BIOPIC, FICTION

KAZANTZAKIS

The true story of the greatest Greek author of the 20thcentury, Nikos Kazantzakis, based on his autobiography “Report to Greco”.
It is his existential search around the world to implementing the ideas of Christ and Buddha in real life; and through his hero Odysseus he realizes his philosophy of the Cretan Glance: “Life is a bumpy road and one must walk it with dignity and bravery.”
Staying true to his values, he faces his persecutors with self-control and dignity, and completes his work, which is to cherish man’s freedom, the values of life and the Greek Light.
The life of Nikos Kazantzakis is a story of love, faith and strength of one author who survived the adversities and cruelties of his time, making his life’s work live through the ages.
Nikos Kazantzakis’ creative achievements inspire today and positively enhance the future.

PRODUCTION: ALEXANDROS FILM Co. Ltd

YEAR   2017

FORMAT: DIGITAL, COLOUR 122 min

DIRECTOR'S APPROACH

The great Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis who was born at the end of the 19th century and died in 1957, believed that two things determined his life: dreams and travels. The film begins with a dream he had a little before he died, a nightmare which ends with the appearance of Domenicos Theotokopoulos (El Greco). The film ends with a liberating dream full of light. Following his dreams, Kazantzakis starts writing the chapters of his autobiography “Report to Greco” with the support of his intuitive companion Eleni. All these chapters will be brought to life in a flashback, as a continuous journey to the places he visited in his lifetime: Mount Athos, Mount Sinai, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Moscow, Antibes and Beijing and at the same time, representing the “spiritual” path of the author who keeps searching, wanting to understand Christ, the Buddha, Nietzsche, Lenin, and his ancestor Odysseus and the big womb which is represented by the Aegean Sea and the Greek Light. Armed with the consciousness of his surroundings and his spirituality, he completes his “path” with the “Cretan glance” that eventually leads him towards freedom by defying death. Through this long journey of the soul towards freedom and after facing many difficulties and adventures, Nikos Kazantzakis succeeds in creating his universal work. This great work is the pillar of the Greek spirit today and during these difficult times we are going through, it can succeed in comforting and consoling the tormented souls of future viewers.

Iannis Smaragdis – Director

CREDITS

ODYSSEAS PAPASPILIOPOULOS NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS
MARINA KALOGIROU ELENI KAZANTZAKIS
THEODORE ATHERIDES GIORGIS ZORBAS
NIKOS KARDONIS AGGELOS SIKELIANOS
GIOULIKA SKAFIDA ITKA
ARGYRIS XAFIS KAZANTZAKIS’ FATHER
MARIA SKOULA KAZANTZAKIS’ MOTHER
ZETA DOUKA MELINA MERKOURI
AMALIA ARSENI EVA SIKELIANOU
NIKOS MARINAKOS Dr. SCHTECKEL
TAKIS PAPAMATTHAIOU PHYSICS TEACHER
PANOS SKOUROLIAKOS THEOLOGY TEACHER
ALEXANDROS KOLATOS JULES DASSIN
ALEXANDROS KABAKSIS YOUNG KAZANTZAKIS
ERSI MALIKENZOY OLD CRETAN WOMAN
OLGA DAMANI BEREAVED MOTHER
ANTHOULA KATSIMATIDES CHRYSOULA POIRIER
STEFANOS LINAIOS OLD KAZANTZAKIS
STATHIS PSALTIS ABBOTT
DIRECTOR/SCRIPT IANNIS SMARAGDIS
PRODUCER ELENI SMARAGDI
COMPOSER MINOS MATSAS
DoP ARIS STAVROU
COSTUME/SET DESIGNER GEORGE PATSAS
EDITING STELLA FILIPPOPOULOU
CO-PRODUCER VINCENT MICHAUD – 2017 FILMS
CO-PRODUCERS NOVA
GREEK FILM CENTRE
GREEK NATIONAL TELEVISION
PHARMATHEN
GRAND SPONSOR NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE
SPONSORS AEGEAN
KAZANTZAKIS PUBLICATIONS
TO MANNA TSATSARONAKI

STORYBOARD

AWARDS / FESTIVALS

The film reached No1 at the Greek Box Office with 250.000 admissions with international distribution.

FESTIVALS

  • Official Participation at the 51st Houston Worldfest, where the film received four Remi Awards
  • Participation at the International Film Festivals in Cairo, India (Goa) and Thessaloniki
  • Participation at the European Union Film Festival in Toronto
  • Participation at the European Film Festivals in Lebanon and Singapore
  • Other screenings include the Greek Film Festival in Montreal, the Francophone Festival in Baku
  • Honorary screening at UNESCO in Paris
  • Participation at the Houston Greek Film Festival
  • Screening at the Museum of the Moving Image in NY by the Hellenic Film Society
  • Received the Personality of the Year 2019 Award by the Academy of Greek Arts Awards for his film Kazantzakis
  • Screening at Harvard University and Geneva University

Numerous private screenings were also organized throughout the world (Switzerland, Germany, Poland, etc).
-International distribution by American-based distribution company Montecristo Entertainment

AWARDS

51st Houston Worldfest:

  • Grand Remi Award for Best Film
  • Gold Remi Award for Best Music Score for Minos Matsas
  • Gold Remi Award for Best Photography for Ari Stavrou
  • Houston Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor for Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos
  • 2 Gold Remi Award Nominations:
    -Best Actress for Marina Kalogirou
    -Best Supporting Actor for Thodoris Atheridis
  • Award for Best Photography at the Ischia Film Festival in Italy
  • Audience award at the New York Greek Film Expo
  • Audience award at the Atlanta Greek Film Expo
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