I_LEFT PONTOS

Mystery 13 

2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, in the context of the international multimedia festival ΣΥΝΟΙΚΙΣΜΟΙ A FESTIVAL, presents Mystery 13 I_LEFT Pontos, conceived and directed by Yolanda Markopoulou. Between 21 and 24 June, amidst the tall trees of the Oasis that used to function as a camping area, the site-specific theatrical performance I_LEFT Pontos explores and narrates an underlit part of Greek history. Members of the community share their family history: the younger ones as it was passed down to them, while the older recount their personal experiences as they lived it. These narratives, unfold either with humor or with tears in the eyes, reflecting the eternal trauma inflicted by the Pontian Greek genocide, a tragedy that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees of all ages. Each story encapsulates the timeless resilience inherited across generations, a testament to the unwavering determination to preserve their deep-rooted shared memory across two, three, and sometimes even four generations.

Within this rich tapestry of oral history, the diverse nature of the events unfolds. Each family member presents the events through their own unique perspective, resulting in a captivating, at times comedic, and often unpredictable collage of narratives, that moves between between testimony, hope and revery.

I_LEFT Pontos concludes the I_LEFT trilogy, a project conceived and directed by Yolanda Markopoulou, focusing on the refugee narrative centered around the city of Elefsina. This trilogy comprises three site-specific theatrical performances: I_LEFT by the Station Athens group (2018), I_LEFT Asia Minor (first presented in 2019), and now, I_LEFT Pontos. These productions employ a blend of visual and performing arts, alongside digital technology, to bring these stories to life.