Hard Goodbyes: My Father (2002)

When: Wednesday, July 22nd at 21.00
Where: Pezodromos Dionisiou Areopagitou (see map below) | Free entrance | G-rated

In the late 60’s, a ten year-old boy suddenly loses his father and denies to adjust to the new, tragic reality by employing stubbornly unorthodox behavioral manners. Young Elias keeps writing letters to his grandmother signed with his father’s name and keeps playing imagining games with him, in an effort to prove that loss is not a matter of habit, as long as memory stays alive.

Penny Panayotopoulou’s directorial debut is an affectionate, moving film which contrasts reality to fantasy in a truly beautiful way. «Hard Goodbyes: My Father» delicately outlines the acceptance of loss and soothes through its lens the burden of mourning. Yorgos Karagiannis, in his light-emitting glow, is charismatic in the role of young Elias.

Being in absolute harmony with realism, humor and the findings of the narrative, the young actor won the ‘Best Actor’ award in the Locarno International Film Festival in 2002, and together with the rest of the cast - Ioanna Tsirigouli, Despo Diamantidou, Stelios Mainas and Christos Stergioglou - they hopefully put color in the relentless black of sorrow. Panos Gkenas

Directed by: Penny Panayotopoulou
Starring: Ioanna Tsirigouli, Despo Diamantidou, Stelios Mainas, Christos Stergioglou and Yorgos Karagiannis
Year of Production: 2002
Running Time: 113’