Honorary event for the stars of the 1960s Greek cinema
In a heartfelt event that took place on Sunday, November 2nd, at the Pavlos Zannas theater, the 66th Thessaloniki International Film Festival, in collaboration with Finos Film, awarded 37 iconic actors, who starred in unforgettable films of the 1960s for their overall contribution to cinema and Greek culture. This festive evening, a celebration of Greek cinema, was hosted by the President of the Festival’s Board of Directors, actor Akis Sakellariou and his fellow actor Ieroklis Michaelidis, with the Festival’s Artistic Director, Orestis Andreadakis, and Finos Film’s representative, Stathis Kamvasinos, in attendance.
Akis Sakellariou welcomed the audience to an “award ceremony dedicated to the golden days of Greek cinema” as he noted, a concept that originated from the shared love he and his fellow host, Ieroklis Michaelidis, have for the Greek cinema of that time. “The concept first took shape at the house of Spyros Papadopoulos, who knows every Greek film inside out. These films have always been a masterclass in acting for us and we constantly return to them, revisiting scenes of masterful craftsmanship. So, it was a wish of ours, since we didn't have the opportunity to perform alongside these actors, to instead gather them here today, at this intimate and moving evening,” Mr. Michaelidis stated.
Next, Finos Film’s representative, Stathis Kamvasinos, offered a few words to the audience: “This is a very touching moment, and we, as Finos Film, are very proud to be part of the Festival’s beautiful initiative. Unfortunately, many of the great actors of that era are no longer with us, but tonight, we do have some living legends here, all of them contributors and pillars of an era that left its mark on history, gifting us many truly remarkable films, which have survived in the public consciousness to this day, crafted during a period of great cinematic prosperity,” he pointed out.
“We wished to merge three generations of actors in one event," Mr. Sakellariou disclosed, before introducing actors and actresses Vassilis Haralambopoulos, Christina Cheila-Fameli, Katia Goulioni, and Spyros Papadopoulos, who presented the awards alongside the evening’s two hosts. The beloved stars Vasilis Kailas, Dimitris Kallivokas, Giorgos Konstantinou, Chloe Liaskou, Betty Livanou, Sotiros Tzevelekos, Emilia Ypsilanti, and Anna Fonsou were among those present in the hall to receive honorary awards, with the audience giving heartfelt applause for the entire duration of the event.
Following the introduction, a film paying tribute to the Greek actors of the 1960s was screened. Directed by Nikos Pastras and edited by Stella Charami, it traced the careers of these remarkable actors while capturing the true essence of an entire era. Angelos Antonopoulos, Eleni Anousaki, Betty Arvaniti, Nora Valsami, Giannis Vogiatzis, Vagelis Voulgaridis, Martha Vourtsi, Melpo Zarokosta, Kaiti Improchori, Maria Ioannidou, Tonia Kaziani, Xenia Kalogeropoulou, Lakis Komninos, Iro Kyriakaki, Maro Kontou, Alexandra Ladikou, Popi Lazou, Stefanos Linaios, Christos Nomikos, Giorgos Pantzas, Christos Politis, Kostas Prekas, Eleni Prokopiou, Elsa Rizou, Tzeni Roussea, Zozo Sapountzaki, Nikos Tsoukas, Elli Fotiou, as well as Anna Kyriakou, who recently passed away, appeared in the film.
The screening of the film was followed by the presentation of the honorary awards. Vassilis Haralambopoulos presented the first award to Thessaloniki-born actor Sotiris Tzevelekos, who had participated in the 33rd Thessaloniki International Film Festival as Nikos Xanthopoulos' co-star in Errikos Thalassinos’ film The Rider. “You are the reason why many of us wanted to pursue a career in acting. You are like family, we admired you and looked forward to seeing your films,” Mr. Haralambopoulos said, moved. In turn, Mr. Tzevelekos remarked: "I'm shedding tears of joy, and you should share in this joy as well. It is a great honor for me. The truly great always move forward, they are the ones who withstand the test of time.”
Chloe Liaskou began her film career whilst she was still in school, taking leave to attend shoots. She was discovered by Nikos Koundouros, to whom she owes her stage name, Chloe. During her adolescence, she eventually joined the Finos Film family, starring in Law 4000. The award was given to her by actress Christina Cheila-Fameli, with the brilliant actress stating: “We may have grown up, but deep inside, we remain children at heart.”
Christina Cheila-Fameli also presented the award to Vasilis Kailas, an actor who quite literally grew up and came of age on screen, making his film debut alongside Horn and Lambeti, under Michael Cacoyannis’ guidance at only four years old. The screen became something akin to a second home, culminating in his greatest personal success as a shoe-shine boy in the film of the same name, crafted by the first female Greek director, Maria Plyta. “It is a great honor to be here today among people who have contributed so much to Greek cinema. I hope that future awards will be given to people who have truly honored and continue to honor cinema, rather than to artificial constructs created by AI,” Mr. Kailas pointed out.
Ieroklis Michaelidis then bestowed the award to the acclaimed actor, Dimitris Kallivokas. A naturally gifted comedian and exceptional character actor, Dimitris Kallivokas left a lasting impression thanks to his exuberance, his expressive range, and the way he delivered each line. He accepted the award with profound emotion, revealing that he had been involved exclusively in theater for years prior to venturing into cinema, unbeknownst to the directors of his theatrical productions.
Katia Goulioni spoke with deep emotion about the great actress Anna Fonsou, to whom she handed the award: “A person who dedicated her life to the arts, who didn’t settle for appearances. Your voice and gaze spoke directly to the soul. There was heart in every role," she said, while showcasing the actress’s contributions offstage as well as the initiative she spearheaded, called “Actors’ House,” a refuge for colleagues going through difficult times. Ms. Fonsou thanked everyone for the honor and stated, among other things, that she feels great joy when people stop her on the street to express their love and offer her compliments.
Akis Sakellariou presented the award to Emilia Ypsilanti, who has worked with legendary comedians and remarkable filmmakers alike, such as Takis Kanellopoulos: “We have a special love for your warm and tender voice,” the President of the Festival's Board of Directors divulged. Taking the floor, Emilia Ypsilanti referred to the crisis that cinema experienced with the advent of television, stressing: “I believe that this evening is of crucial importance. Not for the awards themselves, but because it helps to heal the wound we’ve been carrying since the late 1970s. It means so much that 50 years later, you are here to heal this wound.”
Betty Livanou began her career at Finos Film and then went on to star in numerous films of the New Greek Cinema, collaborating with some of its most prominent representatives (Nicos Panayotopoulos, Yorgos Tsemberopoulos, Giorgos Panousopoulos), thus building a prolific career. The award was presented to her by Mr. Sakellariou. She herself expressed how honored she feels by this recognition: “For me, this year marks 55 years in cinema, yet it feels as though it all happened just yesterday. I am so honored, but I would like to dedicate this award to Giorgos Panousopoulos.”
Taking the floor to bestow the honorary award to Giorgos Konstantinou, actor Spyros Papadopoulos commended the exceptional Greek comedian, saying: “I owe so much to him. He truly treated me as if he were my father.” Upon receiving the award, Giorgos Konstantinou remarked: “I feel that I have finally been vindicated in recent years, because these films have been recognized. If I have gained anything, it is the audience’s love, which has remained intact over the years.”
The event wrapped up with brief remarks from the guests of honor, who spoke about the value of the Greek cinema of that era and the need for its recognition. "There is room for everything in art, both commercial and artistic films; there is an audience for all. We must not ignore the past or deny the things happening today. We are professionals and we work wherever we can to make a living, and that is something we can dismiss." Ms. Ypsilanti said.
The actors also acknowledged the invaluable contribution of the people behind the camera lens, “They gave their all to ensure we had the best possible outcome in our capacity as actors,” Mr. Kailas mentioned. Among the audience was the renowned filmmaker, Nikos Kavoukidis, who, as of this year, marks 71 years of contribution to Greek cinema. “These actors have been making us laugh and cry for so many years on our screens, yet many of them are no longer with us. We owe them a big thank you, just as we do to the pioneer that is Finos,” Mr. Kavoukidis stated, evoking profound emotion in the audience, which erupted in continuous rounds of applause.
