Cinema of Greece

Beginning

In the spring of 1897, the Greeks of Athens had the opportunity and priviledge to watch the first cinematic attempts (short movies in 'journal'). The projection of an animated movie resulted in excited reactions and the new-seen spectacle became a usual matter of discussion. 1906 was the birth year of the Greek Cinema when borthers John and Miltiades Manakia started recording in Macedonia, and the French filmmaker Leons, mproduced the first 'Newscast' from the midi-Olympic games of Athens (the unofficial olympic games of 1906).

The first theatre of Athens started about a year later and other special 'projection rooms' start their activity and gather a large mass of excited people. During 1910-11 there were some comic short movies by director Spiros Dimitrakopoulos, who also stars in most of his movies. In 1914 the Asty Film company is found and the production of long films begins. Golfo (Γκόλφω, a well known draditional love story, is the first Greek long movie.

Golden Age

(to be written)

Reprise

In 1999, TV series writers Michael Reppas and Thanassis Papathanasiou, cooperating with famous modern actors and TV celebities, made the comedy Safe Sex. It was proved to be the most succesful movie of the later years, and signaled the return of the Golden Age of Greek cinema.

In 2002 the writers returned with To klama vgike apo ton paradeiso (a pun of the title To xylo vgike apo ton paradeiso), which is a parody of the old classic movies, satirizing their cliches and the elements that made them distinct.

Filming companies

• Finos Film
• HT

Renowned figures

Directors

• Theo Angelopoulos
• Michael Cacoyannis
• Yannis Dalianidis
• Dinos Dimopoulos
• Costa-Gavras
• Alekos Sakellarios
• Apostolos Tegopoulos
• Nikos Tsiforos
• Thanasis Veggos
• Takis Vougiouklakis

Actors

• Thanasis Veggos
• Aliki Vougiouklaki
• Dimitris Papamihail
• Melina Mercouri
• Nikos Stavridis
• Giannis Gionakhs
• Rena Vlahopoulou
• Dinos Iliopoulos
• Martha Karagianni
• Jenny Karezi
• Zoe Laskari
• Dionyssis Papayannopoulos
• Martha Vourtsi
• Nikos Xanthopoulos

See also

• List of Greek films
• List of Greek actors
• Theatre of Greece

External links

• Modern Hellenic (Greek) Film (Cinema), Theater and Film Directors, Actors