Kalavryta was a real war crime committed in Greece, but this fictional drama – featuring von Sydow in his last film role – fails to deliver much justice
Max von Sydow, in his final film role, does what he can to lend gravitas to this odd, stilted and contrived movie, a fictional drama based on a horrendous Nazi atrocity in occupied Greece in 1943, for which the question of reparations still grumbles on. In Kalavryta in the northern Peloponnese, nearly 700 civilians were shot by the Nazi forces, in chilling reprisal for Greek resistance fighters executing 78 German soldiers taken prisoner. Von Sydow plays Nikolas, an ageing Greek writer who as a young boy miraculously escaped the massacre, but has been haunted by it ever since. In the present day, Astrid Roos plays Caroline Martin, an ambitious Berlin lawyer who is tasked by a heartless and cynical German government to go to Greece and to...
Max von Sydow, in his final film role, does what he can to lend gravitas to this odd, stilted and contrived movie, a fictional drama based on a horrendous Nazi atrocity in occupied Greece in 1943, for which the question of reparations still grumbles on. In Kalavryta in the northern Peloponnese, nearly 700 civilians were shot by the Nazi forces, in chilling reprisal for Greek resistance fighters executing 78 German soldiers taken prisoner. Von Sydow plays Nikolas, an ageing Greek writer who as a young boy miraculously escaped the massacre, but has been haunted by it ever since. In the present day, Astrid Roos plays Caroline Martin, an ambitious Berlin lawyer who is tasked by a heartless and cynical German government to go to Greece and to...
- 2/15/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
A new film about a notorious Nazi massacre in Greece during World War II has angered the descendants of the victims amid accusations that the filmmakers falsified historical events, with a victims’ group saying it’s filed a lawsuit against the producers.
Now the filmmakers are fighting back, with writer-producer Dimitrios Katsantonis describing the legal threats on Wednesday as “empty fireworks that will soon be revealed for what they are.”
“Echoes of the Past,” which is directed by Nicholas Dimitropoulos and stars the late Max von Sydow in his final performance, will have its world premiere Saturday at the Thessaloniki Film Festival before rolling out in Greek cinemas Nov. 11, where it will be released as “Kalavryta 1943.”
The film recounts the brutal massacre of some 700 Greek males by German troops in the Peloponnesian village of Kalavryta, in retaliation for the execution of nearly 80 Nazi soldiers by resistance fighters.
Von Sydow...
Now the filmmakers are fighting back, with writer-producer Dimitrios Katsantonis describing the legal threats on Wednesday as “empty fireworks that will soon be revealed for what they are.”
“Echoes of the Past,” which is directed by Nicholas Dimitropoulos and stars the late Max von Sydow in his final performance, will have its world premiere Saturday at the Thessaloniki Film Festival before rolling out in Greek cinemas Nov. 11, where it will be released as “Kalavryta 1943.”
The film recounts the brutal massacre of some 700 Greek males by German troops in the Peloponnesian village of Kalavryta, in retaliation for the execution of nearly 80 Nazi soldiers by resistance fighters.
Von Sydow...
- 11/3/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
The Greek pubcaster is backing 33 Greek and international co-productions with a total of over €2 million. The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (Ert Sa) has announced that it is supporting 33 Greek and international co-productions during its latest round of financing. This is the first slate of funding announced by the new board of directors, which was appointed soon after the latest national parliamentary elections. The support granted amounts to €2,205,000, in accordance with the rule that broadcasters should allocate 1.5% of their gross income to Greek cinema. The selection comprises 21 feature-length fiction titles, eight documentaries and four film projects with a limited budget. Among the selected fiction projects are the third features by Spiros Stathoulopoulos (Meteora), Godard Knows the Truth (producer: Neda Film); Giorgos Servetas, Woman With the Gun (Argonauts Productions); and Nicholas Dimitropoulos (Alter Ego), Echoes of the Past (Foss Productions). In addition, the sophomore...
- 11/13/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
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