BOUDOURIS VASILIS
() DIRECTORVasilis studied law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece, but even though he graduated with “highest honors”, his deep interest in the arts resulted in him never practicing law. He sold a piece of land that he inherited and left for Sweden, where he hoped to study filmmaking ( which was not taught at the university level in Greece at that time). He was arrested before making it to Sweden and put on a train back to Greece, where he was handed over to the police of the then governing Junta (Colonels’ Regime 1967-74). So, he began his studies at a private school in Thessaloniki and then transferred to the only private film school in Athens.
He received his filmmaking degree with the highest grade (20/20) and his thesis film “1950, RED SILENCE” (Η ΚΟΚΚΙΝΗ ΣΙΩΠΗ,1974, most likely the first film on the Greek Civil War) was included in the competition program of the Film Festival of Thessaloniki. The following year he started studies in Theater, on a full scholarship, and upon completing his studies he took part in the production of “THE THREE PENNY OPERA” (Jill Dassen, Melina Mercouri, Nikos Kourkoulos) and then went on to become a founding member of “THE THEATER OF VOLOS”. Wanting to create theater for all people, he began his own production of the play “LOST AUNT. FULL STOP” (XASAME TI THIA. STOP) by G. Dialegmenos. This production was given a personal ‘Brechtian’ twist (interspersed with songs) and was well received during its tour in Greece. He then returned to Athens, where he collaborated with the great Teacher, Ch. Bachliotis. (who was also a long standing teacher at the “Actor’s studio" in New York). Together they wrote the play “THE REHEARSAL” (I PROVA) which unfortunately was never performed.
In Athens he spent a full year working with the well known Greek director Alexis Damianos, in an effort to produce popular theater, which however failed. He then turned to directing for television, and directed many program series: “PARASKINIO”, “OI PALIOI MAS FILOI”, “EREVNA”, “ERT STI BOREIA ELLADA” etc. During this period he also worked on feature films as an assistant to well established Greek directors. In 1982 the producer Ch. Mangos, selected to fund his first feature length film “I AM….” (ΕΙΜΑΙ….). The film was a hit and this opened the door for Vasilis, who in rejecting a number of proposed B movie scripts, forged his own path in independent filmmaking. From 1986-1987 he wrote and co-produced the film “RED ANTS” (O PARADEISOS ANOIGEI ME ANTIKLEIDI) starring IAN DURY. The film was picked up by COLUMBIA for world distribution ( an achievement which had not happened since the era of Kakoyiannis). This success triggered a lot of hostility, (as sometimes happens in small countries with cutthroat competition) and his following efforts were often thwarted. Not only was every next application for co-production submitted to the Greek Film Center cut, the GFC delayed signing a new world distribution contract for RED ANTS with FOX LORBER for three whole months, until this opportunity was lost.
For the next 4 years Vasilis traveled to the US for two different features in which star actors had agreed to participate (Rod Steiger, Richard Harris, Nastazia Kinski, etc) and with location scouting in Tunisia completed, they were canceled at the last minute when the head of MIRAMAX changed. Disappointed after this abrupt landing, he continued to produce a variety of work. This included half a dozen plays and play productions as well as 8 published books.
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Selected Works
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Awards
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Honourable moments and distinctions
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Posters
RETSILAS MARIOS
KOPANITSAS SPYROS
