'Iphigenia' shown in history film series

Middletown — "Iphigenia," the second in the Histories at the Edge film series, will be screened at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Harriman Hall 111 Film Theatre at the corner of Wawayanda and East Conkling Aves, Middletown. Admission is free. This 1977 Greek film directed by Michael Cacoyannis is based on the myth of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who was ordered by the goddess Artemis to be sacrificed. Cacoyannis adapted his stage production of Euripides' play at Aulis to an epic scale film, and deliberately renders the end of the story ambiguous. Though Greek myth states that Iphigenia was miraculously saved by the gods at the very instant of her death, this event is not directly depicted in either the play or the film, leaving Iphigenia's true fate in question. The film was highly praised by literary scholars. The film stars Tatiana Papamoschou as Iphigenia, Kostas Kazakos as Agamemnon, and the legendary actress Irene Papas as Clytemnestra. The score was composed by Mikis Theodorakis. The film received the 1978 Belgian Femina Award as well as the Best Film Award at the 1977 Thessaloniki Film Festival, where Tatiania Papamoschou also received the Best Leading Actress Award for her role as Iphigenia. It also received several other award nominations including an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Demosthenes Kontos, professor of history, will introduce and discuss the film. For more information call 341-4891.