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 & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Bruno Ganz	...	Alexandros
Isabelle Renauld	...	Anna
Fabrizio Bentivoglio	...	The Poet
Ahilleas 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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The ASL, average shot length, of this film is 114.3 seconds. To compare this to another modern film the ASL of the Bourne Identity is 2 seconds

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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: I know that one you will leave. The wind pushes your eyes away but today give me this day as if it was the last.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Inspiring Immigration Movies (2017)

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Soundtracks

Pame san allote
Lyrics by Alekos Sakellarios & Christos Giannakopoulos
Composed by Kostas Giannidis & Mihalis Souyoul

User Reviews

Masterpiece

A film straight from my dreams, drifting in and out of logical existence into the land of the dead. The story, as much as there is a story, involves an aging poet (played by European film staple Bruno Ganz) who has a terminal disease. He is apparently destined to die tomorrow, and we spend his final day following him, from his waking to midnight. Early in the morning he picks up a young homeless boy, an Albanian refugee, who tries to wash his window at a stoplight. Together they go on silent adventures. At regular intervals the film flashes back to Ganz's interactions with his beautiful wife, who never appears in the present, nor do we find out where she is. Most of the film's power is visual and aural. It is truly a sensual experience, along the lines of a Tarkovsky film. Because of its sensual prominence and lack of a coherent plot, it will surely fade from the surface of my memory. However, it is guaranteed to haunt me for the rest of my life. 10/10.

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, 31 May 1999

Gross USA:

$107,178

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$107,178

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