Eternity and a Day (1998)

Famous writer Alexander is very ill and has little time left to live. He meets a little boy on the street, who is an illegal immigrant from Albania, and goes on a journey with him to take the boy home.

Director:

Theodoros Angelopoulos (as Theo Angelopoulos)

Writers:

Theodoros Angelopoulos (as Theo Angelopoulos), Tonino Guerra (co-writer)

Stars:

Bruno Ganz, Isabelle Renauld, Fabrizio Bentivoglio

9 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Bruno Ganz	...	Alexandros
Isabelle Renauld	...	Anna
Fabrizio Bentivoglio	...	The Poet
Achileas Skevis	...	The Child
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lazaros Andreou	...	(as Lazarus Andreou)
Aristotelis Aposkitis	...	(as Aristotle Aposkitis)
Despina Bebedelli	...	Alexandros' Mother (as Despina Bebedeli)
Iris Chatziantoniou	...	Alexandros' Daughter
Dimitris Fotsinos-Safrantzas	...	Kid (as Dimitri Fotsinos-Safrantzas)
Petros Fyssoun	...	Alexandros (voice) (as Petros Fissoun)
Eleni Gerasimidou	...	Ourania
Rony Gianari
Milena Giannakidou	...	(as Milena Gianakidou)
Mihalis Giannatos	...	Ticket Inspector (as Mihalis Yanatos)
Themis Gousoulis	...	Kid

Storyline

Alexander, an old writer, is ill and prepared to die. He says his goodbyes and recalls his life with his wife long ago. While driving his car he saves a street kid, an illegal immigrant from Albania, from being arrested. Later in the day, by chance, he sees the same boy being abducted, and follows in his car. Although he is preoccupied with his own regrets, he puts death on hold to find a way to help the boy.

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Plot Keywords:

street kid | death | morgue | child abduction | writer | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Artistic License Films

Country:

France Italy Greece Germany

Language:

Greek English Italian

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eternity and a Day

Filming Locations:

Greece

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,221, 30 May 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$106,486, 3 October 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paradis Films, Intermédias, La Sept Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Part III of "A Trilogy of Borders".

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Goofs

When the child goes to see his dead friend Selim in the morgue, we can see Selim's right eyelid slightly blinking just after the child closes the door.

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Quotes

Alexandre: My only regret, Anna - but is it only one? - is to not have finished anything. I left all as a draft, shattered words here and there.

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Connections

Follows Ulysses' Gaze (1995)

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Soundtracks

Tis agapis aimata
Music by Mikis Theodorakis
Lyrics by Odysseas Elytis

User Reviews

A true masterpiece of human emotion

This film was such a pleasurable experience to watch. I was expecting a considerably depressing venture but the end left me filled with a variety of conflicting emotions, including a hint of rapture and a dash of melancholy. There are times where Angelopoulos left me contemplating about the life I have led. To many critics, the pace of this film was too slow, on the other hand I felt that it flowed beautifully, taking its time to arouse the audience's emotions. The music by Eleni Karaindrou touched my soul for it was able to guide the actors to make a truly magnificent tale from the heart.