2023 has entered dynamically for the Greek film “The BigFather” by Konstantinos Stragalinos, since after the world premiere in Los Angeles (Culver City Film Festival) in one of the most imposing cinemas in the region (Cinemark 18 and XD), the project has already been selected and screened at several international festivals, where it received various nominations and awards.
Recently, in the middle of March, the film was screened in the competition program of the “Ely Film Festival”, at the historical Nevada cinema, Ely’s Central Theater, where it won the “Best Film Award”, while causing enthusiasm among members of the Greek diaspora who watched it.
In addition, the film has been nominated for the Israeli “Near Nazareth Festival”, where it won the “Official Finalist Award”. Also, in February 2023, it was screened in Venezuela, in the competition section of the “FINDECOIN” festival, where it stood out, after being in the final three of the best feature films. These distinctions were followed by official selections and awards for the film in Singapore (“Best Narrative Feature”, World Film Carnival) and Bhutan (“Best International Feature”, Druk International Film Festival).
The satisfaction and impatience of the team behind the “The BigFather” film is great. The film’s international run has just begun and the achievements are already significant.
The movie:
“The BigFather” is a social drama which narrates with black humor and plenty of suspense the adventure of a family man, who in his attempt to save his house from the banks, ends up turning his life into a reality show. Writer-Director: Konstantinos Stragalinos. Production: Art and Media Zone (Giorgos Kaltsas). Co-production: Stragli Movies, Baby D Productions / Duration: 112′, 2023.
This Greek movie is an independent, collaborative film. The cast and crew are consisted of experienced professionals of the Greek cinema, who believed in the vision of Konstantinos Stragalinos and proceeded with their participation in the project, in order to turn the vision into a film.
The plot:
Angelos (Nikos Pantelidis), a movie director by profession, wants to produce his new film, by conceiving a strange idea. He decides to shoot his film in his own house, placing himself, his wife (Elena Tyrea) and his children in the lead roles (Noemi Vasileiadou, Christina Brekou, Christos Zacharof). A corrupt producer (Dimitris Raftopoulos) in collaboration with an up-and-coming corporate company take advantage of Angelos’ financial hardship, with the aim of promoting corporate products and placing them in his project. Children are turned into guinea pigs who constantly try out new products, supposedly for the needs of fiction. Angelos begins to film weird scenes that expose him and his family, gradually taking a road of no return…
Director’s note:
“I was inspired by the economic and social crisis and by various issues that concern our time, such as patriarchy, reality shows, body shaming and domestic violence. At the same time, I wanted to explore the limits of a mentally disturbed man who on the one hand has his back against the wall and on the other hand is determined to make his vision a reality. Thus, he comes into constant rift with his family, breaching the remnants of his moral barriers.
The crisis, as well as the confinement caused by the covid era, have brought to the surface the madness of many people, who until recently camouflaged their psychological issues carefully behind a facade of normality. It is well known that behind the closed doors of a seemingly peaceful family, dangerous psychopathic behaviors are often hidden.
The film “The BigFather” records the extreme outburst of a repressed narcissist, who within his narcissistic complex takes his madness as proof of his greatness and superiority.”
“The BigFather” trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZt3pdYUtvQ
Credits «The BigFather» / Written and Directed by Konstantinos Stragalinos / Producer: Giorgos Kaltsas / Co-Producers: Konstantinos Stragalinos, Dimitris Raftopoulos / Cast: Nikos Pantelidis, Elena Tyrea, Noemi Vasileiadou, Christina Brekou, Christos Zacharof, Dimitris Raftopoulos, Kostis Savvidakis, Giorgos Giannopoulos, Panos Kranidiotis, Kostas Kontaratos, Vasiliki Rousou, Vangelis Doukoutselis, and more / Director of Photography: Pavlos Mavrikidis / Set Design: Sofia Vaso / Costume Design: Sophia Katsoura / Editor and DIT: Dimitris Kadis / Music: Giannis Karalias / Colorist: Rasmus Hedin / Artwork: Alira / Sound Recording: Christos Tsiouras / Assistant Directors: (1st assistant) Orestis Rouskas, (2nd assistant and script) Meropi Laini, (2nd assistant) Kitty Kentezi / Sound Design – Audio Mix: Konstantinos Imvriotis / Sound Design – Foley: Giannis Katsavounidis / Make Up: Kaiti Dendrinou, Marianna Monopoli / Production Manager: Giorgos Kaltsas / Assistant Production Managers: Ermioni Politidou, Vanessa Broumana / Casting director: Giorgos Kaltsas / 1st Camera Assistant: Kostas Goulas, Georgia Kapralou / Set Design Assistant: Kiki Bellou / Costume Design Assistants: (1st assistant) Sylvia Charatsari, (2nd assistant) Eva Kalouda / Post Production Supervisor: Konstantinos Stragalinos / Acting Coach: Efi Meravoglou / Production Assistants: Fotis Bouziotis, Giannis Karalias, Giorgos Stamatopoulos, Giorgos Boulmanos / Backstage Photographers: Aristea Anysi, Katerina Paraskeva / Sound Recording Assistants: Stefanos Christidis, Stefania Makrialea / Electricians: Katerina Paraskeva, Stefanos Christidis / Prop Master: Giannis Karalias / Vfx editor: Nika Lominatze / Subtitles: Dimitris Mentes / Script Reader: Nancy Spetsioti / Marketing-Campaign Design (preproduction): Eva Kadianou / Technical Support: 92 ART, animelody, soundesign.gr, Steficon, Gosh, Rent Photo Video, Antonios Arapostathis, AVproject – Kostas Nomikos / Production: Art and Media Zone, Ergotaxion, Stragli Movies, Baby D Productions /
Director, K. Stragalinos
