The film follows Yannis Houvardas during the transitional period after the Amore theatre and before he took the reins of the national theatre, following Nikos Kourkoulos’ demise.
Camera:
Claudio Bolivar - Elias Giannakakis
Screenplay & Directed by
Elias Giannakakis
I had been a regular at the Amore theatre, since it first opened its doors, in 1991. It was, therefore, inevitable for me to want to make a portrait on Yannis Houvardas.
We had met during the preparation of my “Paraskinio” piece on Amalia Moutoussi.
Shooting began at the time the theatre was closing down and there was a lot of tension and emotion in the air. At the same time, the shooting period coincided with Houvardas' starting his tenure as the artistic director at the National theatre, after the death of Nikos Kourkoulos.
I filmed him during rehearsals for the “Tales from the Vienna Woods”, by Ödön von Horvath, which was intended for the Athens Festival. In addition to the rehearsals, I followed him around the old building of the National theatre, which was being refurbished. He was still uncomfortable in his new function, and that was manifested by a slightly comic incident. One of the workers was carrying a load and almost fell on Houvardas as he was speaking on camera. That was not only funny, but also indicative of the fact that he was neither here nor there. During that period, he was like a guest in his own house. The transition from the Amore theatre to the National theatre was sudden and abrupt.
The picture attempted to draw a portrait of a rather difficult and reserved man. Despite all adversities, I am glad I have made this documentary. Trying to find the key to unlock such a complex personality was very intriguing
Eleftherotypia
