One of Voulgaris’ best films, It’s a Long Road depicts three middle-aged men who, in confronting their personal demons, find themselves at crossroads in their lives.
In the first story, “A Silver Coin οn the Lips”, ...展开an archaeologist discovers the remains of a soldier from the Hellenistic period with a silver coin on his lips as payment to Charon, the mythological ferryman of the dead. The discovery triggers painful memories of the archaeologist’s son, who also died a soldier, but in very different circumstances. Having immersed himself in his work, he now tries to come to terms with his grief and goes to the border outpost where his son died.
In the second tale, “The Last of the Lesser Whites”, a group of ornithologists arrives in a spectacular wilderness area of the Evros Delta, where they meet with the game warden (Thanassis Vengos) who oversees the area that is home to thousands of birds of different species. The Norwegian member of the group has been tracking rare geese from Bergen; the only survivor is known to be in the area. But before the bird can be found, it is shot by a poacher, an act that forces the warden to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life.
The final story, “Vietnam”, follows the meltdown of a rich provincial factory owner, who is left in a state of emotional torment after his wife deserts him, taking their children with her. Distraught and desperate, he goes to a tacky bar (the “Vietnam”), gets hopelessly drunk and ends up destroying the entire establishment.
Director: Pantelis Voulgaris | Rating: R 18+ | 1998 | Drama | 118 minutes | Greek dialogue with English subtitles
Director's Bio - Pantelis Voulgaris
Pantelis Voulgaris was born in Athens in 1940 and studied at the Stavrakou Film School. He worked initially as an assistant director and made his first short in 1965. Since then, his films have won international acclaim and numerous awards, establishing his reputation as one of the foremost Greek film directors of his generation. Pantelis has also directed several documentaries for Greek television and the hour-long documentary on the poet Yannis Ritsos for German Television. He has also directed for the stage. In 1995 Pantelis Voulgaris was honoured by the Museum of Modern Art in New York with a mid-career retrospective.
PRINCIPAL CAST
Thanasis Vengos (the Game Warden)
Giorgos Armenis (Mr Tsetsenoglou, the Factory Owner)
Dimitris Katalifos (the Archaeologist)
AWARDS
39th Thessaloniki International Film Festival - 1998
Best Actor Award (Giorgos Armenis)
Best Make up Award
DIRECTOR's – PREVIOUS FILMS
1965 The Thief (Short Film)
1966 Jimmy the Tiger (Short Film)
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki:
Best Short Film Award
Best Actor Award
Critics Awards
1969 The Dance of the Goats (Documentary)
Grand Prix Contemporary Film Festival, Athens
972 The Engagement of Anna
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki FIPRESCI,
Best Film Award
Best Director Award
Berlin Film Festival :
Otto-Dibelius Award
OCIC Award
1973 The Great Love Songs
1976 Happy Day
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki
Best Film Award
Best Director Award
1980 Eleftherios Venizelos
1985 Stone Years
International Film Festival of Thessaloniki
Best Film Award
Best Director Award
Venice Film Festival:
Best Actress Award
Special Nomination for Best Actress
Valencia Film Festival:
Best Actress Award
Best Music Award
1988 The Striker with the No.9
Silver Knight Award – Moscow Film Festival
1991 Quiet Dais in August
Mention by the Berlin Film Festival's International Protestant Film Jury
Selected to represent Greece as Best Film for the European Film Awards
1995 Acropole
1996 Cairo International Film Festival – Best Director Award
Valencia Film Festival – Best Music Award
1998 It’s a Long Road
Hellenic Ministry of Culture 1998 National Film Awards
Best Actor (Giorgos Armenis)
Best Make-Up
2004 Brides
45th Thessaloniki International Film Festival – 2004:
First Prize for Fiction Film,
Best Leading Actress Award
Best Supporting Actress Award
Best Cinematography Award
Best Set Design Award
Best Music Award
Best Sound Award
Best Editing Award
Best Costumes Award
Best Makeup Award
http://www.greekfilmfestival.com.au/filmfestival05/sydney/films/film_road.htm