The River

Το ποτάμι

A river – the symbolic limit that separates life from death and the ravages of time from the dream – draws people to it like a magnet, inviting them to transcend themselves. Three villagers steal a cross from a monastery, but their greed will lead them to death and the river will carry their offense to the sea. A Greek border patrolman will pay for his hesitation with his life and will fall dead from the gunfire of the enemy side. A pair of lovers that has eloped will wander into a minefield near the river; their ordeal will lead to their families’ acceptance of their relationship. Finally, a little girl who has run away from her broken home takes refuge with a young shepherd boy; a friendship will blossom between them, a gift of nature; a gift for those that transcend the limits.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Nikos Koundouros
Script: Antonis Samarakis, Iakovos Kabanellis, Notis Peryalis, Nikos Koundouros
Cinematography: Giovanni Varriano
Editing: Dinos Katsouridis
Sound: Mikes Damalas
Music: Manos Hadjidakis
Actors: Titos Vandis, Takis Emmanuel, Anestis Vlahos, Giorgos Emirzas, Dina Trianti, Hristoforos Zikas, Depi Martini, Patricia Bini, Angeliki Pantsou, Spyros Pappas
Production: Finos Film, Gustin Wilson Productions
Format: ProRes
Color: B&W
Production Country: Greece
Production Year: 1960
Duration: 95΄
Awards/Distinctions: Best Director, Best Music – 1st Week of Greek Cinema Thessaloniki IFF 1960, Best Director – Boston FF 1961

Nikos Koundouros

Nikos Koundouros (1926–2017) was born in Agios Nikolaos, Crete and studied Painting and Sculpting at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Due to his political views, he was persecuted and forced in exile, not only after the end of World War II, but also during the colonels’ regime. He made his first feature film, Magic City, in 1953. In 1956, The Ogre of Athens established him as a true representative of the new age of cinema. Since then, his films have received international acclaim and earned him a place in the vanguard of Greek cinema.

Filmography

1954 The Magical City
1956 The Ogre of Athens
1958 The Outlaws
1960 The River
1963 Young Aphrodites
1967 Vortex or The Face of Medusa
1974 The Songs of Fire (doc)
1978 "1922"
1985 Bordello
1992 Byron, Ballad for a Deamon
1998 The Photographers
2013 One Ship for Palestine