Writer/director Richard Ledes (Fred Won’t Move Out) released a short documentary film about the neo-Nazi party in Greece known as Golden Dawn and how the New York City Greek Community is confronting it.
The film offers an in-depth look at what the Greek community in New York City is thinking and doing about the rise in Greece of one of the most virulent neo-Nazi parties in Europe, Golden Dawn. Polls indicate that Golden Dawn has grown into Greece’s third largest political party since the 2008 economic crisis. Filmmaker Richard Ledes decided to find out what the Greeks of New York City thought about the extraordinary rise of the party. Ledes places Golden Dawn in the context of the price America has paid previously for complacency in the face of the rise of Nazism in Europe.
GOLDEN DAWN, NYC combines on-the-street interviews at the Greek Independence parade with conversations with religious leaders, activists, heads of national organizations, the judiciary, intellectuals and as Golden Dawn and how the New York City Greek Community is confronting it.
“I am Greek-American. I also started studying ancient Greek at a young age and continued to do so through obtaining a doctorate in Comparative Literature from NYU. Greece is known as the cradle of democracy, Greeks suffered terribly under Nazi occupation, and yet Greece has become fertile ground for Nazism. This has taken place in the wake of the 2008 global economic crisis and the austerity program that Europe continues to impose as its cure. I wanted to do a documentary on the neo-Nazi party in Greece known as Golden Dawn. It has become the third largest party in the country.
Historian Dan Georgakas suggested I focus on the New York City Greek community. With his help, I was able to get the collaboration of a number of prominent figures in the Greek community who agreed to be interviewed. They provide a vivid and engaging set of connections about what is happening in Greece, how some members of the Greek community in New York are confronting this rise and what needs to be done. I further place what is going on in Greece in terms of the price paid by Americans a few generations ago to eradicate Nazism.”
Richard Ledes is a prize-winning filmmaker living in New York City. His most recent film “Fred Won’t Move Out”, starring Elliot Gould and Fred Melamed, premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival and played in cinemas in over 20 cities including BAM in Brooklyn. “The Caller” (2008) stars Frank Langella and Elliot Gould and won the “Made in NY Narrative Award” at the Tribeca Film Festival. “A Hole in One” (2004) stars Michelle Williams as a young woman who seeks out a lobotomy during the rise of the procedure in the 50s and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. “Foreclosure”, a horror film by Ledes has been picked up by distributor Virgil Films and is coming out this Fall.
The film is called GOLDEN DAWN,NYC and is now streaming free on YouTube.
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