Theo Angelopoulos
Theo Angelopoulos | |
|---|---|
 Angelopoulos presenting his film The Dust of Time in 2009 in Athens, Greece | |
| Born | Theodoros Angelopoulos 27 April 1935 Athens, Greece |
| Died | 24 January 2012 (aged 76) Piraeus, Greece |
| Occupation | Film director and screenwriter |
| Years active | 1965–2012 |
| Spouse(s) | Phoebe Economopoulou (1980–2012; his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Official website  |
Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (/ˌændʒəˈlɒpəlɒs/; Greek: Θεόδωρος Αγγελόπουλος; 27 April 1935 – 24 January 2012) was a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer.
He dominated the Greek art film industry from 1975 on,[1] Angelopoulos was one of the most influential and widely respected filmmakers in the world.[2][3][4] He started making films in 1967. In the 1970s he made a series of political films about modern Greece.
Angelopoulos' films, described by Martin Scorsese as that of "a masterful filmmaker", are characterized by the slightest movement, slightest change in distance, long takes, and complex, carefully composed scenes. His cinematic method is often described as "sweeping" and "hypnotic."[2][5]
In 1998 his film Eternity and a Day went on to win the Palme d'Or at the 51st edition of the Cannes Film Festival, and his films have been shown at many of the world's esteemed film festivals.[6]
Biography[]
Theodoros Angelopoulos was born in Athens on 27 April 1935. During the Greek Civil War, his father was taken hostage and returned when Angelopoulos was 9 years old; according to the director, the absence of his father and looking for him among the dead bodies (during the "Dekemvriana" in Athens) had a great impact on his cinematography.[7] He studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, but after his military service went to Paris to attend the Sorbonne. He soon dropped out to study film at the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC) before returning to Greece. There, he worked as a journalist and film critic. Angelopoulos began making films after the 1967 coup that began the Regime of the Colonels. He made his first short film in 1968 and in the 1970s he began making a series of political feature films about modern Greece: Days of '36 (Meres Tou 36, 1972), The Travelling Players (O Thiassos, 1975) and The Hunters (I Kynighoi, 1977). In 1978, he was a member of the jury at the 28th Berlin International Film Festival.[8]
Theo Angelopoulos is a masterful filmmaker. He really understands how to control the frame. There are sequences in his work—the wedding scene in The Suspended Step of the Stork; the rape scene in Landscape in the Mist; or any given scene in The Traveling Players—where the slightest movement, the slightest change in distance, sends reverberations through the film and through the viewer. The total effect is hypnotic, sweeping, and profoundly emotional. His sense of control is almost otherworldly.
He quickly established a characteristic style, marked by slow, episodic and ambiguous narrative structures as well as long takes (The Travelling Players, for example, consists of only 80 shots in about four hours of film). These takes often include meticulously choreographed and complicated scenes involving many actors.
His regular collaborators include the cinematographer Giorgos Arvanitis, the screenwriter Tonino Guerra and the composer Eleni Karaindrou. One of the recurring themes of his work is immigration, the flight from homeland and the return, as well as the history of 20th century Greece. Angelopoulos was considered by British film critics Derek Malcolm[9] and David Thomson[10] as one of the world's greatest directors.
While critics have speculated on how he developed his style, Angelopoulos made clear in one interview that "The only specific influences I acknowledge are Orson Welles for his use of plan-sequence and deep focus, and Mizoguchi, for his use of time and off-camera space."[11]
Angelopoulos was awarded honorary doctorates by the Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium in 1995, by Paris West University Nanterre La Défense, France, by the University of Essex, UK in July 2001,[12] by the University of Western Macedonia, Greece in December 2008,[13] and by the University of the Aegean, Greece in December 2009.[14]
Death[]
Angelopoulos died late on Tuesday, 24 January 2012, several hours after being involved in an accident while shooting his latest film, The Other Sea in Athens. On that evening, the filmmaker had been with his crew in the area of Drapetsona, near Piraeus when he was hit by a motorcycle ridden by an off-duty police officer. The accident occurred when Angelopoulos, 76, attempted to cross a busy road. He was taken to hospital, where he was treated in an intensive care unit but succumbed to his serious injuries several hours later. Prior to death he suffered at least one heart attack.[15][16]
Filmography[]
Feature films[]
| Year | Title Original title |
Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Reconstitution (Anaparastasi) |
Director | |
| 1972 | Days of '36 (Meres tou '36) |
Director | Part 1 of the "Trilogy of History" |
| 1975 | The Travelling Players (O Thiassos) |
Director/writer | Part 2 of the "Trilogy of History" |
| 1977 | The Hunters (I Kinighi) |
Director/co-writer | Part 3 of the "Trilogy of History" |
| 1980 | Alexander the Great (O Megalexandros) |
Director | |
| 1984 | Voyage to Cythera (Taxidi sta Kythira) |
Director/co-writer | Part 1 of the "Trilogy of Silence" |
| 1986 | The Beekeeper (O Melissokomos) |
Director/co-writer | Part 2 of the "Trilogy of Silence" |
| 1988 | Landscape in the Mist (Topio stin Omichli) |
Director/co-writer | European Film Award for Best Film 1989 Part 3 of the "Trilogy of Silence" |
| 1991 | The Suspended Step of the Stork (To Meteoro Vima tou Pelargou) |
Director/writer | Part 1 of the "Trilogy of Borders" |
| 1995 | Ulysses' Gaze (To Vlemma tou Odyssea) |
Director/co-writer | Part 2 of the "Trilogy of Borders" |
| 1998 | Eternity and a Day (Mia aioniotita kai mia mera) |
Director/co-writer | Palme d'Or 1998 Part 3 of the "Trilogy of Borders" |
| 2004 | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow (Trilogia I: To Livadi pou dakryzi) |
Director | Part 1 of the trilogy on modern Greece |
| 2008 | The Dust of Time (I skoni tou chronou) |
Director | Part 2 of the trilogy on modern Greece |
| —[17] | The Other Sea (I alli thalassa) |
Director/writer | Part 3 of the trilogy on modern Greece |
Other films[]
| Year | Title Original title |
Contribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | (I Ekpombi) |
Director/writer | Short film |
| 1983 | (Athina, epistrofi stin Akropoli) |
Director/writer | Television film |
| 1995 | Lumière and Company (Lumière et compagnie) |
Co-director/co-writer | Up to 52 seconds segment of portmanteau film, with contributions from 41 international film directors in which each made a short film using the original Cinématographe camera invented by the Lumière brothers. |
| 2007 | To Each His Own Cinema (Chacun son cinéma) |
Co-director/co-writer | Trois minutes (Three Minutes) segment of portmanteau film commissioned for the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, with contributions from 36 directors. |
| 2011 | (Mundo Invisivel) |
Co-director/co-writer | Short film Sky below The underworld of the center and of the underground of São Paulo and its almost imperceptible inhabitants. The colorful of street art of graffiti in the melancholy of the outside world without redemption, and the weight of divine consciousness. |
Awards[]
Angelopoulos won numerous awards, including the Palme d'Or at the 51st edition of the Cannes Film Festival in 1998 for Eternity and a Day (Mia aioniotita kai mia mera). His films have been shown at the most important film festivals around the world.[6]
| Year | Issuer | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Thessaloniki | Hellenic Association of Film Critics – Best Short Fiction | The Broadcast | Won[18][a] |
| 1970 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Art Film | Reconstitution | Won[19][b] |
| 1970 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek New Director | Reconstitution | Won[19][b] |
| 1970 | Thessaloniki | Hellenic Association of Film Critics – Best Film | Reconstitution | Won[19][b] |
| 1971 | Berlinale | FIPRESCI – Special Mention | Reconstitution | Won[20] |
| 1971 | Georges Sadoul | Best Film of the Year Shown in France | Reconstitution | Won |
| 1971 | Hyères | Best Foreign Film | Reconstitution | Won |
| 1972 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Director | Days of '36 | Won[21][c] |
| 1973 | Berlinale | FIPRESCI – Forum of New Cinema | Days of '36 | Won[22] |
| 1975 | Cannes | FIPRESCI (Parallel Sections) | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][24] |
| 1975 | Berlinale | Interfilm Award – Forum of New Cinema | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][25] |
| 1975 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Film | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][26][e] |
| 1975 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Director | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][e] |
| 1975 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Screenplay | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][e] |
| 1975 | BFI | Sutherland Trophy | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][27] |
| 1977 | Cannes | Palme d'Or | The Hunters | Nominated[28][29] |
| 1978 | Chicago | for Best Film | The Hunters | Won |
| 1980 | Kinema Junpo | Best Foreign Language Film Director | The Travelling Players[d] | Won[23][30] |
| 1980 | Best Foreign Language Film | The Travelling Players[d] | Nominated[23][31] | |
| 1980 | Venice | FIPRESCI | Alexander the Great | Won[32] |
| 1980 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Film | Alexander the Great | Won[33] |
| 1980 | Thessaloniki | Hellenic Association of Film Critics – Best Film | Alexander the Great | Won[33] |
| 1984 | Cannes | Palme d'Or | Voyage to Cythera | Nominated[34][35][f] |
| 1984 | Cannes | Best Screenplay | Voyage to Cythera | Won[34][35][f] |
| 1984 | FIPRESCI | International Critic's Prize | Voyage to Cythera | Won[34][f] |
| 1984 | Rio | Critics' Award | Voyage to Cythera | Won |
| 1986 | Venice | Golden Lion | The Beekeeper | Nominated[36] |
| 1988 | Venice | Silver Lion | Landscape in the Mist | Won[37][g] |
| 1989 | Berlinale | Interfilm Award – Forum of New Cinema | Landscape in the Mist | Won[39] |
| 1989 | EFA | European Film Award for Best Film | Landscape in the Mist | Won[38][40] |
| 1991 | Cannes | Palme d'Or | The Suspended Step of the Stork | Nominated[41] |
| 1991 | Chicago | for Best Director | Landscape in the Mist | Won[h] |
| 1995 | Cannes | Palme d'Or | Ulysses' Gaze | Nominated[42][43] |
| 1995 | Cannes | Grand Jury Prize | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[41][42] |
| 1995 | Cannes | International Critics' Prize | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[41][42] |
| 1995 | EFA | FIPRESCI – FELIX of the Critics | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[44][45] |
| 1996 | Prix Léon Moussinac – Best Foreign Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[46] | |
| 1996 | INSFJ | Best Foreign Film Director | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[47] |
| 1997 | Goya | Best European Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Nominated[48] |
| 1997 | Mainichi | Best Foreign Language Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[49] |
| 1997 | Sant Jordi | Best Foreign Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[50] |
| 1997 | Turia | Best Foreign Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[51] |
| 1998 | Cannes | Palme d'Or | Eternity and a Day | Won[52][53] |
| 1998 | Cannes | Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Eternity and a Day | Won[52][53] |
| 1998 | São Paulo | Audience Award – Best Feature | Ulysses' Gaze | 3[54] |
| 1998 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Film | Eternity and a Day | Won[55] |
| 1998 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Director | Eternity and a Day | Won[55] |
| 1998 | Thessaloniki | Best Greek Screenplay | Eternity and a Day | Won[55] |
| 1999 | ACCA | Silver Condor for Best Foreign Film | Ulysses' Gaze | Won[56] |
| 2001 | ACCA | Silver Condor for Best Foreign Film | Eternity and a Day | Won[57] |
| 2004 | Berlinale | Golden Bear | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Nominated[58] |
| 2004 | EFA | European Film Award for Best Film | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Nominated[59][60][i] |
| 2004 | EFA | Audience Award | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Nominated[59][60][i] |
| 2004 | EFA | FIPRESCI – European Film Academy Critics | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Won[59][60][61][i] |
| 2005 | Fajr | Special Jury Prize – Spiritual Competition | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Won[62] |
Lifetime achievement awards[]
Theodoros Angelopoulos was also the recipient of many awards for his long standing career.[6]
| Year | Provider | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Université libre de Bruxelles | Honorary Doctorate |
| 1996 | Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists | European Silver Ribbon[47] |
| 2001 | University of Essex | Honorary Graduate[12] |
| 2003 | Copenhagen International Film Festival | Honorary Award[63][j] |
| 2003 | Flaiano Film Festival | Honorary Award[64] |
| 2004 | Montreal World Film Festival | Grand Prix Special des Amériques[65] |
| 2004 | Busan International Film Festival | Hand Printing[66] |
| 2008 | University of Western Macedonia | Honorary Graduate[13] |
| 2010 | Yerevan International Film Festival | Lifetime Achievement Award[67] |
| 2009 | University of the Aegean | Honorary Graduate[14] |
| 2010 | Dokuz Eylül University | Honorary Doctorate |
| — | Paris West University Nanterre La Défense | Honorary Doctorate |
Notes[]
- ^ At the Thessaloniki International Film Festival of 1968, The Broadcast was also the recipient of a Honorable Mention by the Hellenic Association of Film Critics Award.[18]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c At the Thessaloniki International Film Festival of 1970, Reconstitution was also awarded:
- The Best Greek Cinematography: Giorgos Arvanitis
- The Best Greek Supporting Actress: .[19]
- ^ At the Thessaloniki International Film Festival of 1972, Giorgos Arvanitis was awarded the Best Greek Cinematography prize for Days of '36.[21]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h The Travelling Players was also awarded:
- The Best Film in the World for 1970–1980 by Italian Film Critics Association.
- One of the Top Films in the History of Cinema by FIPRESCI.
- The Grand Prix of the Arts, Japan.
- The Golden Age Award, Brussels.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c At the Thessaloniki International Film Festival of 1975, The Travelling Players was also awarded:[26]
- The Best Greek Actor: Vangelis Kazan
- The Best Greek Actress: Eva Kotamanidou
- The Best Greek Cinematography: Giorgos Arvanitis
- The Greek Critics Association Award
- ^ Jump up to: a b c At the 37th Cannes Film Festival, the Best Screenplay was awarded to Theodoros Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra, and , and, the FIPRESCI International Film Critics Award was awarded ex-aequo with Paris, Texas by Wim Wenders.[34]
- ^ At the 46th Venice International Film Festival, Landscape in the Mist and Theodoros Angelopoulos were also awarded:[37]
- The Prize of the Students of the University "La Sapienza"
- The Pasinetti Award for the Best Film
- The OCIC Award tied with The Legend of the Holy Drinker (La leggenda del santo bevitore) by Ermanno Olmi
- The C.I.C.A.E. Award
- The Sergio Trasatti Award
- Best European Cinematographer: Giorgos Arvanitis
- Best European Director: Theo Angelopoulos
- Best European Screenwriter: Theo Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra, and
- Best European Supporting Performance
- ^ At the 27th Chicago International Film Festival, Landscape in the Mist was also awarded the Silver Plaque for Best Cinematography
- ^ Jump up to: a b c At the 17th European Film Awards (2004), Theodoros Angelopoulos was also nominated for Best Director.[60]
- ^ Theodoros Angelopoulos was the head of the jury of the first edition of the Copenhagen International Film Festival, held between 13–20 August 2003.[63]
References[]
- ^ Merry 2004, p. 145.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Horton 1999, preface.
- ^ Malcolm 2000.
- ^ Thomson 2000, pp. 21–22.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Horton 1999, back cover.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Theodoros Angelopoulos – Awards". IMDb.
- ^ "Theodoros Angelopoulos", editions Kastanioti, p. 189.
- ^ "Berlinale 1978: Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ Malcolm 2000.
- ^ Thomson 2002, pp. 21–22.
- ^ The Last Modernist, ed. Andrew Horton, 1997
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Honorary Graduates :: Theodoros Angelopoulos". University of Essex. 9 December 2009.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Honorary Graduates :: Theodoros Angelopoulos" (PDF). University of Western Macedonia. 15 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2009.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Honorary Graduates :: Theodoros Angelopoulos". University of the Aegean. 12 July 2001. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012.
- ^ "Director Angelopoulos dies after accident while filming". Kathimerini. 25 January 2012.
- ^ "Culture – Film – Filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos dies in accident". guardian.co.uk. Associated Press. 24 January 2012.
- ^ Left uncompleted by Angelopoulos' unexpected death in January 2012.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1968)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1970)". IMDb.
- ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (1971)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1972)". IMDb.
- ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (1973)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h "The Travelling Players (1975) – Awards". IMDb.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival (1975)". IMDb.
- ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (1975)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1975)". IMDb.
- ^ "British Film Institute Awards (1975)". IMDb.
- ^ "I KINIGUI" [The Hunters]. Cannes Film Festival.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival (1977)". IMDb.
- ^ "Kinema Junpo Awards (1980)". IMDb.
- ^ "Awards of the Japanese Academy (1980)". IMDb.
- ^ "Venice Film Festival (1980)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1980)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Awards 1984". Cannes Film Festival.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Cannes Film Festival (1984)". IMDb.
- ^ "Venice Film Festival (1986)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Venice Film Festival (1988)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "European Film Awards – 1989: The Winners". European Film Academy. 4 September 2008.
- ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (1989)". IMDb.
- ^ "European Film Awards (1989)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Cannes Film Festival (1991)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Festival de Cannes: Ulysses' Gaze". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
- ^ "Cannes Film Festival (1995)". IMDb.
- ^ "European Film Awards – 1995: The Winners". European Film Academy. 4 September 2008.
- ^ "European Film Awards (1995)". IMDb.
- ^ "French Syndicate of Cinema Critics (1996)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (1996)". IMDb.
- ^ "Goya Awards (1997)". IMDb.
- ^ "Mainichi Film Concours (1997)". IMDb.
- ^ "Sant Jordi Awards (1997)". IMDb.
- ^ "Turia Awards (1997)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Festival de Cannes: Eternity and a Day". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Cannes Film Festival (1998)". IMDb.
- ^ "São Paulo International Film Festival (1998)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Thessaloniki Film Festival (1998)". IMDb.
- ^ "Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards (1999)". IMDb.
- ^ "Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards (2001)". IMDb.
- ^ "Berlin International Film Festival (2004)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "European Film Awards – 2004: The Winners". European Film Academy. 4 September 2008.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "European Film Awards (2004)". IMDb.
- ^ "special awards 2004". fIPRESCI. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
- ^ "Fajr Film Festival (2005)". IMDb.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Copenhagen International Film Festival (2003)". IMDb.
- ^ "Flaiano International Prizes (2003)". IMDb.
- ^ "Montréal World Film Festival (2004)". IMDb.
- ^ "Pusan International Film Festival (2004)". IMDb.
- ^ "Yerevan International Film Festival (2010)". IMDb.
Bibliography and sources[]
- Books
- Horton, Andrew (1999) [1997]. The Films of Theo Angelopoulos: A Cinema of Contemplation. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01005-6. OCLC 154632603.
- Kolovos, Nikos (1990). Θόδωρος Αγγελόπουλος [Theodoros Angelopoulos] (in Greek). Athens: Aegokeros. OCLC 28342373.
- Kolovos, Nikos (1999). Κινηματογράφος Η τέχνη της βιομηχανίας [Cinema: The Art of Industry] (in Greek). Athens: Kastaniotis. ISBN 960-03-2704-1. OCLC 54107678.
- Merry, Bruce (2004). Encyclopedia of Modern Greek Literature. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood. p. 145. ISBN 0-313-30813-6. OCLC 53938047. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- Syska, Rafał (2008). Poezja Obrazu: Filmy Theo Angelopoulosa [Poetry of Pictures: Theo Angelopoulos Films] (in Polish). Kraków: Rabid. ISBN 978-83-60236-34-5. OCLC 297540425.
- Thomson, David (2002). The New Biographical Dictionary of Film. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 21–22. ISBN 0-375-41128-3. OCLC 49247183.
- Journals, magazines, and web
- Constantinidis, Stratos E. (May 2000). "Greek Film and the National Interest: A Brief Preface". Journal of Modern Greek Studies. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University; Project MUSE. 18 (1): 1–12. ISSN 0738-1727. OCLC 360217850.
- Malcolm, Derek (15 June 2000). "Theo Angelopoulos: The Travelling Players". Guardian Unlimited. London.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Theo Angelopoulos. |
- Official website
- Acquarello. "Great Directors: Theo Angelopoulos". Senses of Cinema (Issue 27). Archived from the original on 29 May 2010.
- Theo Angelopoulos at IMDb
- Theo Angelopoulos in musicolog
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