I Wanna Be Your Dog

What's wrong with the world going to the dogs??? Dogs Of Democracy coming to DVD on June 12th via EPF Media A film about the stray dogs of Athens and the people who take care of them... A universal story about love and loyalty. "A powerful film narrative, the stray dogs of central Athens are transformed from mere symbols of a peculiar freedom to witnesses of a heart-wrenching human crisis."  - Yanis Varoufakis, Greek economist, academic and politician

Dogs of Democracy is a documentary about the stray dogs of Athens and the people who take care of them. Filmmaker Mary Zournazi explores life on the streets through the eyes of the dogs and peoples' experience. Shot on location in Athens, the birthplace of democracy, the documentary is about how Greece has become the 'stray dogs of Europe', and how the dogs have become a symbol of hope for the people and for the anti-austerity movement. A universal story about love and loyalty and what we might learn from animals. AWARDS Best Documentary - 2017 Imagine This Women's International Film Festival, Brooklyn NY Spirit of Activism Award, Nevada Women's Film Festival Impact Documentary Award Spotlight Documentary Award Shortlisted Telling Tales International Film and Audio Festival ABOUT THE FILMMAKER Mary Zournazi is an Australian author, philosopher, and filmmaker. She wrote, directed and filmed Dogs of Democracy (2016), which is an essay style documentary about the stray dogs of Athens and the people who take care of them. She is the author of several books including Hope - New Philosophies for Change and Inventing Peace with the German filmmaker Wim Wenders. She teaches in the sociology program at the University of New South Wales, Australia. For press images, study guides, etc, go HERE Pre-order at the MVD Shop

Take 5: Tom Connan

Tom Connan is an artist whose work embodies all aspects of the human condition. 

His latest song and video "Charlie" is inspired by the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris. 

For the uninitiated here is the 411 on it:

"Two gunmen armed with automatic rifles stormed the office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, a target for Islamist terrorists since it printed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2006 and 2011, and killed cartoonists and satirists whose names were called out as they were shot dead in turn."

It goes without saying that I had to hit Tom up to "Take 5" for all of you, as in five questions addressing his latest project. You've got this Tom...

MS: Why do you have an affinity with Charlie Hebdo?

TC: I don’t have any direct affinity with Charlie Hebdo, however when the terrorist attack against them happened in 2015, the world was deeply shocked. I was, too. On 9/11, I was a child so I wasn’t able to really understand what it meant. In 2015, I couldn’t believe haters had killed innocent journalists and caricaturists. I was still sleeping when my mum woke me up and yelled at me: ”they killed Charlie Hebdo!”. It is a symbol, as this is the first attack of many that happened since: Orlando, Barcelona, Manchester, Paris… Basically I had written the track “Charlie” a few days after the attack but I didn’t want to release it. But recently, I thought I had to. 

 Charlie (sick mix)

MS: Give me your take on the current state of democracy

TC: I have the impression some people under-estimate the crisis of democracy. Anti-Semitism is terribly strong, as well as homophobia and sexism. Sometimes I feel my mum grew up in a more peaceful time. I may be wrong. But I’m not that sure.

MS: You use skin in the video. You once told me how you love nudity, extrapolate 

TC: For a long time I hated my body. Really. I was almost hiding myself with large clothes, as if I wanted to disappear. I feel better now, and when you feel better about who you are, you want to show it. Completely. It’s my own therapy.

MS: When you give a Rebel Yell, do you want more, more, more?

TC: I’m not sure I understand what you mean, but as far as “Charlie” is a rebel yell, yes, I believe it can reach the unconscious mind, which is my hidden goal. You can do much more with the unconscious than you can with the conscious. Don’t you think? 

MS: Name your favorite song, other than yours at this moment

TC:  was re-watching the old movie “Stepmom” starring Julia Roberts, and I heard that fabulous track “Ain’t no mountain high enough” from Marvin Gaye. Do you know any better song with the same kind of joy and energy? I don’t. It is brilliant. This is music. Other than that, I’m still listening to Jaden Smith’s Idol. Fucking good rap track.

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