UTOPOLIS
Directed by Vladimir Subotic
The silent struggle and systematic hate between Greek natives and refugees will lead to their brutal confrontation over the course of one night
Director:
Vladimir Subotic
Writers:
Maja Todorovic and Vladimir Subotic
Cast:
Goran Bogdan
Makis Papadimitriou
Katerina Mavrogiorgi
Andreas Konstantinou
Panos Koronis
Production companies:
Deal Productions (Luxemburg)
AVATON Films (Greece)
Genre: Social drama
Duration: 80-85min
Stage: Post-Production
Release: Q4 2024
Vladimir Subotic
Writers:
Maja Todorovic and Vladimir Subotic
Cast:
Goran Bogdan
Makis Papadimitriou
Katerina Mavrogiorgi
Andreas Konstantinou
Panos Koronis
Production companies:
Deal Productions (Luxemburg)
AVATON Films (Greece)
Genre: Social drama
Duration: 80-85min
Stage: Post-Production
Release: Q4 2024
Story of Utopolis takes us through one night in Athens.
Following SAM, a young refugee who works at the Utopolis construction site we meet TIMUR, a silent guy, also a refugee, whot takes us to the local canteen where we meet YANNIS and his new partner SOTIRIS who patrol the area as the neighborhood watch. YANNIS is a frustrated man who blames refugees for all his troubles. For him, they steal jobs from Greek people and lead the country to its decay.
YANNIS decides to follow TIMUR, as he is sure that TIMUR is about to do something illegal. He chases him down the street to the Utopolis construction site. As they get into a fight, they end up falling into a deep hole. We witness the clash between the two men, also discovering more about their past and secrets.
It seems like TIMUR and YANNIS find a solution to their problem, being trapped in a 6m deep hole and help each other get out. But prejudice prevails as they make their final attempt.
Director - Vladimir Subotic
For the past 20 years Vladimir Subotic has been working in the film industry, collaborating with most distinguished directors: Roland Emerich on "Anonymous", Hal Hartley on "Ned Rifle". He received distinguished Cinematography Awards for his work on "Love", "Chinatown" and "Bedford" (KODAK Visons of Light, Best Cinematography award at Los Angeles IFF in 2024). New York Times called Vladimir's work "Exquisite". As dedicated visual artist with a decorated background in a variety of artistic mediums, Vladimir ventured into directing with experimental films.
Aggela Despotidou - Editor
Aggela Despotidou is known for "Cold Pursuit" (2019), "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (2001) and "Taxidaki" (1994). She was born in Athens and is based in London. She graduated from the Stavrakos Film School in 1993. In 1999 she won a scholarship from the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation to study in London and started working as an assistant editor on numerous high-budget films. She is an Editor with over 27 tears experience in film, broadcast television, and promotional videos. She worked with directors like Stephen Frears, Ridley Scott, John Madden and Clio Barnard.
Director's statement
The migrant crisis is a universal problem and Europe has been struck the hardest. The sunject hasbeen tackled through many artists' works.
However, we intend to tell a story which is both specific and universal: the systemic racism in society stemmed in prejudics, misunderstanding and plain hatred of the unknown. As our film touches upon subjects such as consumerism, the consequences of capitalism and constant tensions and anxiety that reign in the modern world, we wish to zoom into the gray area that is one man's irrational chauvinism which leads him to extremes, and one man's struggle to survive in a biased world. This story forces us to revise our judgement, and thus is a call to action. We must collectively defeat racism by overcoming our own prejudices to allow our world to prosper away from rotten foundations. We are more alike thank we care to see. This is our last wake up call!
Goran Bogdn as TIMUR
Goran Bogdan is a Bosnian-born Croatian actor. He has appeared in more than 40 films since 2005. He has appeared insome American and English films and TV series such as the 2012 film "Goltzius and the Pelican Company", and the third season of the television series "Fargo". He starred in the 2015 TV series "The Last Panthers", alongside Samantha Morton and John Hurt. In 2013, he was named the theatre actor of the year by the Teatar.hr Awards. For his role in the Branco Schmidt film Agape, he won the 2017 Vladimir Nazor Award for excellence in film. His role in the 2020 film "Otac" earned him universal acclaim and made history by becoming the first Croatian actor nominated at the European Film Awards for Best Actor.
Makis Papadimitriou as YANNIS
Makis Papadimitriou is known for "Suntan" (2016), "Amerika Square" (2016) and "Flux Gourmet" (2022). Winner of the "Dimitris Horn Theater Award" in 2009 for his performance as Lee in the play "Motortown" by Simon Stephens, directed by Vaggelis Theodoropoulos at the Thetre of the New World. The award was established in 2001 by the director and actor Stamatis Fasoulis, and it is conferred annually for best performance to a yong actor distinguished in the preceding thetre season.
Katerina Mavrogiorgi as SOFIA
Katerina Mavrogiorgi was born and raised in Athens, Greece. She writes, acts and directs both for the cinema and for the theatre. In 2020, together with Aineias Tsamatis and Yannis Karabatsos, she wrote the script for the short film "The Crossing", which she subsequently directed in collaboration with Aineias Tsamatis. In 2019, she wrote the play "The Bathers", which was presented in Skrow Theter under her direction. The play made its second premiere in 2022, and is scheduled to appear in print from Kapa Ekdotiki in October 2022. In 2017, she wrote the script for the short film "Maneki Neko", in collaboration with Manolis Mavris, who also directed the film. In cinema, she has played in films directed bu Argyris Papadimitropoulos, Zacharias Mavroeidis, Pantelis Voulgaris and Thelgia Petraki. She has been awarded the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Artist Fellowship by Artworks (2022).
Andreas Konstantinou as SOTIRIS
Andreas Konstantinou is an actor known for "Cloudy Sunday" (2015), "The Last Note" (2017) and "O thanatos pou oneireftika" (2010). In 2011 he won during the LAIUFF Awards, the Best Actor Award for "The Silence of the Dying Fish". In 2018 he won during the Greek Short Stories In Competition, the Best Actor Award for "O thanatos pou oneireftika" and he won the Best Actor Award during the Hellenic Academy Award for "The Last Note".
Panos Koronis as MANAGER
Panos Koronis was born into a family of Egyptiotes (Greeks of Egypt), he was born and grew up in Greece. He was kicked out of Kindergarden in 1972 at the age of four and from High School in 1985 at the age of 16. He studied Photography and Directing at the American University of London, before he went to Los Angeles City College (AA Degree in Film). In 1994 he meets Lance Lane and intensively starts to study Tjeater. In 1995 he also starts his studies on Directing and Acting at the UCLA. In 1996, together with Lance Lane and others, founds the Space Theater Group in Los Angeles where he produces, directs and acts in various plays such as: "True West" by Sam Sheppard, "Home Free" by Lanford Wilson and "Indian wants the Bronx" by Israel Horovitz.
