Greek director, screenwriter and producer Theodoros Angelopoulos` thirteenth feature film which he co-wrote with Italian screenwriter Tonino Guerra and the director`s longtime collaborator Petros Markaris, is the second part of an unofficial trilogy about modern Greece which was preceded by "The Weeping Meadow" (2004) and became his last film. It was produced by Theo Angelopoulos` frequent collaborator and wife Phoebe Economopoulos and is Greek, Italian, German and Russian co-production. It tells the story about a middle-aged American filmmaker of Jewish ancestry who is in the process of making a film about the story of his mother Eleni and his father Spyros at Cinecitta studios in Rome, Italy. While the producers of the film is worried about the shooting of the film, the director is concerned about finding his missing daughter.
Narrated by Willem Dafoe and Irène Jacob and with a fragmented narrative structure that moves between the past and present and has them , this contemplative and imaginary epic about Greek history, family history, love, immigration, friendship, memories and time draws a pervasive portrayal of a destined relationship between two immigrants separated by time and circumstances. This quietly paced, character-driven and exstensive journey which spans over fifty years from the mid 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, depicts a significant love story, is precisely and distinctly directed by Theodoros Angelopoulos (1935-2012) and finely photographed by cinematographer Andreas Sinanos who also worked as the director of photography on the more stylistically prominent first segment of the trilogy.
Shot in Russia, Rome in Italy, Cologne and Berlin in Germany, Athens in Greece and Kazakhstan, this subtle continuation of the story about Eleni and Spyros contains some memorable scenes, poetic images, artful and naturalistic milieu depictions and Greek composer and longtime collaborator of the filmmaker, Eleni Karaindrou`s distinct score which reinforces this story within a story`s poignant atmosphere. The international cast primarily consisting of American actor Willem Dafoe, Swiss actress Irène Jacob, German actor Bruno Ganz, German actress Christiane Paul and French actor Michel Piccoli delivers affective acting performances in this somewhat elgical, at times humerous, humane and moving historic drama from one of Greece`s most reverent and important filmmakers, which is seen from varied points of view.