECT), and the International Union of Schools of Film and Television, which is based in Brussels and is considered to be one of the most authoritative and reliable global organisations in film and television education. In achieving this, the founder of the School received major support from both Schools in Italy and France.

In 1968 the School started providing courses in both Film and Television General Education, by introducing for the first time in Greece the Shibaden Japanese video devices. The same devices were used, within the School studios, for the production of the first national TV programmes.

 

The ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ has known great success in major national and international film festivals, winning awards and honours in both the academic and professional sectors. The everlasting success and award-winning period started 61 years before the School took part in the International Student Festival in

 

Istanbul in 1952, under the supervision of the well-known director George Zervoulakos. Training thousands of students, the School supplied the Greek audiovisual industry with professional skills.

 

The School has now become a permanent member of the association of Groupement Européen des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision (GEECT), based in Helsinki, and of the association of South-Eastern Europe Cinema Schools (SEECS). In 2013 the School accepted the honourary invitation of the European Film Academy (E.F.A) to participate as a permanent member in the European Film Awards, as well as in further activities of the Academy, on the development and promotion of European Filming.

 

A series of scientific publications, with technical and theoretical content in the field of Audiovisual Arts, has been steadily produced since 1948, contributing to the development of Greek literature and film education.

Nowadays, the school maintains its strength in film education and film production by continuing to feature in literature and artistic works. With the love and passionate engagement of its teachers, staff and students, the ‘Hellenic Cinema and Television School Stavrakos’ successfully prepares its students for direct entry to the profession while laying the foundations for a lifelong acting career.

stavrakos.edu.gr