Theo Angelopoulos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Theo Angelopoulos
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Angelopoulos presenting his film The Dust of Time in 2009 in Athens, Greece
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Theodoros Angelopoulos
27 April 1935 Athens, Greece
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| Died | 24 January 2012 (aged 76) |
| Alma mater | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens IDHEC |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1965–2012 |
| Spouse(s) | Phoebe Economopoulou (1980–2012; his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Palme d'Or (1998) |
Theodoros "Theo" Angelopoulos (born April 27, 1935 – died January 24, 2012) was a famous Greek filmmaker. He was a director, screenwriter, and film producer. From 1975 onwards, he was a leading figure in Greek art films.
Many people around the world saw him as a very important filmmaker. He started making movies in 1967. In the 1970s, he created several political films about modern Greece.
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese called Angelopoulos a "masterful filmmaker." His movies are known for small movements and changes in distance. They often use very long shots and carefully planned scenes. People often describe his film style as "sweeping" and "hypnotic."
In 1998, his film Eternity and a Day won the top award, the Palme d'Or. This happened at the 51st Cannes Film Festival. His films were shown at many major film festivals worldwide.
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About Theo Angelopoulos
Theodoros Angelopoulos was born in Athens, Greece, on April 27, 1935. His father, Spyros, came from a town called Ampeliona. During the Greek Civil War, his father was taken away. He returned when Theo was nine years old.
Theo said his father's absence greatly affected his filmmaking. He first studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. After serving in the military, he went to Paris. There, he studied at the Sorbonne University.
He soon left the Sorbonne to study film. He attended the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC). Later, he returned to Greece and worked as a journalist. He also wrote reviews about films.
Angelopoulos began making films after a military takeover in 1967. This event started the Regime of the Colonels. His first short film was in 1968. In the 1970s, he made political films about Greece. These included Days of '36 (1972) and The Travelling Players (1975).
His Unique Film Style
Theo Angelopoulos quickly developed his own special style. His movies often had slow stories. They were told in parts and sometimes were hard to understand. He was famous for using very long takes. For example, The Travelling Players is about four hours long. It has only 80 shots in total.
These long shots often showed complex scenes. Many actors were carefully arranged in these scenes.
He often worked with the same people. These included cinematographer Giorgos Arvanitis and composer Eleni Karaindrou. A common topic in his films was immigration. This meant people leaving their homes and then returning. He also explored the history of Greece in the 20th century.
Film critics like Derek Malcolm and David Thomson thought he was one of the world's best directors. Angelopoulos said two directors influenced him. They were Orson Welles and Kenji Mizoguchi. He also mentioned Andrei Tarkovsky's film Stalker as an influence.
Theo Angelopoulos received many honorary doctorates. These are special degrees given by universities. He got them from universities in Belgium, France, and the UK. He also received them from two universities in Greece.
His Passing
Theo Angelopoulos passed away on January 24, 2012. He was involved in an accident while filming his new movie. The film was called The Other Sea. He was in Athens with his film crew.
He was hit by a motorcycle while crossing a busy road. He was 76 years old. He was taken to the hospital. Doctors tried to help him in the intensive care unit. Sadly, he died from his serious injuries. He also suffered a heart attack before he passed away.
Theo Angelopoulos's Films
Theo Angelopoulos directed and wrote many films. Here is a list of some of his work.
| Year | English title | Director | Writer | Notes |
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| 1968 | Broadcast | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 1970 | Reconstitution | Yes | No | |
| 1972 | Days of '36 | Yes | No | First part of his "Trilogy of History" |
| 1975 | The Travelling Players | Yes | Yes | Second part of the "Trilogy of History" |
| 1977 | The Hunters | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; Third part of the "Trilogy of History" |
| 1980 | Alexander the Great | Yes | No | |
| 1983 | Athens, Return to the Acropolis | Yes | Yes | Part of a larger film project |
| 1984 | Voyage to Cythera | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; First part of the "Trilogy of Silence" |
| 1986 | The Beekeeper | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; Second part of the "Trilogy of Silence" |
| 1988 | Landscape in the Mist | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; Third part of the "Trilogy of Silence"; Won European Film Award for Best Film in 1989 |
| 1991 | The Suspended Step of the Stork | Yes | No | First part of the "Trilogy of Borders" |
| 1995 | Ulysses' Gaze | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; Second part of the "Trilogy of Borders" |
| 1995 | Lumière and Company | Yes | Yes | Co-director/co-writer for a short segment |
| 1998 | Eternity and a Day | Yes | Yes | Co-writer; Third part of the "Trilogy of Borders"; Won Palme d'Or in 1998 |
| 2004 | Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow | Yes | No | First part of a trilogy about modern Greece |
| 2007 | To Each His Own Cinema | Yes | Yes | Co-director/co-writer for a short segment |
| 2008 | The Dust of Time | Yes | No | Second part of the trilogy about modern Greece |
| 2011 | Invisible World | Yes | Yes | Co-director/co-writer for a short segment |
| — | The Other Sea | Yes | Yes | Third part of the trilogy about modern Greece (unfinished) |
Awards and Recognition
Theo Angelopoulos won many awards during his career. The most famous was the Palme d'Or. He received this top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998. This was for his film Eternity and a Day. His movies were shown and honored at major film festivals worldwide.
He also received special awards for his entire career. These are called lifetime achievement awards. Universities also gave him honorary doctorates. These awards recognized his great contributions to filmmaking.
Images for kids
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Angelopoulos presenting his film The Dust of Time in 2009 in Athens, Greece
See also
In Spanish: Theo Angelopoulos para niños
