Hard Goodbyes: My Father (2002)

In 1969 Athens, a 10 year old boy struggles to come to terms with the sudden death of his father.

Director:

Penny Panagiotopoulou

Writers:

Jan Fleischer (screenplay analysis), Penny Panagiotopoulou

Stars:

Yorgos Karayannis, Stelios Mainas, Ioanna Tsirigouli

8 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Yorgos Karayannis	...	Ilias Manolopoulos
Stelios Mainas	...	Hristos Manolopoulos
Ioanna Tsirigouli	...	Mother
Christos Stergioglou	...	Theodosis
Hristos Bouyotas	...	Aris Manolopoulos
Despo Diamantidou	...	Grandmother
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Myrto Apostolidou	...	Nurse
Eftyhia Dedousi	...	Old Woman in Nursing Home
Dimitris Drosos	...	Car Buyer
Konstadinos Grammenos	...	Classmate
Dimitris Imellos	...	Teacher
Michalis Karatzas	...	Classmate
Marina Latzanaki	...	Classmate
Panagiotis Lykavgeris	...	School Visitor
Hippolyte Lykavieris	...	School Visitor

Storyline

Elias is a 10 year old boy living in Athens with his family in 1969 and has an interest in Jules Verne's stories and in astronomy. His father, with whom Elias has a strong relationship, is a travelling salesman and his absence affects the whole family. On the eve of his departure for a long business trip he promises his son that he'll be back in time to watch the moon landing on TV together, but he is killed in a car accident. While Elias' mother and his elder brother deal with the loss in their own way, Elias refuses to accept his father's death. He creates an imaginary world, in which his father is alive. He shares fictitious stories with his friends, he sends letters to his grandmother on behalf of his father and he dreams of places like he did with him. Elias' mother and his godfather, who do everything to bring him back to reality, take him to a summer house. On the night of the moon landing Elias meets his father in his own way and comes to terms with his loss.

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | greece | athens | father's death | dead father | 

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Taglines:

There is nothing harder than 'forever'

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

Greece Germany

Language:

Greek

Release Date:

27 December 2002 (Greece)

Also Known As:

Hard Goodbyes: My Father

Company Credits

Production Co:

CL Productions, Eurimages, Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min 113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Did You Know?

Connections

Features The Avengers (1961)

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Soundtracks

Ena asteri peftei peftei
Performed by Vicky Mosholiou
Composed by Apostolos Kaldaras
Lyrics by Giorgos Samoladas

User Reviews

one of the most beautiful and touching films I've ever seen.

don't listen to stupid people that write stupid reviews ("littlesiddie: Absolutely nothing happens in this movie except actors trying, unsuccessfully, to pretend to have big, mostly sorrowful, emotions")

i just get so mad when people are idiots.

well littlesiddie, you might not realize but the work done with the boy on this film is far more than amazing. the acting is breathtaking. the imagination in the film making is nearly matched by the beauty of the photography. events are fresh and accurate at mastery level.

its the small details that still echo inside me even though months have passed since i saw it, truly an astonishing film.

i hold this movie as my filmmaking guide.

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