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CHARITON’S CHOIR/ I Horodia tou Haritona Director: Grigoris Karantinakis Cast: George Chorraface, Stefanos Karantinakis, Maria Nafpliotou, Akyllas Karazissis, Christos Steryioglou, Alexandros Logothetis, Ilektra Nikolouza, Vassilis Kolovos, Yvonni Maltezou, Dimitris Piatas and Spyros Stavrinios The politics of individuality versus autocratic rule is also the theme of Chariton’s Choir, a comedy/drama by Greek director Grigoris Karantinakis, which stars Greek superstar George Corraface as a bohemian school principal whose free-thinking spirit will not be crushed by the fascistic military after their 1967 coup d’etat. Chariton Ulianov has one great love: Life! That
great love affair however does not hamper him in his pursuit of
everyday pleasures. His position as School Principal in a provincial
town on the island of Corfu gives him the opportunity to disseminate
his own unique philosophy especially to the students that participate
in his greatest passion: the choir. His tender and playful outlook
on life is an inspiration to his students who find themselves facing
all the challenges of adolescence in a Greece which is itself facing
the challenges of life under dictatorship. Script:
Grigoris Karantinakis, Giorgos Makris and Dimitris Vakis
2005: Chariton’s Choir 1997: Lone Wolf (TV film) 1996: My Aunt from Sweden (docudrama) 1992: Perfect Day (short film) 1991: Voice (doc) 1990: Story of a Bed (short film) 1989: Dream (short film) 1988: The Room (short film) Gregory Karantinakis was born in Athens in 1961. He graduated from the Stage & Costume Design Department of the Stavrakos Film School, and the Film & TV Direction Department of Moscow’s State School for Cinema Studies (VGIK). He has directed short films, TV films, documentaries, TV series and plays. Chariton’s Choir is his first feature film.Awards Thessaloniki Film Festival 2005 Audience Award Greek Competition 2005 Best Sound Greek Competition Review Variety - Posted: Thurs., Feb. 16, 2006 http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=features2006&content... Biography for Georges Corraface Born 7 December 1952, Paris, France Georges Corraface has risen to star status in Europe throughout a career in film, theatre and television. This ruggedly charismatic leading man is notably a box-office draw in Greece, Spain and France, where he lives and is a popular celebrity. A classically trained and versatile actor, his gift for languages and his multi-cultural background has enabled him to work in eight languages and an even wider variety of accents. At the height of an auspicious and daring theater career, as a member of the famed Peter Brook Company in Paris, Corraface was discovered by David Lean in 1987. The legendary director cast him in the title role of "Nostromo". Although the film was never made, due to Lean's illness, the resultant attention launched Corraface into American productions with films like "Not Without My Daughter", "Impromptu", "Christopher Columbus" and "Escape from LA". In recent years, however, he has found his most challenging and successful roles in European film and television where his original characterizations have won him a loyal and ever-growing following, critical acclaim and Best Actor awards. The smolderingly lusty Yaman in "Passion Turca" wooed audiences in Spain. Meanwhile, in France, Corraface was getting rave reviews for a wide variety of starring movie roles, ranging from the candid and ebullient macho, Cheto, in the romantic comedy "Vive La Mariée..." to the swarthy and noble ex-con, Max, in the dark psychological thriller "Preference". In Greece, he made his mark with his performances first as a tormented and emotionally disconnected everyman in "Slaughter of the Cock" then as the comically naive and soulful peasant on a pilgrimage in "To Tama". Both parts earned him the highest film awards in Greece. He went on to portray Fannis, the introspective and traumatized exile in the nostalgic comedy "Touch of Spice", which broke all Greek box-office records before conquering audiences abroad. French television has made Corraface a broadcast star with mini-series roles like the suavely sophisticated François in "La Bicyclette Bleue", the hurt and sensitive rebel Thomas in "Eté Rouge", or the earnestly bumbling professor in "Le Château des Oliviers". Other TV productions focusing on contemporary issues have reinforced his popularity, through characters such as the haunted, hard-drinking journalist Rachid in the made for Arte film, "Algiers-Beirut", or as Alex, a solitary, fast talking swat team crisis negociator in "Alex Santana, Négotiateur", a series of made-for-TV movies (TF1). Overall, Corraface appears to enthusiastically alternate his more commercial work with dedicated involvement in less mainstream "films d'auteurs" with a new generation of independant filmmakers. |
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