THE FLEA/ O Psyllos

Director: Dimitris Spyrou

Cast: Pantelis Trivizas, Vassilis Kolovos, Dimitra Hatoupi, Amalia Ghiza, Dimitris Spyrou and Costoula Tsellou

The "Flea" is a handwritten little newspaper written, edited and published by Ilias, a determined twelve year-old schoolboy who lives in a remote village in the mountains near ancient Olympia. His efforts go largely unappreciated by his elders, who tease him and nickname him "The Flea", and his concerned parents are convinced his preoccupation with his newspaper will distract him from more serious studies and forbid him to continue it.

Ilias' only allies are a quixotic eccentric and a sensitive schoolgirl. The villagers' scoffing at Ilias' ambitions changes to admiration when an Athenian journalist shows up to do a story on Ilias. He becomes disheartened, however when he realizes much of their enthusiasm stems from hopes for increased tourism spurred by his fame and he distrusts the journalist's motives as well.

In the end he chooses the road less traveled much as he always has done. To paraphrase a well-known saying: "Children are too serious a matter to be left in the hands of film directors". Dimitris Spyrou, however, handles his subject with the same devotion, skill and sensitivity that Ilias "publishes" his paper.

Dimitris Spyrou Filmography

1996 Dream Against A White Backround

1995 Black-Eyed One (doc)

1990 The Flea

1985 Interpretation (short)

Born in 1954 in the village of Diasella, Olympia. Studied theatre and film. He has published two collections of poems and a novel. His short stories have appeared in newspapers and magazines. In 1981 he won the First Prize in a contest for poets under 35 years of age. He has written scripts for numerous television serials and has directed fifteen documentaries for Greek television on the history, folklore and archaeology of Greece.