If, after watching Elodie Lélu’s Letter to Theo, one does not feel the compulsive need to track down a copy of Ulysses’ Gaze, then one is doing it wrong. For those who are looking for a good essay film over the course of Hot Docs 2019, this is it.
Lélu’s documentary looks at Greece seven years after the death of its most famous auteur director Theo Angelopoulous tragically died in a car accident prior to completing his last film. Actress Irène Jacob voices a letter written by this film’s director to her close friend and collaborator Angelopoulous, a letter that provides the bulk of the film’s voice over narration. Most of this letter discusses just how much Greece, and by-proxy Europe, have changed in time between 2012 and now. An emphasis is placed upon Angelopoulous’ vision for his last and unfinished film, which supposedly focused on the impending migrant crises in Europe, crises that have since changed the political complexion of the continent. Arguably, Lélu paints a portrait of Greece as needing, more than ever, its most renowned art cinema director.
This is a poetic film, which haunts in its beautiful imagery and informs in its depictions of contemporary Greece. Tristian Garland’s cinematography is particularly evocative whenever the film moves onto the sea. Angeolopoulous’ archive, meanwhile, is obviously afforded a place within the film, and once can see his artistry at play. It becomes fairly clear just how deep his influence on Greek cinema ran. Cinephiles who have never seen the Greek director’s work will feel the need to scratch an itch that they never knew they had. Letter to Theois ultimately a powerful letter that we are invited to touched by, and hopefully many do.
- Release Date: 4/28/2019
