Harry Connick Jr. is heading to the Mediterranean Sea. In new romantic comedy Find Me Falling, the singer and actor plays a role that may initially seem like familiar territory for the singer and actor: a rock star. But that’s where the similarities between Connick and his character, John Allman, end. “He’s playing against type as a brooding, tattooed, lonely rock star,” writer/director Stelana Kliris tells Tudum. “We couldn’t have asked for a better fit, and on top of that, he wrote two fantastic songs for the film.”
Connick isn’t Find Me Falling’s only star. The island of Cyprus, which Kliris calls home, was given an onscreen spotlight of its own.
“This film is a love letter to Cyprus, and I hope that it transports audiences and gives them a little bit of magical escapism,” she says. “Plus, there was nothing better...
Connick isn’t Find Me Falling’s only star. The island of Cyprus, which Kliris calls home, was given an onscreen spotlight of its own.
“This film is a love letter to Cyprus, and I hope that it transports audiences and gives them a little bit of magical escapism,” she says. “Plus, there was nothing better...
- 3/6/2024
- by John DiLillo
- Tudum - Netflix
The European Women’s Audiovisual Network (Ewa) has announced the eight producers selected to participate in its new Series Accelerator programme.
The initiative, supported by Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, brings together emerging or mid-career European women film producers who want to deepen their understanding of the series production landscape.
Ewa is curating three industry-led workshops tailored to the European series production landscape with the first session of the programme kicking off next week in Amsterdam.
European TV producers, directors and creators including Teresa Fernández-Valdés, Mirela Năstase (Zdf Studios) and Peter Nadermann are among the industry leaders sharing their expertise in the first session.
The initiative, supported by Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, brings together emerging or mid-career European women film producers who want to deepen their understanding of the series production landscape.
Ewa is curating three industry-led workshops tailored to the European series production landscape with the first session of the programme kicking off next week in Amsterdam.
European TV producers, directors and creators including Teresa Fernández-Valdés, Mirela Năstase (Zdf Studios) and Peter Nadermann are among the industry leaders sharing their expertise in the first session.
- 1/23/2024
- ScreenDaily
The Exchange has picked up world sales rights to “The Islander,” starring Harry Connick Jr. Variety can share an exclusive first look of the romantic feature.
The Exchange will be introducing the title to buyers at AFM, which kicks off Oct. and runs through Nov. 5.
Stelana Kliris wrote directed her original screenplay and produced under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. “The Islander” is produced by Jupiter Peak Prods., Steven Shapiro and Keith Arnold, with the support from the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives program. It stars along with Connick Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou. Film is in post-production.
The film features two original songs by Connick Jr.
”The Islander” is a romantic comedy about a down-on-his-luck rock star (Connick Jr.), who moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety.
The Exchange will be introducing the title to buyers at AFM, which kicks off Oct. and runs through Nov. 5.
Stelana Kliris wrote directed her original screenplay and produced under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. “The Islander” is produced by Jupiter Peak Prods., Steven Shapiro and Keith Arnold, with the support from the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives program. It stars along with Connick Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou. Film is in post-production.
The film features two original songs by Connick Jr.
”The Islander” is a romantic comedy about a down-on-his-luck rock star (Connick Jr.), who moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety.
- 10/31/2023
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
The Exchange has acquired the world sales rights for romantic comedy “The Islander,” starring Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning musician and actor Harry Connick Jr. The film features two original songs by Connick. The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at next week’s American Film Market.
“The Islander” is about a down-on-his-luck rockstar, who moves to a remote cliffside house, sight unseen, on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
The film is written, directed and produced by Stelana Kliris under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. It is also produced by Jupiter Peak Productions, Steven Shapiro, and Keith Arnold, with the support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme.
Alongside Connick, it stars Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou.
“The Islander” is about a down-on-his-luck rockstar, who moves to a remote cliffside house, sight unseen, on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
The film is written, directed and produced by Stelana Kliris under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. It is also produced by Jupiter Peak Productions, Steven Shapiro, and Keith Arnold, with the support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme.
Alongside Connick, it stars Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou.
- 10/27/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
During the Cannes Film Festival, 20 emerging producers from across Europe took part in European Film Promotion’s promotion and networking platform Producers on the Move. They had been selected by the 37 national film institutes that are members of Efp. Variety invited them to pitch their projects to our readers, which we present below.
Gentian Koçi, Albania
Project: “Cold Sun” (in development)
Director: Gentian Koçi
As he attempts to rebuild his life in his hometown after being freed from jail after serving a 25-year sentence for killing his wife, a man in his fifties falls in love with a woman in her forties and gradually realizes that this love is going to be his true prison.
Julie Esparbes, Belgium
Project: “The Dance of the Foxes”
Director: Valéry Carnoy
A coming-of-age story, about a 17-year-old boxer who, following an accident, will have to reinvent himself in a more sensitive way. Valéry Carnoy...
Gentian Koçi, Albania
Project: “Cold Sun” (in development)
Director: Gentian Koçi
As he attempts to rebuild his life in his hometown after being freed from jail after serving a 25-year sentence for killing his wife, a man in his fifties falls in love with a woman in her forties and gradually realizes that this love is going to be his true prison.
Julie Esparbes, Belgium
Project: “The Dance of the Foxes”
Director: Valéry Carnoy
A coming-of-age story, about a 17-year-old boxer who, following an accident, will have to reinvent himself in a more sensitive way. Valéry Carnoy...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Twenty emerging producers from across Europe have been selected to take part in European Film Promotion’s promotion and networking platform Producers on the Move before and during the Cannes Film Festival.
The producers who were selected for the program from nominations submitted by Efp’s member organizations are Gentian Koçi (Albania), David Bohun (Austria), Julie Esparbes (Belgium), Vanya Rainova (Bulgaria), Miljenka Čogelja (Croatia), Stelana Kliris (Cyprus), Alice Tabery (Czech Republic), Emile Hertling Péronard (Denmark), Emilia Haukka (Finland), Silvana Santamaria (Germany), Vicky Miha (Greece), Júlia Berkes (Hungary), Kathryn Kennedy (Ireland), Valon Bajgora (Kosovo), Dominiks Jarmakovičs (Latvia), Erik Glijnis (The Netherlands), Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway), Radu Stancu (Romania), Juraj Krasnohorský (Slovak Republic), and Julia Gebauer (Sweden).
They will take part in a tailor-made program to foster international co-productions, increase the exchange of experiences, and help create new professional networks. The pre-festival online program, which started yesterday and runs until May 4, includes 1:1 speed meetings,...
The producers who were selected for the program from nominations submitted by Efp’s member organizations are Gentian Koçi (Albania), David Bohun (Austria), Julie Esparbes (Belgium), Vanya Rainova (Bulgaria), Miljenka Čogelja (Croatia), Stelana Kliris (Cyprus), Alice Tabery (Czech Republic), Emile Hertling Péronard (Denmark), Emilia Haukka (Finland), Silvana Santamaria (Germany), Vicky Miha (Greece), Júlia Berkes (Hungary), Kathryn Kennedy (Ireland), Valon Bajgora (Kosovo), Dominiks Jarmakovičs (Latvia), Erik Glijnis (The Netherlands), Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway), Radu Stancu (Romania), Juraj Krasnohorský (Slovak Republic), and Julia Gebauer (Sweden).
They will take part in a tailor-made program to foster international co-productions, increase the exchange of experiences, and help create new professional networks. The pre-festival online program, which started yesterday and runs until May 4, includes 1:1 speed meetings,...
- 5/3/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
European Film Promotion (Efp) has unveiled its 2023 Producers on the Move, the 20 up-and-coming film producers from 20 European countries picked to take part in the Efp’s networking event at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
The list of 2023 Producers on the Move includes Gentian Koçi (Albania), David Bohun (Austria), Julie Esparbes (Belgium), Vanya Rainova (Bulgaria), Miljenka Čogelja (Croatia), Stelana Kliris (Cyprus), Alice Tabery (Czech Republic), Emile Hertling Péronard (Denmark), Emilia Haukka (Finland), Silvana Santamaria (Germany), Vicky Miha (Greece), Júlia Berkes (Hungary), Kathryn Kennedy (Ireland), Valon Bajgora (Kosovo*), Dominiks Jarmakovičs (The Netherlands), Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway), Radu Stancu (Romania), Juraj Krasnohorský (Slovak Republic) and Julia Gebauer (Sweden).
The group will take part in a tailor-made program that runs May 18-22 during the festival intended to improve collaboration and foster international co-productions, between European film professionals. To help kick-start the effort, the Efp has begun a series of pre-festival events, including one-on-one speed meetings,...
The list of 2023 Producers on the Move includes Gentian Koçi (Albania), David Bohun (Austria), Julie Esparbes (Belgium), Vanya Rainova (Bulgaria), Miljenka Čogelja (Croatia), Stelana Kliris (Cyprus), Alice Tabery (Czech Republic), Emile Hertling Péronard (Denmark), Emilia Haukka (Finland), Silvana Santamaria (Germany), Vicky Miha (Greece), Júlia Berkes (Hungary), Kathryn Kennedy (Ireland), Valon Bajgora (Kosovo*), Dominiks Jarmakovičs (The Netherlands), Elisa Fernanda Pirir (Norway), Radu Stancu (Romania), Juraj Krasnohorský (Slovak Republic) and Julia Gebauer (Sweden).
The group will take part in a tailor-made program that runs May 18-22 during the festival intended to improve collaboration and foster international co-productions, between European film professionals. To help kick-start the effort, the Efp has begun a series of pre-festival events, including one-on-one speed meetings,...
- 5/3/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Berlinale and Locarno prize winners also among this year’s cohort.
The producers of Cannes titles Lost In The Night and The (Ex)perience Of Love are among those selected for European Film Promotion’s (Efp) Producers On The Move programme, which promotes rising talent and fosters international co-productions.
The 20 producers have already begun a pre-festival online programme (May 2-4), which includes speed meetings, roundtables and pitching sessions. They will then meet during the Cannes Film Festival from May 18-22, taking part in a programme that will include case studies, social events and an extensive promotional campaign. More than half of the selection are women.
The producers of Cannes titles Lost In The Night and The (Ex)perience Of Love are among those selected for European Film Promotion’s (Efp) Producers On The Move programme, which promotes rising talent and fosters international co-productions.
The 20 producers have already begun a pre-festival online programme (May 2-4), which includes speed meetings, roundtables and pitching sessions. They will then meet during the Cannes Film Festival from May 18-22, taking part in a programme that will include case studies, social events and an extensive promotional campaign. More than half of the selection are women.
- 5/3/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival’s industry section, Eastern Promises, has unveiled its lineup of 35 film projects, which will be showcased during the Works in Progress, Works in Development – Feature Launch, First Cut+ Works in Progress and Odesa International Film Festival Works in Progress presentations. The most promising projects will receive awards totaling Euros 125,000.
The showcasing of projects to industry professionals will take place in Karlovy Vary during Kviff Industry Days. On July 4, are Works in Progress and Works in Development – Feature Launch; on July 5, First Cut+ Works in Progress and Oiff WiP Selection.
For Works in Progress, 10 fiction and documentary feature films in the late stage of production or post-production from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and North Africa have been selected. The prize will be decided by jury members Dennis Ruh (European Film Market), Óscar Alonzo (Latido Films...
The showcasing of projects to industry professionals will take place in Karlovy Vary during Kviff Industry Days. On July 4, are Works in Progress and Works in Development – Feature Launch; on July 5, First Cut+ Works in Progress and Oiff WiP Selection.
For Works in Progress, 10 fiction and documentary feature films in the late stage of production or post-production from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, and North Africa have been selected. The prize will be decided by jury members Dennis Ruh (European Film Market), Óscar Alonzo (Latido Films...
- 6/13/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Harry Connick Jr. (Dolphin Tale) and Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) are set to star in the romantic comedy The Islander, from Cyprus-based filmmaker Stelana Kliris, which has also cast newcomer Ali Fumiko Whitney (The Road Dance).
The film shooting next month in Cyprus follows a has-been musician (Connick Jr.) as he moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
Kliris will direct from her own screenplay, and produce alongside Keith Arnold and Steven Shapiro. The project is from Uinta Productions (Tommy’s Honour) and Kliris’s Cyprus-based Meraki Films, in association with Das Films (The November Man), with support from the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme. Pic will...
The film shooting next month in Cyprus follows a has-been musician (Connick Jr.) as he moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
Kliris will direct from her own screenplay, and produce alongside Keith Arnold and Steven Shapiro. The project is from Uinta Productions (Tommy’s Honour) and Kliris’s Cyprus-based Meraki Films, in association with Das Films (The November Man), with support from the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme. Pic will...
- 4/28/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The 20th edition of the festival includes competition titles ’71 and Blind.
The Athens International Film Festival (Sept 17-28) kicks off its 20th edition today with 241 titles selected by artistic director Orestis Andreadakis.
The festival will open with Damian Szifron’s hit Wild Tales, which has proved a critical hit since its world premiere in competition at Cannes, and will close with David Fincher’s Us crime drama Gone Girl, marking its European premiere.
This year’s international competition includes Yann Demange’s Berlinale title, ’71, and Eskil Vogt’s Blind, which has picked up awards in Berlin and Sundance among others.
‘71, Yann Demange (UK)10,000 km, Carlos Marques-Marcet (Spa)Blind, Eskil Vogt (Nor)The Canal, Ivan Kavanagh (Irel)Manos Sucias, Josef Wladyka (Us-Col)The Mend, John Magary (Us)Natural Sciences, Matías Lucchesi (Arg)Thou Wast Mild and Lovely, Josephine Decker (Us)The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro (Bra)When Animals Dream, Jonas Alexander Arnby (De)
A five-member Youth Jury, comprised...
The Athens International Film Festival (Sept 17-28) kicks off its 20th edition today with 241 titles selected by artistic director Orestis Andreadakis.
The festival will open with Damian Szifron’s hit Wild Tales, which has proved a critical hit since its world premiere in competition at Cannes, and will close with David Fincher’s Us crime drama Gone Girl, marking its European premiere.
This year’s international competition includes Yann Demange’s Berlinale title, ’71, and Eskil Vogt’s Blind, which has picked up awards in Berlin and Sundance among others.
‘71, Yann Demange (UK)10,000 km, Carlos Marques-Marcet (Spa)Blind, Eskil Vogt (Nor)The Canal, Ivan Kavanagh (Irel)Manos Sucias, Josef Wladyka (Us-Col)The Mend, John Magary (Us)Natural Sciences, Matías Lucchesi (Arg)Thou Wast Mild and Lovely, Josephine Decker (Us)The Way He Looks, Daniel Ribeiro (Bra)When Animals Dream, Jonas Alexander Arnby (De)
A five-member Youth Jury, comprised...
- 9/17/2014
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Emerging with diverse artistic visions, Greek filmmakers have managed to mold the chaotic and uncertain situation of their county into cinematic statements ranging from the utterly realist to the most audacious. This weekend several of these unique perspectives were screened at the 8th Edition of the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival with a program that included documentary features, shorts, and some of the most daring narratives to come out of the Hellenic nation recently. More prolific than ever, Greek Cinema voices the experiences of those affected by the economic crisis, those trying to make amends between tradition and fast-paced modernity, and above all it is fertile ground for exploration and reinvention.
Miss Violence
Dir. Alexandros Avranas
Any film that opens with a girl committing suicide on her 11th birthday announces itself as something out of the ordinary. Alexandros Avranas’ “ Miss Violence” can easily be considered a new addition to the unofficially named Greek Weird Wave movement. Its closest reference is the Oscar-nominated “Dogtooth”. Much like Lanthimos film, “Miss Violence” focuses on a family in which a controlling patriarch ruthlessly decides over its members’ lives. While “Dogtooth” deals with a distorted perception of reality created by the monstrous father, Avranas’ film is darker, more puzzling, and at times unbearably unnerving. Conformed by a mother, two daughters, and two grandchildren, the family mechanics are never easily presented. Dozens of theories can be at play in the viewer’s mind as one tries to decipher what is the evil truth behind it all. A shattering must-see, “Miss Violence” is a twisted tale of submission and perversion cleverly concealed by apparent righteousness. Full review coming soon.
Standing Aside, Watching
Dir. Giorgos Servetas
When an educated and self-sufficient woman, Antigone (Marina Symeou), decides to return to her small town, she soon realizes that things haven’t improved much from what she remembers. After finding a job as a teacher and reconnecting with her old friend Eleni ( Marianthi Pantelopoulou), Antogone finds a younger boyfriend who makes things in the sleepy community more exciting. Sadly for this independent woman, that relationship will unearth the viciousness of the town’s bully. Reveling in their archaic ideologies, people here uphold male chauvinist values that condone violence against women. Those protected by the corrupt local authorities enjoy impunity. Furthermore, the film points at indifference as the source of injustice. Outspoken about the outrageous gender inequality that still exists, this effective thriller is infuriating and poignant until its culminating sequence. Servetas film is an extraordinarily brave and important statement not only for Greece, but anywhere where women still need to struggle for the most elemental respect.
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas
Dir. Elina Psikou
Delusions of grandeur take on a new form when famed talk-show host Antonis Paraskeva ( Christos Stergioglou) decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping as a publicity stunt. Hidden in a remote hotel out of service for the winter, he spends his days reading what the media says about his disappearance and endlessly practicing a recipe for molecular pasta all in hopes of a triumphal return. Subtly comedic and occasional unsettling, Psikou’s film makes blunt observations about a man’s obsession with his own image and status. Aware that his antics to turn himself into a legendary figure are failing, Antonis’ arrogance will drive him to carry out increasingly more deranged tactics in order to recover his position and keep his fans interested. Embellished by a couple magical realist episodes, “The Eternal Return” peculiarly depicts the cult of celebrity and instant glorification, which is something that rings true now more than ever.
The Enemy Within
Dir. Yorgos Tsemberopoulos
While watching Tsemberopoulos film, another thematically similar work quickly comes to mind: "To Kill a Man" by Chilean director Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Both stories are concerned with events that drive normal family men to kill with the purpose of avenging their loved ones. While the South American director focuses on what leads to the act itself, in the suspenseful Greek tale the filmmaker decides to go further and deal with the consequences of getting even. A performance brimming with tremendous vulnerability and heartbreaking powerlessness by Manolis Mavromatakis as Kostas, the father, is at the center of this provocative feature. As the family begins to fall apart, Kostas hateful thirst for retribution is transformed into a strange form of forgiveness towards those who ravaged his life. "The Enemy Within" is intense, intelligent, and forces its characters to make decisions that place them in the grayer side of morality.
To The Wolf
Dir. Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou
Bleak and meditative, this hyperrealist story evolves around two impoverished families in a precarious Greek muntain town. Set in the midst of the financial crisis, To The Wolf examines the daily struggles of an elderly couple and their son Giorgos (Giorgos Katsaros), who is goatherd unable to sell any of his animals and can’t find any other way to make a living. Desperation quickly sets in followed by a dark feeling of despair. This families are in debt, they don’t know where their next meal with come from, and they are completely disenchanted with a government that has forgotten them. Extremely minimalist visually and employing non-professional actors, the film exists ambiguously between documentary and fiction. It includes explicit social commentary about the terrible living conditions people in rural communities have been forced to endure, as well as the dismal disparities between them and their urban counterparts, of whom they are only aware via their ramshackle television.
Committed
Dir. Stelana Kliris
This English-language road trip romantic comedy set in Cyprus is an entertaining work that relies heavily on its two protagonists’ ability to be engaging. Driving around the island to clear his head after a fight with his girlfriend, George ( Orestes Sophocleous Orestes Sophocleous), an engineer of Greek origin who studied in England, runs across a bride (Melia Kreiling), wedding dress and all, who is walking alone on a deserted road running away from something or someone. He offers her a ride and what ensues are a series of conversations about love, the boredom of conventions, and of course, fear of commitment. Even if the performances appear overdone and rather generic at times, there is still a lighthearted chemistry between the two actors that makes the journey simplistic, but enjoyable. It would come as no surprise if the concept is adapted and remade with an American cast. This is the type of story that Hollywood craves, especially with the added bonus of a somewhat intriguing twist.
Miss Violence
Dir. Alexandros Avranas
Any film that opens with a girl committing suicide on her 11th birthday announces itself as something out of the ordinary. Alexandros Avranas’ “ Miss Violence” can easily be considered a new addition to the unofficially named Greek Weird Wave movement. Its closest reference is the Oscar-nominated “Dogtooth”. Much like Lanthimos film, “Miss Violence” focuses on a family in which a controlling patriarch ruthlessly decides over its members’ lives. While “Dogtooth” deals with a distorted perception of reality created by the monstrous father, Avranas’ film is darker, more puzzling, and at times unbearably unnerving. Conformed by a mother, two daughters, and two grandchildren, the family mechanics are never easily presented. Dozens of theories can be at play in the viewer’s mind as one tries to decipher what is the evil truth behind it all. A shattering must-see, “Miss Violence” is a twisted tale of submission and perversion cleverly concealed by apparent righteousness. Full review coming soon.
Standing Aside, Watching
Dir. Giorgos Servetas
When an educated and self-sufficient woman, Antigone (Marina Symeou), decides to return to her small town, she soon realizes that things haven’t improved much from what she remembers. After finding a job as a teacher and reconnecting with her old friend Eleni ( Marianthi Pantelopoulou), Antogone finds a younger boyfriend who makes things in the sleepy community more exciting. Sadly for this independent woman, that relationship will unearth the viciousness of the town’s bully. Reveling in their archaic ideologies, people here uphold male chauvinist values that condone violence against women. Those protected by the corrupt local authorities enjoy impunity. Furthermore, the film points at indifference as the source of injustice. Outspoken about the outrageous gender inequality that still exists, this effective thriller is infuriating and poignant until its culminating sequence. Servetas film is an extraordinarily brave and important statement not only for Greece, but anywhere where women still need to struggle for the most elemental respect.
The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas
Dir. Elina Psikou
Delusions of grandeur take on a new form when famed talk-show host Antonis Paraskeva ( Christos Stergioglou) decides to orchestrate his own kidnapping as a publicity stunt. Hidden in a remote hotel out of service for the winter, he spends his days reading what the media says about his disappearance and endlessly practicing a recipe for molecular pasta all in hopes of a triumphal return. Subtly comedic and occasional unsettling, Psikou’s film makes blunt observations about a man’s obsession with his own image and status. Aware that his antics to turn himself into a legendary figure are failing, Antonis’ arrogance will drive him to carry out increasingly more deranged tactics in order to recover his position and keep his fans interested. Embellished by a couple magical realist episodes, “The Eternal Return” peculiarly depicts the cult of celebrity and instant glorification, which is something that rings true now more than ever.
The Enemy Within
Dir. Yorgos Tsemberopoulos
While watching Tsemberopoulos film, another thematically similar work quickly comes to mind: "To Kill a Man" by Chilean director Alejandro Fernández Almendras. Both stories are concerned with events that drive normal family men to kill with the purpose of avenging their loved ones. While the South American director focuses on what leads to the act itself, in the suspenseful Greek tale the filmmaker decides to go further and deal with the consequences of getting even. A performance brimming with tremendous vulnerability and heartbreaking powerlessness by Manolis Mavromatakis as Kostas, the father, is at the center of this provocative feature. As the family begins to fall apart, Kostas hateful thirst for retribution is transformed into a strange form of forgiveness towards those who ravaged his life. "The Enemy Within" is intense, intelligent, and forces its characters to make decisions that place them in the grayer side of morality.
To The Wolf
Dir. Aran Hughes & Christina Koutsospyrou
Bleak and meditative, this hyperrealist story evolves around two impoverished families in a precarious Greek muntain town. Set in the midst of the financial crisis, To The Wolf examines the daily struggles of an elderly couple and their son Giorgos (Giorgos Katsaros), who is goatherd unable to sell any of his animals and can’t find any other way to make a living. Desperation quickly sets in followed by a dark feeling of despair. This families are in debt, they don’t know where their next meal with come from, and they are completely disenchanted with a government that has forgotten them. Extremely minimalist visually and employing non-professional actors, the film exists ambiguously between documentary and fiction. It includes explicit social commentary about the terrible living conditions people in rural communities have been forced to endure, as well as the dismal disparities between them and their urban counterparts, of whom they are only aware via their ramshackle television.
Committed
Dir. Stelana Kliris
This English-language road trip romantic comedy set in Cyprus is an entertaining work that relies heavily on its two protagonists’ ability to be engaging. Driving around the island to clear his head after a fight with his girlfriend, George ( Orestes Sophocleous Orestes Sophocleous), an engineer of Greek origin who studied in England, runs across a bride (Melia Kreiling), wedding dress and all, who is walking alone on a deserted road running away from something or someone. He offers her a ride and what ensues are a series of conversations about love, the boredom of conventions, and of course, fear of commitment. Even if the performances appear overdone and rather generic at times, there is still a lighthearted chemistry between the two actors that makes the journey simplistic, but enjoyable. It would come as no surprise if the concept is adapted and remade with an American cast. This is the type of story that Hollywood craves, especially with the added bonus of a somewhat intriguing twist.
- 6/9/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Thanks to your votes, the story of one of the 80's greatest night clubs, "Starck Project," won this weekend's Project of the Week contest! Congratulations to director Stelana Kliris! The filmmaker will receive a digital distribution consultation with SnagFilms, and the film is now officially a candidate for Project of the Month, the winner of which will receive a consultation with the Tribeca Film Institute. The Starck Project focuses on the night club as a microcosm of the 1980s. Music, fashion, politics, culture, and legal designer drugs played a role in the drama which made Starck Club the hegemonic nightspot of the 1980s. A DEA drug raid led by DEA director, Phil Jordan, ruined the party and the Starck'ers were forced to find their way. Some sadly did not make it out however others went on to find love, happiness and purpose. This is the story of 80s and the...
- 10/29/2012
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
Thanks to your votes, the story of a runaway bride, "Committed," won this weekend's Project of the Week contest! Congratulations to director Stelana Kliris! The filmmaker will receive a digital distribution consultation with SnagFilms, and the film is now officially a candidate for Project of the Month, the winner of which will receive a consultation with the Tribeca Film Institute. “Committed” is a road-trip movie set on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It will be shot in English but it will have the unmistakable flavour of Cyprus. The story is a romantic comedy about a man who takes to the road to escape the pressure of proposing to his girlfriend, only to come across a bride who has just run out on her wedding. What ensues is a bizarre road trip which explores ideas about love, marriage and commitment, with a big surprise ending. It’s “When Harry Met Sally...
- 10/23/2012
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
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