Theo Angelopoulos and ‘The Dust of Time,’
June Samaras
Theo Angelopoulos and 'The Dust of Time,' the second installment of a
trilogy, filming in Athens
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/news/civ__5879564KathiLev&xml/&aspKath/civ.asp?fdate=08/01/2008
By Maria Katsounaki - Kathimerini
The Athens Festival venue Pireos 260 witnessed heavy activity on
Thursday last week, when internationally acclaimed actors Irene Jacob
and Bruno Ganz, accompanied by more than 200 extras, participated in
the filming of part of Theo Angelopoulos's new feature film, "The Dust
of Time." The venue was off limits to the public to ensure actors and
crew worked without any disruption.
Following a number of necessary interventions, the former Tsaousoglou
factory – and current "star" venue of the revamped Athens Festival
under artistic director Giorgos Loukos – met the prerequisites for the
shooting of a scene involving political refugees meeting in Tashkent
in the mid-1950s. In the scene, Jacob and Ganz participate in the
meeting as party members. The atmosphere is decidedly cold and
impersonal. Similar "meetings" are signature Angelopoulos takes,
reflecting the personal, ultimately melancholic relationships which
Angelopoulos enjoys with history, time, wandering and the end of
ideologies.
Greek leg
The Greek schedule of the international co-production was rather heavy
last week: The Ministry of Tourism, the National Tourism Organization
and Nova Digital Platform threw a reception in honor of the production
and the actors at the Athens Hilton. The event was followed by two
more days of shooting, Friday and Saturday, in the Alexandra Trianti
Hall at the Athens Concert Hall, before the international production
resumed its journey on to Rome, Berlin, Cologne and, possibly, the
United States. (Due to ill health, Michel Piccoli did not make the
planned trip to Athens for the production's presentation.)
In this second installment of a trilogy which began with "The Weeping
Meadow," Angelopoulos offers a poetic account of the last century and
a visionary relationship with the current one, as seen through a love
affair which challenges time. According to the director, this film is
more than ever an "elegy to human destiny."
The story begins in 1953, the day of Stalin's death. The script's
central focus is a woman, Eleni (Jacob), and two men (Ganz and
Piccoli), both of whom she has loved and who have loved her back.
Eleni is traveling in search of one them (Piccoli) while the other
(Ganz) traces her footsteps wherever she goes. Ganz, a German Jew
residing in the Soviet Union, having escaped a concentration camp,
meets Eleni in Tashkent. They live together for a number of years,
while the other man (Piccoli) is also present in Eleni's life. A boy
is born and is raised in Brooklyn. He becomes a director, filming his
own life story – the role is interpreted by Willem Dafoe.
Neither the film's budget (set to exceed 8 million euros) nor the
rough experience of filming in subzero temperatures in Russia seem to
have bent the director's desire for an epic, large-scale film in an
era of digital ease.
Co-producing "The Dust of Time" are Eurimages, the Greek Ministry of
Culture, the Greek Film Center, ERT as well as Russia, Germany and
Italy. Acting as sponsors are the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the Greek
National Tourism Organization, the National Bank of Greece, Theodoros
and Gianna Angelopoulos and Nova, among others.
A stellar international cast
Irene Jacob: The well-bred Swiss actress who studied in London, Geneva
and Paris, is identified with Krzysztof Kieslowski's "La double vie de
Veronique" (1991). Despite appearing in a variety of films (directed
by Louis Malle, Jacque Rivette and Agnieszka Holland, among others),
it was the Polish director and the mysterious Veronique which
established her career. Jacob also starred in Kieslowski's "Red," part
of the director's color trilogy, starring alongside Jean-Louis
Trintignant.
Willem Dafoe: Little has been left unsaid regarding the 52-year-old
American actor who has appeared in more than 60 films – from
"Spider-Man" and "The English Patient" all the way to Lars von Trier's
"Manderlay" as well as films by David Cronenberg, Abel Ferrara, Martin
Scorsese and Oliver Stone. In "The Dust of Time," Dafoe interprets the
role of Jacob's son, a film director. In Athens, Dafoe worked
alongside Greek actress Reni Pittaki.
Bruno Ganz: Born in Zurich, the 67-year-old leading European actor
began his career in theater. Several times voted actor of the year by
authoritative theater publications, Ganz is particularly well-known
for his performance in a 13-hour theater production of "Faust" as well
as his extraordinary interpretation of Adolf Hitler in Oliver
Hirschbiegel's "The Downfall." This is the second time Ganz has taken
on a leading role in an Angelopoulos film, following his participation
in "Eternity and a Day."
Michel Piccoli: Following his memorable performance in Jean-Luc
Godard's 1963 "Contempt," the French actor subsequently participated
in no fewer than 200 roles in films, not to mention theater plays. He
has also made his debut as a director.
"The Dust of Time" features cinematography by Andreas Sinanos and
original music composed by long-time Angelopoulos collaborator Eleni
Karaindrou.
--
June Samaras
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