Syllas Tzoumerkas

Greek film director, screenwriter, actor

Syllas Tzoumerkas

Tzoumerkas in 2015

Born|  (1978-01-01) January 1, 1978 (age 47)

Thessaloniki, Greece

Occupation| Film director
Years active| 2000–present

Syllas Tzoumerkas (Greek: Σύλλας Τζουμέρκας; born 1 January 1978) is a Greek film director, screenwriter, and actor.[1][2]

## Life and early work

[edit]

Syllas Tzoumerkas was born in Thessaloniki.[3] He studied theatre and directing for Film and Television at the L.Stavrakos Film School and the University of Athens.[4]

In 2000, he directed the short film The Devouring Eyes (Ta Matia Pou Trone) that was selected by the Cinéfondation[5] of the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and won the Jury Prize at the 2001 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[3]

## Film

[edit]

Tzoumerkas' first feature film Homeland (Hora Proelefsis) had its world première at the International Critics' Week of the 67th Venice International Film Festival, in 2010.[6] Homeland participated in several international film festivals[7][8] and won 5 Awards of the Hellenic Film Academy (Best first film director, supporting role actress for Ioanna Tsirigouli, original music, editing and make-up).[9]

The script for his second feature film A Blast won the Eurimages Co-production Award at the Cinelink co-production market of the 2012 Sarajevo film festival.[10] A Blast',[11] a Greek-German-Dutch-Italian co-production [12] had its world premiere[13] at the International Competition of the Locarno Film Festival 2014.[12] The film was consequently presented in many international film festivals,[14] most notably Sarajevo international film festival (regional premiere), BFI London Film Festival (Dare),[15] São Paulo International Film Festival (Competition New Directors),[16] Rotterdam International Film Festival 2015 (Limelight),[17] among others. It was theatrically released in several countries (Greece, Germany, Italy, Holland, Poland, Denmark, Australia, etc.)[18] and was picked up for VOD and DVD release in the United States by Indiepix Films.[19] In the international press, the critical reception of the film varied from great and mostly favourable reviews in Screen Daily,[20] Indiewire,[21] The Hollywood Reporter,[22] Der Spiegel[23] to mixed in Variety[24] and negative in We Got this Covered.[25][26]

Syllas Tzoumerkas participated with the essay short film A Manifesto for the Un-Communal, in the omnibus documentary feature Out-of-Place, a German-Israeli production, recipient of the Shimon-Peres Prize 2018.[27] A Manifesto for the Un-Communal had its world premiere as an individual short film at the Locarno International Film Festival 2017 (Out of Competition).[28]

In 2019, Syllas Tzoumerkas presented his third feature at the Berlin International Film Festival (Panorama).[29] The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea,[30] a co-production of Greece, Germany, Holland and Sweden, a crime thriller with horror and surrealist undertones,[31] had its premiere at the Zoo Palast. It was nominated for the Panorama Award and the Teddy Award and New Europe Film Sales announced its release in a series of territories within 2019 and its participation in several consequent international film festivals (Beaune International Thriller Festival, Istanbul IFF, BiFan International Fantastic Film Festival, etc.).[30][32] Critical response was mostly favourable, with Guardian's Peter Bradshaw giving the film 3/5 stars while calling it "a Lynchian psychodrama in the sun"[33] and Savina Petkova of Electric Ghost Magazine giving the film 5/5 stars, writing that "while the film is saturated with Biblical quotes, icons of saints, and church choir songs, its form attends equally to the lowly human, animal, and nature."[34] The Hollywood Reporter,[35] Screen International[36] and Variety[37] praised the film the direction, the bold characters, the imagery and the unflinching performances by Angeliki Papoulia and Youla Boudali, while criticising elements of the script's narrative construction.

In 2020, The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea was nominated for 12 Hellenic Film Academy Awards, winning two (Best Director for Syllas Tzoumerkas and Best Actress for Angeliki Papoulia).[38]

As an actor,[39] Syllas Tzoumerkas participated in feature films Wasted Youth (2011) by Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Jan Vogel (Rotterdam International Film Festival)[40] and The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas (2013) by Elina Psykou (Berlin International Film Festival).[41]

In 2016, Syllas Tzoumerkas co-signed the script and appeared as an actor in Argyris Papadimitropoulos' film Suntan (Rotterdam International Film Festival 2016, SXSW 2016, Best International Film - Edinburgh International Film Festival).[42] Argyris Papadimitropoulos and Syllas Tzoumerkas won the Best Screenplay Award of the FEST International Film Festival[43] and the 2017 Hellenic Film Academy Award for Best Screenplay.[44]

In 2019, he co-signed with Ahmad Ghossein and Abla Khoury, the script of Ahmad Ghossein's feature film All This Victory.[45] All This Victory, a co-production of Lebanon, France and Qatar, premiered in Venice Critics' Week 2019,[46] where it was awarded with the Audience Award.[47]

In 2020, he appeared as an actor in Argyris Papadimitropoulos' feature film Monday, in the part of Manos.[48]

## Filmography

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Notes

|
|

2000  | The Devouring Eyes | (short film), director, writer, actor, producer

Nominated - Cinéfondation Award - Cannes 2001[49]

Winner - Jury Prize - Karlovy Vary 2001[50]

2000  | All Souls' Day | (short film), co-writer
2002  | Rain | (short film), director, writer
2010  | Hora Proelefsis | Director, co-writer, producer

Nominated - Luigi de Laurentis Award (67th Venice International Film Festival)
Nominated - International Critics' Week Award (67th Venice International Film Festival)
Hellenic Film Academy Award for Best First Film Director
First film director award (Athens Film Festival)
Nominated - Grand Jury Prize (New Horizons Film Festival)
Nominated - Grand Prix (Voices International Film Festival)

2011  | Wasted Youth | Actor
2013  | The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas | Actor
2014  | A Blast | Director, co-writer, executive producer
Nominated - Pardo d' Oro (Golden Leopard) (Locarno International Film Festival)[51]
Nominated - Heart of Sarajevo (Sarajevo International Film Festival)
Nominated - Art Cinema Award (Hamburg Filmfest)[52]
Nominated - International Jury Award (São Paulo IFF)
Nominated - Golden Angel (TOFIFEST, Torun IFF)[53]

2016  | Suntan | Co-writer, actor
Hellenic Film Academy Award for Best Screenplay, with Argyris Papadimitropoulos
Best Screenplay Award - FEST Film Festival
2017  | A Manifesto for the Un-Communal | (short film), director, writer, director of photography
2019  | The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea | Director, co-writer, executive producer
Nominated - Panorama Award (Berlin International Film Festival)[29]
Nominated - Teddy Award (Berlin International Film Festival)
Nominated - Sang Neuf Award (Beaune International Thriller Festival)[54]
Hellenic Film Academy Award for Best Director[38]
2019  | All This Victory | Co-writer
2020  | Monday | Actor[48]

## Theatre

[edit]

Syllas Tzoumerkas' theatre work includes stage performances Debate (Bios theatre, Diaspora theatre group, 2011)[55] and High and Low - A Murderer in Tokyo (Onassis Cultural Centre, Diaspora theatre group),[56] both co-directed with Youla Boudali. In 2015, he participated at the Onassis Cultural Centre's production of the omnibus performance X-Apartments - Athens (concept by Matthias Lilienthal, curated by Katia Arfara and Anna Mülter), with the segment Α Farewell to the Traitor from a Lower-Middle-Class House in Larissa Station, Athens (based on a letter by Flavius Philostratus, 3rd Century A.D.)[57]

* 2010 Cinemascope by the Blitz, (actor), Bios theatre, Athens and Epidaurus Festival (Athens)
* 2008 War is War by the Erasers (actor), No Central (Athens)
* 2012 Debate (co-written and co-directed by Youla Boudali, actor), Bios Theatre (Athens)
* 2015 X-Apartments, Athens - Α Farewell to the Traitor from a Lower-Middle-Class House in Larissa Station, Athens (based on a letter by Flavius Philostratus, 3rd Century A.D.), Onassis Cultural Centre (Athens)'
* 2016 High and Low, A Murderer in Tokyo (co-written and co-directed by Youla Boudali), Onassis Cultural Center (Athens)[58]
* 2019 Tobacco Fields V1 (co-written and co-directed by Youla Boudali), Prosorinos theatre (Athens)[59]

## Curator

[edit]

Elina Psykou and Syllas Tzoumerkas co-curated with Afroditi Nikolaidou and Dimitris Papanikolaou Motherland, I See You - the 20th Century of Greek Cinema, the restoration program and moving festival of the Hellenic Film Academy.[60] The program had its premiere at the Athens Epidaurus Festival in September 2021.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Σύλλας Τζουμέρκας: Μετά τις Κάννες η Βενετία. To Vima (in Greek). tovima.gr. 2010-07-23. Retrieved 2010-07-23.
2. ^ Sakaridis, Yannis. "10 Greek Filmmakers to Watch". raindance.org. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
3. ^ a b "Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Homeland". Kviff.com. 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
4. ^ "Syllas Tzoumerkas / Homemade Films". Homemade Films - Athens. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
5. ^ "2001 Cannes Film Festival Cinéfondation Films in Competition Lineup | Filmmakers, Film Industry, Film Festivals, Awards & Movie Reviews". Indiewire. 2001-03-19. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
6. ^ "Hòra proèlefsis | 28\. Settimana Internazionale della Critica" (in Italian). Sicvenezia.it. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
7. ^ "46th Karlovy Vary IFF". Retrieved 2024-02-07.
8. ^ "Wroclaw takes off to "new horizons"". Cineuropa. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
9. ^ "Hellenic Film Academy". Hellenicfilmacademy.gr. Archived from the original on 2014-01-04. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
10. ^ ""A Blast" by Syllas Tzoumerkas wins award at the Sarajevo Film Festival! | Flix". Flix.gr. 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
11. ^ "A Blast". 27 November 2014 - via IMDb.
12. ^ a b "Film".
13. ^ "Locarno Film Festival: 5 Things Not to Miss". The Hollywood Reporter. 6 August 2014.
14. ^ "Festivals / a Blast".
15. ^ "Buy cinema tickets for A Blast - 2014 BFI London Film Festival".
16. ^ "40ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema - Filme - A BLAST".
17. ^ "The first titles: Limelight". 3 September 2015.
18. ^ "Release dates / a Blast".
19. ^ "A Blast - Syllas Tzoumerkas". Indiepix Films.
20. ^ "A Blast". Screendaily.
21. ^ Kiang, Jessica (2015-07-14). "Karlovy Vary Review: Punchy, Difficult, Allegorically Urgent Greek Tragedy 'A Blast' - IndieWire".
22. ^ "'A Blast': Istanbul Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 April 2015.
23. ^ "Griechischer Film "A Blast": All die aufgestaute Wut - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Kultur". Der Spiegel. 15 April 2015.
24. ^ Lodge, Guy (4 November 2014). "Film Review: 'A Blast'".
25. ^ "A Blast Review [LFF 2014]". October 19, 2014.
26. ^ "A Blast Review [LFF 2014]". 19 October 2014.
27. ^ "stiftung deutsch-israelisches zukunftsforum – Shimon-Peres-Prize Award Ceremony". www.dizf.de. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
28. ^ "A Manifesto for the Un-communal". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
29. ^ a b "To thávma tis thálassas ton Sargassón | The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea". www.berlinale.de. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
30. ^ a b "The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea / Homemade Films". Homemade Films - Athens. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
31. ^ The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea, retrieved 2019-06-10
32. ^ "THE MIRACLE OF THE SARGASSO SEA – New Europe Film Sales". Retrieved 2019-06-10.
33. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (2019-02-09). "The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea review – Lynchian psychodrama in the sun". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
34. ^ "The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea ~ Berlinale 2019 Film Review". Electric Ghost Magazine. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
35. ^ "'The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea' ('To thavma tis thalassas ton Sargasson'): Film Review | Berlin 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
36. ^ Romney, Jonathan (2019-02-09). "'The Miracle Of The Sargasso Sea': Berlin Review". Screen. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
37. ^ Lodge, Guy (2019-02-28). "Berlin Film Review: 'The Miracle of the Sargasso Sea'". Variety. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
38. ^ a b "Winners : Hellenic Film Academy". hellenicfilmacademy.gr. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
39. ^ "Interview with Syllas Tzoumerkas". Fantom Film Magazine. fantomfilm.cz. 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
40. ^ "Wasted Youth - International Film Festival Rotterdam". Filmfestivalrotterdam.com. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
41. ^ "| Berlinale | Archive | Annual Archives | 2013 | Programme - I aionia epistrofi tou Antoni Paraskeua | The Eternal Return of Antonis Paraskevas". Berlinale.de. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
42. ^ "Suntan". 31 March 2016 - via IMDb.
43. ^ "FEST International Film Festival (2017)". IMDb. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
44. ^ "'Suntan' wins big at Greece's Iris Awards as Film Centre faces threat". Screen. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
45. ^ Hoeij, Boyd van (2019-09-15). "'All This Victory' ('Jeedar El Sot'): Film Review | Venice 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
46. ^ "Jeedar El Sot | Venice International Film Critics' Week Archive". www.sicvenezia.eu. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
47. ^ All This Victory - IMDb, retrieved 2021-10-30
48. ^ a b Gleiberman, Owen (2021-04-15). "'Monday' Review: Sebastian Stan and Denise Gough in an Indie Drama of Love and Other Drugs". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-31.
49. ^ "TA MATIA POU TRONE". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
50. ^ "Festival Scope". pro.festivalscope.com. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
51. ^ "Locarno Film Festival Programs&Selections >> A Blast". Locarno Festival. 2019.
52. ^ "Filmfest Hamburg 2014 | A Blast". www.filmfesthamburg.de.
53. ^ "Tofifest » Programme 2014".
54. ^ "Gros plan sur la compétition Sang Neuf du Festival du Film Policier de Beaune 2019". Le Polyester (in French). 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
55. ^ "Debate".
56. ^ "Syllas Tzoumerkas & Youla Boudali - High and low—A murderer in Tokyo". Archived from the original on 2017-07-14.
57. ^ "Onassis Foundation | Onassis Foundation".
58. ^ CENTRE, ONASSIS CULTURAL. "Syllas Tzoumerkas & Youla Boudali / ONASSIS CULTURAL CENTRE".
59. ^ Tzoumerkas, Syllas. "Καπνοτόπια – Δοκιμή 1". Syllas Tzoumerkas. Retrieved 2021-10-30.
60. ^ Κωνσταντίνος. "MOTHERLAND, I SEE YOU". Athens Epidaurus Festival. Retrieved 2021-10-30.

## External links

[edit]

* Syllas Tzoumerkas Official Site
* Homemade films
* Syllas Tzoumerkas at IMDb
* [1] at the Greek Film Centre's website

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Poland

People|

* Deutsche Biographie

Other|

* IdRef