Eternity and a Day
Encyclopedia
Eternity and a Day is a 1998
Greek film
starring Bruno Ganz
, and directed by Theo Angelopoulos
. The film won the Palme d'Or
and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival
.
after learning he has a terminal illness and must enter a hospital the next day for an unspecified "test". He is trying to get his affairs in order and find a new master for his dog.
Alexander saves a six- or seven-year-old boy who is a vagrant window washer from a band of policemen who are chasing down similar boys. He pays a visit to his thirtyish daughter (Iris Chatziantoniou), and musing on his likely dead wife, Anna (Isabelle Renauld), who appears as almost the same age as their daughter. At his daughter’s apartment, he does not tell her of his diagnosis, instead hands her letters written by his wife, her mother. She reads them. He learns that his daughter and her lover have sold his apartment for demolition without telling him.
The boy is trying to leave Greece but the way to Albania is not exactly an easy one, Alexander sees at the snowy mountain border an eerie barbed wire fence with what seem to be bodies stuck to it. As the pair wait for the gate to open, they have a change of mind about crossing, when the boy admits has been lying about his life in Albania. The two of them barely escape a border sentry who chases them and make it back to Alexander's automobile.
The boy’s perilous existence brings Alexander out of his stupor and self-pity, and seemingly re-energizes him in his love for a dead 19th century Greek poet, Dionysios Solomos (Fabrizio Bentivoglio), whose poem he longs to finish.
The old poet and the boy are connected by fear. The former over what lies ahead, and if his life has had impact, and the latter over what lies ahead in his — especially a perilous return trip to Albania where, as he explains to Alexander, the path over the mountains is lined with land mines, as well as men who kidnap street boys to sell them for black market adopters (as well as possibly the sex trade).
He pays a visit to his housekeeper, Urania (Helene Gerasimidou). She is manifestly smitten with him, but is in the middle of a wedding party and dance between her son and his bride. The scene plays on until Alexander interrupts. He leaves the dog, and then the dance and music, which had stopped, resumes as if nothing had halted it.
The boy goes to the ruins of a hospital, mourning another young boy, Selim, via a candlelight vigil, with dozens of other youths.
The pair take a bus trip and encounter all sorts of people, from a tired political protester to an arguing couple to a classical music trio. They also look out the window as a trio of people on bicycles pedal by them, oddly dressed in bright yellow raincoats.
The boy departs in the middle of the night, stowing aboard a huge, brightly lit ship whose destination is unknown.
Alexander enters his old home. He looks about, exits out the back door, and into the sunny past where Anna and other friends are singing. They stop, ask him to join them, then they all dance, and soon, there is only the poet and his wife in motion. Then, she slowly pulls away, and he claims his hearing is gone. He also cannot see her, it seems. He calls out and asks how long tomorrow will be, after he has told her he refuses to go into the hospital, as planned. She tells him tomorrow will last eternity and a day.
by Eleni Karaindrou
was released on the ECM New Series label in 1998.
1998 in film
-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Greek film
Cinema of Greece
Greece has a long and rich cinematic history. Greek films dominate the domestic market, for example Safe Sex had more box office receipts than Titanic. Characteristics of Greek cinema include a dynamic plot, strong character development and erotic themes...
starring Bruno Ganz
Bruno Ganz
Bruno Ganz is a Swiss actor, known for his roles as Damiel in Wings of Desire and Adolf Hitler in Downfall.- Early life :Bruno Ganz was born in Zürich to a Swiss mechanic father and a northern Italian mother. He had decided to pursue an acting career by the time he entered university...
, and directed by Theo Angelopoulos
Theo Angelopoulos
Theodoros Angelopoulos is a Greek filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer.-Life:Angelopoulos studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, but after his military service went to Paris to attend the Sorbonne. He soon dropped out to study film at the IDHEC before returning...
. The film won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury is an independent film award for feature films at the Cannes Film Festival since 1974. The Ecumenical Jury is one of three juries at the Cannes Film Festival, along with the official jury and the FIPRESCI jury. The award was created by Christian film makers, film...
at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival
1998 Cannes Film Festival
The 51st Cannes Film Festival was held on May 13-24, 1998. The Palme d'Or went to the Greek film Mia aioniotita kai mia mera by Theo Angelopoulos.- Jury :*Martin Scorsese *Alain Corneau *Chiara Mastroianni...
.
Plot
Alexander a bearded poet (Bruno Ganz), leaves his seaside apartment in ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
after learning he has a terminal illness and must enter a hospital the next day for an unspecified "test". He is trying to get his affairs in order and find a new master for his dog.
Alexander saves a six- or seven-year-old boy who is a vagrant window washer from a band of policemen who are chasing down similar boys. He pays a visit to his thirtyish daughter (Iris Chatziantoniou), and musing on his likely dead wife, Anna (Isabelle Renauld), who appears as almost the same age as their daughter. At his daughter’s apartment, he does not tell her of his diagnosis, instead hands her letters written by his wife, her mother. She reads them. He learns that his daughter and her lover have sold his apartment for demolition without telling him.
The boy is trying to leave Greece but the way to Albania is not exactly an easy one, Alexander sees at the snowy mountain border an eerie barbed wire fence with what seem to be bodies stuck to it. As the pair wait for the gate to open, they have a change of mind about crossing, when the boy admits has been lying about his life in Albania. The two of them barely escape a border sentry who chases them and make it back to Alexander's automobile.
The boy’s perilous existence brings Alexander out of his stupor and self-pity, and seemingly re-energizes him in his love for a dead 19th century Greek poet, Dionysios Solomos (Fabrizio Bentivoglio), whose poem he longs to finish.
The old poet and the boy are connected by fear. The former over what lies ahead, and if his life has had impact, and the latter over what lies ahead in his — especially a perilous return trip to Albania where, as he explains to Alexander, the path over the mountains is lined with land mines, as well as men who kidnap street boys to sell them for black market adopters (as well as possibly the sex trade).
He pays a visit to his housekeeper, Urania (Helene Gerasimidou). She is manifestly smitten with him, but is in the middle of a wedding party and dance between her son and his bride. The scene plays on until Alexander interrupts. He leaves the dog, and then the dance and music, which had stopped, resumes as if nothing had halted it.
The boy goes to the ruins of a hospital, mourning another young boy, Selim, via a candlelight vigil, with dozens of other youths.
The pair take a bus trip and encounter all sorts of people, from a tired political protester to an arguing couple to a classical music trio. They also look out the window as a trio of people on bicycles pedal by them, oddly dressed in bright yellow raincoats.
The boy departs in the middle of the night, stowing aboard a huge, brightly lit ship whose destination is unknown.
Alexander enters his old home. He looks about, exits out the back door, and into the sunny past where Anna and other friends are singing. They stop, ask him to join them, then they all dance, and soon, there is only the poet and his wife in motion. Then, she slowly pulls away, and he claims his hearing is gone. He also cannot see her, it seems. He calls out and asks how long tomorrow will be, after he has told her he refuses to go into the hospital, as planned. She tells him tomorrow will last eternity and a day.
Cast
- Bruno GanzBruno GanzBruno Ganz is a Swiss actor, known for his roles as Damiel in Wings of Desire and Adolf Hitler in Downfall.- Early life :Bruno Ganz was born in Zürich to a Swiss mechanic father and a northern Italian mother. He had decided to pursue an acting career by the time he entered university...
as Alexandre - Isabelle RenauldIsabelle RenauldIsabelle Renauld is a French actress.-Selected filmography:- External links :...
as Anna - Fabrizio BentivoglioFabrizio BentivoglioFabrizio Bentivoglio is an Italian cinema and theatre actor and a screenwriter.Fabrizio Bentivoglio was born in Milan . After only one season in the juvenile team of Inter,...
as the poet - Achileas Skevis as the child
- Alexandra Ladikou as Anna's mother
- Despina Bebedelli as Alexandre's mother
- Helene Gerasimidou as Urania
- Iris Chatziantoniou as Alexandre's daughter
- Nikos Kouros as Anna's uncle
- Alekos Oudinotis as Anna's father
- Nikos Kolovos as the doctor
Soundtrack
The scoreEternity and a Day (Soundtrack)
Eternity and a Day is a soundtrack album by Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou featuring music for the film Eternity and a Day by Theodoros Angelopoulos recorded in 1998 and released on the ECM New Series label.-Reception:...
by Eleni Karaindrou
Eleni Karaindrou
Eleni Karaindrou is a Greek composer, born in Teichio. She studied piano and theory at the Hellenikon Odion in Athens. She is best known for scoring the films of Theo Angelopoulos...
was released on the ECM New Series label in 1998.