Cinematic legend

By Eleni Antoniou Published on November 14, 2010

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Little Odysseus has been filmed in Cyprus

Cinemaphiles in Nicosia may remember with fondness the outdoor summer screenings of films at the Acropole, a far cry from the location’s current role, it has been turned into film studio.

Operating in the centre of Nicosia, the Acropole’s open air facility has also got a new role, it has become a studio back-lot. The first production to have benefitted from this new facility is the upcoming Little Odysseus and The Cyclops, the sets for which were built in the huge auditorium of the Acropole. Technical systems used are similar to those used in Hollywood studios, set up to aid the production of visual effects which extend to the faces and bodies of the actors themselves, giving the director the possibility to bring to life his powerful imagination and create magical images for the cinema screen.

The release date and plot of the film are yet to be revealed but its originality apparently lies not only in its high-concept screenplay and inspired cinematic treatment but also owes a lot to the fact that the Acropole complex was sacrificed in order to bring it to fruition.

It has been directed by local cinematographer and owner of the Acropole, Michael Papas, one of whose previous films has been described as “more breathtaking than Apocalypse Now”. Being compared, in some way, to Francis Ford Coppola has to be a breathtaking moment in its own right and perhaps something Papas has never forgotten despite taking a 20-year break from directing and producing, which has now come to a close with the upcoming release of Little Odysseus and a second film called Secret Paths.

Although far from a household name, Papas did produce Tomorrow’s Warrior, named by the BBC as “one of the ten best films of the year”. That was in 1981 however, the last time Papas wrote or directed anything. Before that The Lifetaker was released in 1975 and The Private Right in 1967. It is only now that Papas has revealed his talents once again – although not his voice as the eccentric filmmaker is not fond of interviews - and is returning with his two latest projects, both of which were shot in Cyprus.

Its backers describe Little Odysseus as a highly original and ambitious production, a “first” in the annals of not only Cypriot but Greek-filmmaking. It has taken Papas three years to complete; a year of preparation, and two years of intensive filming and the production of visual effects using the latest technology. Little Odysseus is in Greek and is now in the final stages of post-production.

Little Odysseus and the Cyclops promises to enchant and charm all the family. The film has been made with imagination to retell from a child’s point of view one of the most famous of all Greek myths. Papas’ vision, which was to give the children of Cyprus something more than that offered by foreign films, is accomplished through leading actors who are 11-years-old and Cypriot. Beside them is a group of talented local actors, who are all making their first big screen appearances.

Secret Paths, a richly stylish and sophisticated modern drama, involves actors from England, Austria, Sweden and Cyprus. It is in English and is in keeping with all the previous films by Papas, intended for international distribution.

Little Odysseus and the Cyclops will have its premiere shortly at the Acropole Cinema in Nicosia. More details will be made available closer to the date.

The Acropole was actually the reason Papas took a break from production in the 1990s. It was a childhood dream to set up a luxurious three-screen venue, which led to the upgrading of cinemas in Cyprus and introduced world cinema to a film landscape dominated by commercialism. The Acropole became part of the Europa Cinemas network between 1995 and 2003, when it eventually closed down before opening briefly in December 2009.