Theodoros Angelopoulos

I know that this blog is mainly about fashion but I would like to use some space and dedicate it to a great greek director. Theodoros Angelopoulos was suddenly lost today in a car accident while filming his latest movie "I Alli Thalassa" (Τhe other Sea). This movie was the last of a trilogy. The first part was "To Livadi poy Dakrizei" (The Weeping Meadow) and the second part was "I Skoni toy Xronoy" (Dust of time).

Theodoros Angelopoulos was born in Athens in the 27th of April 1935. He studied in the Law school of Athens. In 1961 he left for Paris, were he initially attended courses of french literature and filmography in Sorbonne and later courses of cinema in the Cinema School IDHEC and in Musée de l' homme.

He started his career as a director in 1965 and in 1968 he presented his first short film "Ekpompi" (Broadcast) in Thessalonikis Film Festival.

In 1970, his first movie "Anaparastasi" (Reconstruction) won the first award in Thessalonikis Film Festival and many more distinctions abroad marking the dawn of the contemporary greek cinema. In 1972 he started shooting his movie "Meres toy '36" (Days of '36) and in 1974 the movie "Thiasos" (The travelling players) which is the one that has won the most awards and the one that made him internationally recognized. Many cinema critics consider it to be one the most important and influential movies of all time.

Ever since, his movies have participated in many international festivals and have been awarded many times. In 1998 his movie "Mia Aioniotita kai Mia Mera" (Eternity and a day) won the Golden Palm in Cannes Film Festival.

The universities of Brussells, Nantere and of Essex bestowed upon him an honorary degree.

Together with Vasilis Raphaelides cofounded the journal Contemporary Cinema. He regularly collaborated with the composer Eleni Karaindrou.

 Filmography:

• Reconstruction (Anaparastasi) (1970)
• Days of '36 (Meres tou '36) (1972)
• The Travelling Players (O Thiassos) (1975)
• The Hunters (I Kinighi) (1977)
• Alexander the Great (O Megalexandros) (1980)
• Voyage to Cythera (Taxidi stin Kythira) (1984)
• The Beekeeper (O Melissokomos) (1986)
• Landscape in the Mist (Topio stin Omichli) (1988)
• The Suspended Step of the Stork (To Meteoro Vima tou Pelargou) (1991)
• Ulysses' Gaze (To Vlemma tou Odyssea) (1995)
• Eternity and a Day (Mia aioniothta kai mia mera) (1998)
• The Weeping Meadow (Trilogia I: To Livadi pou dakryzi) (2004)
• The Dust of Time (I skoni tou chronou) (2009)
• Broadcast (I Ekpombi) (1968) (Short Film)
• Athens (Athina, epistrofi stin Akropoli) (1983) (TV Movie) 
•  Lumière and Company (Lumière et compagnie) (1995) (Segment of portmanteau film, with contributions from 40 directors) 
• Chacun son cinéma (2007) (Segment of portmanteau film, with contributions from 33 directors)
  

I had the chance to attend to his interview in the avant premiere of the movie Dust of Time. A great man is gone but his ideas and his work will live to inspire the generations to come.