Dafnis kai Chloe

Δαφνισ και Χλοη / Daphnis and Chloe. GR 1931 D: Laskos Orestis; Based on the story by Longus; SC: Laskos Orestis; DP: Dimitris Meravidis; M: Agis Asteriadis; LOC: Lesbos. CAST: Apollon Marsyas (Dafni), Matli Lucy (Cloe), Avlonitis Ioannis (Dryantas), Georgiadis Giorgos (Lamonas), Korina (Lykainio), Vitsoris Timos, Raftopoulou Marika, Paleologos Costas; PC: Astra Film 35mm. 64’ a 24 f /s. B&w. Greek intertitles with English subtitles. From: Greek Film Archive. - Presenta: Maria Komninos, grand piano: Marco Dalpane. Viewed at Cinema Lumière 1, Bologna, 3 July 2009. - Following the introduction by Maria Komninos: The first Greek film with purely artistic aspirations and an accomplished personal form of expression. The young poet Laskos Orestis / Orestis Laskos [Orestis is the given name, Laskos the family name] (1908-1992) started his film career with a screen version of the pastoral romance from the 2nd century AD by Longus / Longos. The story of the two abandoned children who grow up as shepherds in the meadows of Lesbos. Their close friendship is shaken by the first signs of adolescent sexuality, and they pass various trials before their relationship reaches its natural conclusion. The cinematography takes advantage of the soft landscape of Lesbos. The quality of the images and the lyrical disposition of the director more than make up for the film's imperfections. In the bathing scenes the nudity of the young lovers is innocent and natural. After WWII the film was considered lost, only fragments survived in Greece. In 1990 a major part of the film was located in the USA. The restoration was completed in 1992 with the assistance of Orestis Laskos, who died a few days after the premiere of the reconstruction. - I saw the beginning only of this charming and lyrical film.