Biopic on music legend Stelios Kazantzidis in the works
A biopic on the Greek music legend Stelios Kazantzidis (1931-2001) is currently being filmed in Athens, Piraeus and other locations in a Tanweer production directed by Yorgos Tsemberopoulos.
Making his cinematic debut in the title role is Christos Mastoras, frontman of the band Melisses.
“I remember going for a swim in Sounio as a boy and my parents throwing me directly into the water. What else could I do? I started moving my arms and legs, and that’s how I learned to swim. This is the same sort of thing. Can you turn down the opportunity of a lifetime? This man’s photograph was displayed alongside icons of Jesus in many people’s homes,” the 37-year-old singer told Kathimerini on location in Piraeus last week.
Titled “Yparcho” (I Exist) after one of Kazantzidis’ most popular albums, the film is based on a screenplay by Katerina Bei, who also wrote the successful 2023 adaptation of Alexandros Papadiamantis’ “The Murderess” and the 2019 biopic on songwriter Eftychia Papagiannopoulou.
It covers the earlier part of his life, until he gave up music in 1975 during the colonels’ dictatorship.
The film is slated for release on December 19.
