Greek cinema at TIFF 2019

Greek cinema will berepresented at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival by the followingfilms:

“Entwined”by Minos Nikolakakis

(World premiere, Greek withEnglish subtitles, 89 min.)

Minos Nikolakakis'enchanting, mystical debut tells the story of Panos, a doctor from the city whorelocates to a remote village where he meets a spirit who will change his lifeforever.

Once upon a time, Panos(Prometheus Aleiferopoulos), a doctor from the city, relocates to a remotevillage, offering his services to its aging community. It's love at first sightwhen he sets eyes on the fair Danae (Anastasia-Rafaela Konidi), who has a rarecondition that causes her skin to resemble tree bark. Feared by thesuperstitious villagers, Danae lives in isolation deep in the forest, trappedin a proverbial castle, and our enamoured hero is determined to rescue her. AsPanos searches for a cure for Danae, time stands still in the dreamlikeparadise he now inhabits. Unbeknownst to him, however, Danae is not a helplessprincess waiting for her prince — and it's not long until she presents him withan ultimatum that will drain him of more than he ever thought possible. Thoughonly days have passed, Panos is aware that, for both lovers, time is runningout.

Director Minos Nikolakakiscreates an enchanting, mystical debut inspired by Balkan legends and ruralcustoms. The film's vanguard approach is so total that we may not notice itslingering curiosities — making for suspenseful and intriguing revealsthroughout.

Filmed in the Peloponnesepeninsula, the origin of several ancient Greek myths, Entwined is a modernfairy tale on the precipice of realism. With its imagination cleverly concealedbehind the logical and the lucid, the film reminds us of the human tendency toignore what is felt and happening before our very eyes.

Director

Minos Nikolakakis

Minos Nikolakakis was born in Athens and holds a master's degreein civil engineering from the University of Patras. His directorial creditsinclude the short films Ticket to Ride (03), ThePresent (05), Marionette (07), The HappyLife (09), and The Attic (12). Entwined (19)is his first feature-length film.

Biography

MinosNikolakakis has been producing/directing films since 2000. They focus on themesof cultural heritage, myth and magic realism. They have participated ininternational festivals (including LA Shorts Fest, Cinemed Montpellier, Uppsalaand Flickers Fest), they have had a theatrical release and have receivedawards. They were supported by the Greek Broadcaster ERT SA. His short, THEATTIC (2012), was screened in Egbert Baque Contemporary Art Gallery Berlin:David Bowie Exhibition. They have been used as a teaching medium in seminars atthe department of Film Studies in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Hehas produced features and documentaries. He has studied engineering and workedas a Civil Engineer in order to support his passion for filmmaking. He iscurrently in post-production of his first feature ENTWINED that received theCineLink award of the pack-and-pitch program of the 2014 Sarajevo FilmFestival’s Talent Lab and was a jury member at the following edition.