A new, unconventional example of young Greek cinematography: the story of a cunning TV-star with an original plan for prolonging his fame serves as a witty metaphor of a country in crisis.
Antonis Paraskevas is a national figurehead: 20 years at the helm of Greece’s leading morning TV show speaks for itself. Yet no one is free from falling ratings, debts and personal problems. All the more reason to engineer a comeback then. The famous anchor comes up with an original solution: If their idol were to be kidnapped, the fans would surely realise his true worth. He retreats to a luxury hotel, following the media coverage of his disappearance from there. Leafing through celebrity magazines, he recalls his past achievements and patiently awaits the opportunity for his eternal return.
»Antonis Paraskevas has no identity. He is what others think of him. One day he’s a shining star, a major player on the scene, the ultimate idol, the man of the year. The next day he’s bankrupt, irrelevant, a total has-been, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a man gone missing. My country has no identity. It is what others think of it. One day it’s the cradle of democracy, the birthplace of philosophy. The next day it’s a cradle of filth, corruption and laziness.«
- Elina Psykou
Elina Psykou
Born in 1977 in Athens, Greece, Psykou studied directing at the Lykourgos Stavrakos Film School and sociology at the Panteion University. She then studied cultural history at the School for Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHES) in Paris. The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas is her feature debut.