Hard Goodbyes: My Father

Director: Penny Panayotopoulou

The moving story of ten year-old Elias whose father dies in a car crash. Elias refuses to believe his father has died, convinced he will return so that they can both watch the Americans land on the moon, as his father had promised. Man takes off into space and Elias must finally accept the departure of his father. Young actor Karayannis won Best Actor award at the Locarno Film Festival.

"Beautiful and subtly acted - and a lovely, humane film"
Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian

"A charming and affecting study of family grief, as well as a personal testament to the memory of the director's own parents"
Peter Bradshaw - The Guardian

/2002 / 113 min / Director: Penny Panayotopoulou / Cast: Giorgios Karayannis, Stelios Mainas, Ioanna Tsirigouli, Christos Stergioglou/

Awards:

LOCARNO FESTIVAL INTERNAZIONALE DEL FILM 2002
Leopard for Best Actor
Giorgos Karayannis (9 years old)

FIPRESCI award from the International Federation of Film critics, Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2002

Supported by the EURIMAGES Funds of the Council of Europe

Script supported by MEDIA DEVELOPMENT and ARISTA

External Links:

Greek Film Centre Review

2002 Greek Film Festival