A new staging of George Washington's favorite play CATO by Joseph Addison wins a coveted slot in the competitive Ukraine Dream Film Festival

    OLD GREENWICH, CT, October 25, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- George Washington famously staged the play at Valley Forge – during the darkest days of the American Revolution - to inspire his troops to stick it out for the cause. The play contrasts democracy and autocracy – and through its main character Cato, shows ideal democratic leadership traits.

Director James Thomas explains why Cato is so timely, "We are currently under a disinformation attack – attacking democracy abroad and at home – and a revival of this quintessential American play, allows us to get clear about republican values. Cato is a touchstone for every American. The play exists outside our current news dissonance. So, at a time when bipartisan tensions are pulling us apart, Cato pulls us together."

The play was written by Joseph Addison in 1712 and tells the story of Cato's Stoic resistance to Julius Caesar. Cato's rhetoric and bravery made him an icon of republicanism, virtue, and liberty – so much so, that the play provided much of the fiery language used during the war of independence. The plot is a rich thriller - with scheming villains, sword duels, love triangles, and heroine abductions. But its most enduring quality is its dialogue about democracy.

The Ukrainian Dream Film Festival is dedicated to its heroic struggle for democracy. The Festival Director, Dima Kosygin, explains "Ukraine is currently the global focal point in the struggle for self-determination and we are very excited to bring attention to a drama that helped crystalize the American cause for independence. Cato is an intelligent play that captures the sacrifice needed for freedom.

You can see CATO by subscribing to the Ukraine Dream Film Festival or by visiting www.MacMillanFilms.com.

Macmillan Films is an independent studio that produces films about art, thought and democracy. They have the largest catalog of ancient Greek plays available anywhere - for academic and personal use including all three plays of the Oresteia, The Bacchae, Lysistrata, Oedipus Rex and Prometheus Bound. Recent productions include the award-winning feature True Drama which contrasts Greek Drama violence with the way violence is deployed in modern cinema.

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