Eleftherios Venizelos

Ελευθέριος Βενιζέλος
Eleftherios Venizelos

“A striking history-film…”
Georgia Brown, The Village Voice.

This sweeping, non-didactic chronicle follows the political life of arguably the most influential political figure in Greece’s twentieth century history. Voulgaris focuses on the years from 1909 onwards, when the progressive and expansionist Cretan politician Eleftherios Venizelos arrived in Athens at the behest of the officers of the Military League, in order to lead the government. With determination to bring Greece into a position of internal harmony and growth, he expanded the country’s boundaries after a victorious war in the Balkans and generally had a clear concept of which way the international political winds were blowing. Although he initially enjoyed good relations with the monarchy, his views later brought him into conflict with the German-leaning Crown Prince Constantine once too often, and this escalated into confrontation at the outbreak of World War I.
   The film’s portrayal of the human dimension of the nation’s venerated, yet enigmatic, hero is captured through the maelstrom of uncertainty and volatility that led to his loss of the 1920 election. Voulgaris has created an effective and dramatic picture of the turbulence and chaos that confronted Venizelos during this crucial period in modern Greek history. This episodic story is intercut with contemporary political revues which summarise, Brecht-style, the unfolding events.


Director: Pantelis Voulgaris | Rating: R 18+ | 1980 | Historical – Drama | 157 minutes | Greek dialogue with English subtitles

Director's Bio - Pantelis Voulgaris

Pantelis Voulgaris was born in Athens in 1940 and studied at the Stavrakou Film School. He worked initially as an assistant director and made his first short in 1965. Since then, his films have won international acclaim and numerous awards, establishing his reputation as one of the foremost Greek film directors of his generation. He has also directed several documentaries for Greek television and the hour-long documentary on the poet Yannis Ritsos for German Television. He has also directed for the stage. In 1995, Pantelis Voulgaris was honoured by the Museum of Modern Art in New York with a mid-career retrospective.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Minas Christidis (Eleftherios Venizelos)
Yannis Voglis (King Constantinos)
Manos Katrakis (Old Cretan)
Dimitris Myrat (King Georgios)
Olga Carlatou, Vassilis Andronidis, Andreas Filipidis, Vassilis Diamantopoulos, Georges Sarri, Thodoros Exarchos, Giorgos Moschidis, Anna Calouta
 

DIRECTOR's – PREVIOUS FILMS

1966 Jimmy the Tiger (Short Film)
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki:
   Best Short Film Award
   Best Actor Award
   Critics Awards

1969 The Dance of the Goats (Documentary)
Grand Prix Contemporary Film Festival, Athens

1972 The Engagement of Anna
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki FIPRESCI,
Best Film Award
Best Director Award
Berlin Film Festival :
   Otto-Dibelius Award
   OCIC Award

1973 The Great Love Songs

1976 Happy Day
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki
   Best Film Award
   Best Director Award

1980 Eleftherios Venizelos

1985 Stone Years
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki
   Best Film Award
   Best Director Award
Venice Film Festival:
   Best Actress Award
   Special Nomination for Best Actress
Valencia Film Festival:
   Best Actress Award
   Best Music Award

1988 The Striker with the No.9
Silver Knight Award – Moscow Film Festival

1991 Quiet Dais in August
Mention by the Berlin Film Festival's International Protestant Film Jury
Selected to represent Greece as Best Film for the European Film Awards

1995 Acropole
1996 Cairo International Film Festival – Best Director Award
Valencia Film Festival – Best Music Award

1998 It’s a Long Road
Hellenic Ministry of Culture 1998 National Film Awards
   Best Actor (Giorgos Armenis)
   Best Make-Up

2004 Brides
45th Thessaloniki International Film Festival – 2004:
   First Prize for Fiction Film,
Best Leading Actress Award
Best Supporting Actress Award
Best Cinematography Award
Best Set Design Award
Best Music Award
Best Sound Award
Best Editing Award
Best Costumes Award
Best Makeup Award
 

Reviews