SYNOPSIS

Inspired by the music, a story was created to resemble the cycle of life.
Man is born, he is elated, he dies…

“LACRIMAE RERUM” begins with images from a salvaged boat graveyard. The sand gives the impression of life beneath the surface, as opposed to the
“finished” rotted masses that bear a likeness to skeletons.

The cross at the seaside is united with the interior of the church, initializing the feeling of fear, death and religion… Grieg’s music stops…

Cutaway shots follow, depicting the inside of a home where the objects show a state of loss and abandonment. Then, to the music of Schubert, the objects fade out until the picture comes to a perfect pause.

Now starts the dance… the awakening, the elevation that leads inevitably, to death. To Annihilation… The camera moves freely using “arc-like” shots, to the music of Saint-Saens’.

Death and non-existence meet inside vertical and diagonal lines while the picture becomes perplexing. The doll shatters, symbolizing death with its intensely white face and the clock stops counting time. The candle symbolizes eternal memory.

All three symbols are united in the last sequence.

N. N.

AWARDS

greek-national-ministry
Greek National Ministry of Culture Award 1962
cannes
Official selection 1964
bilbao
Official selection 1965

CREDITS

Directed by: Nikos Nikolaidis
Written by: Nikos Nikolaidis
Produced by: Nikos Nikolaidis

Cinematography: Glafkos Kottaras
Editing: Spyros Anaktoridis
Runtime: 11 min

Color: B&W
Printed film format: 35mm
Hydra, Greece, 1962

THE DIRECTOR’S COMMENT

REVIEWS

ΡΟΖΙΤΑ ΣΩΚΟΥ – ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ

Ο ΡΕΠΟΡΤΕΡ – ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ ΘΕΣ/ΚΗΣ 1962

ΝΕΑ ΠΟΡΕΙΑ (ΜΗΝΙΑΙΟ ΠΕΡΙΟΔΙΚΟ)

Α.Σ.Μ. ΑΘΗΝΑΙΚΗ

Α. ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ – ΑΘΗΝΑΙΚΗ

ΚΑΜΠΑΝΗΣ – ΑΥΓΗ

Κ. ΣΤΑΜΑΤΙΟΥ – ΤΑ ΝΕΑ

Ν. ΜΟΣΧΟΒΑΚΗΣ – ΕΠΙΘΕΩΡΗΣΗ ΤΕΧΝΗΣ

Ν. ΑΡΒΑΝΙΤΗΣ – ΣΚΑΠΑΝΗ

Λ. ΠΑΠΑΧΡΟΝΗΣ – ΝΕΑ ΠΟΡΕΙΑ

Ε. ΒΛΑΧΟΥ – ΜΕΣΗΜΒΡΙΝΗ

ΣΧΟΛΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΕΝΤΥΠΩΣΕΙΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ ΘΕΣ/ΚΗΣ 1962

ΜΙΑ ΠΡΩΤΗ ΔΟΥΛΕΙΑ

ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ ΚΑΝΝΩΝ 12/5/64

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