In 2015, I visited Athens for the first time in my life to see the ‘home of my ancestors’ and unexpectedly found myself drawn to the stray dogs and their story. I made the documentary film Dogs of Democracy as testimony to the dogs and to the unfolding economic and humanitarian crisis in Greece told through the eyes of the dogs and the people who take care of them. In Acropolis Cats, I return to Athens in a new world of post pandemic life and crisis to document the stray cats who make up a large part of the city and find out what has happened to the city, its people and its animals. The film will interweave the Athenian stories with experiences of other ‘wondrous’ animals in Australia and around the world and their survival particularly in response to the effects of covid, war and climate change. The film explores the ways in which concepts of care and stewardship are vital to our global futures and to each other, and what we can learn from animals for the survival for our species. It is a story about grace, love and humility in a rapidly changing world.
M. Zournazi is an Australian film maker and cultural producer. Her multi-awarding winning documentary Dogs of Democracy (2017) was screened worldwide. Her most recent documentary film, My Rembetika Blues is a film about life, love and Greek music. She is the author of several books including Hope – New Philosophies for Change, Inventing Peace with the German filmmaker Wim Wenders and most recently Justice and Love with Rowan Williams.
