On Tuesday 23 September at 19:00 and on Wednesday 24 September at 21:00 we will screen in cinema Utopia the film The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas (Greece, colour, 2013, 88 min) directed by Elina Psykou. The film is in the original Greek version with English subtitles. As the first film of the season, this debut feature film is not to be missed.
Synopsis
Antonis arrives at a hotel resort by the sea. It is wintertime, the hotel is closed and Antonis drifts around alone. He has a lot of time to kill. Until television announces the disappearance of the famous TV host Antonis Paraskevas.
Director's Note
Antonis Paraskevas is a hero of our times, the kind who’s never actually performed any heroic deeds. He hasn’t slain any dragons, he hasn’t fought any wars - he can’t even fly! He is just your average Joe. Only difference is, this one was once worshipped. Antonis was the kind of guy everyone wanted to be, a by-product of the entertainment industry, our modern-day hero generator.
My country is full of heroic monuments. Every village square has one. It seems that the more decadent a society, the more heroes it needs. And as the demand for heroes keeps growing, the easier it becomes to invent them!
[…]
Antonis Paraskevas has no identity. He is what others think of him - and he’s determined to keep it that way. One day he’s a shining star, a major player on the scene, the ultimate idol, the man of the year. The next day he’s bankrupt, irrelevant, a total has-been, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a man gone missing.
My country has no identity. It is what others think of it. One day it’s the cradle of democracy, the birthplace of philosophy. The next day it’s a cradle of filth, corruption and laziness. My country hasn’t yet made up its mind what it wants to be. It’s still trying to figure it out…
What did the press say
The film premiered in various international festivals and comes with numerous awards, mainly for its lead actor "Christos Stergioglou. Reviewers placed film among those of the Greek Weird Wave, even if it is less weird than Dogtooth and Attenberg. Boyd Van Hoeid writes in Variety : "Clearly a take on a country in crisis, as well as the way celebrity culture has replaced more traditional hero worship, this confident feature helming debut by filmmaker Elina Psykou is sharp enough to book niche theatrical outings on top of its fest bookings." Twich calls it "a Decently Weird And Hilariously Illuminating Greek Film", while Hollywood Reporter reveals some trivia related both to the film's topic/making of: "Psykou, whose parents are accountants, partly financed this low-budget project using crowdsourced funds and loans from friends, with cast and crew often working for free on the promise of deferred payment. Austerity is both medium and message here."
Credits
Cast: Christos Stergioglou, Maria Kallimani, Giorgos Souxes, Theodora Tzimou, Syllas Tzoumerkas, Lena Giaka, Vasilis Dimitroulias
Written and directed by: Elina Psykou
Cinematography: Dionysis Efthimiopoulos
Editing: Nikos Vavouris
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