Film critic and journalist, Giannis Bakogiannopoulos, receives the title of doctor honoris causa of the Department of Communication and Media Studies

Film critic and journalist, Giannis Bakogiannopoulos, was awarded the title of doctor honoris causa of the Department of Communication and Media Studies of the NKUA’s School of Economics and Political Sciences. The awarding ceremony took place on Wednesday, 29 January 2025, at 19:00, at the Great Hall of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Addressing the honouree was the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos.

Immediately afterwards, Professor at the Department of Communication and Media Studies, Eva Stefani, presented the work and personality of the honouree.

This was followed by the awarding ceremony.

The Chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies, Professor Elisavet Tsaliki, read the Department’s Resolution, the Award, and the Honorary Diploma.

Next, the Dean of the School of Economics and Political Sciences, Professor Nikolaos Eriotis, invested the honouree with the gown of the School.

The ceremony concluded with the honouree, Giannis Bakogiannopoulos, delivering a speech entitled ‘The Enigma of Criticism’.

In his address to the honouree, the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, said, among other things, the following: ‘Mr Bakogiannopoulos is a prominent figure in Greek culture. He is the one who, through his unwavering love for cinema, managed to bridge the gap between the traditional and contemporary perspectives on this art form, thus offering the general public a more in-depth understanding of it.

Mr Bakogiannopoulos has not only been a film critic but also a creator. He has participated in the making of documentaries while, through his iconic broadcast “Film Club”, he highlighted cinema as a means of artistic expression, which incorporates the dynamics of all the other arts. After all, it was he who said that: “Cinema is a synthesis of the arts, an art in itself that contains the traditions, forms, and dynamics of all the other arts—and that is its cardinal virtue”.

As a member of the Hellenic Film Centre’s Board of Directors and Consultant in Cinema Affairs, Mr Bakogiannopoulos has made significant contributions to the creation and development of Greek policies on cinema.  He has written hundreds of articles and studies in books, newspapers, magazines, and encyclopedias. His impact on film publications and editions has been decisive, while his columns in the Greek newspapers “To Vima”, “Kathimerini”, and “Eleftherotypia” have influenced several generations of critics and cinephiles nationwide’.

Photos: Dimitris Konstantinidis