The Greek Creator of the Famous Indiana Jones Adaptation Movie Talks About His New Plans

Alexander Leontaritis
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He is the guy who made the “Raiders of the Lost Arc” adaptation. Together with his friends Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb, in 1982, one year after the movie was screened in the theaters, three kids at the age of 12, decided to make the remake of the original Indiana Jones movie. After a few years, when they had finished shooting the movie with their friends, they never imagined the impact that the movie would have.

The movie was first screened in an auditorium at a local Coca-Cola plant in 1989. Tucking the film away for almost 15 years,  a VHS tape of the movie fell into the hands of Ain’t It Cool News guru, Harry Knowles, who played it at his Butt-numb-a-thon festival. That’s when it all started. Strompolos, Zala and Lamb’s phones began to ring.

Spielberg congratulated the young filmmaker and was greatly honored by the movie. “Raiders of the Lost Arc Adaptation” continues with the screenings today in several film festivals around the world while the profits are donated to charity because of legal issues. We had the pleasure speaking with Chris Strompolos, the Greek creator and protagonist of the remake who is currently developing news projects after having created a film company together with his friend Eric Zala.

Tell us about what you are working on this period.

The current project we are both working on with my partner Eric under our production company Rolling Bolder Films, is a gothic  action movie, set in a southern city. We are trying to brand ourselves to the place we grew up and show what we know. It’s a classic mythological movie cycle of a son trying to find his father and the troubles at the Mississippi river through a banch of adventures. We are working on financing on that and also there’s another project that we are still working on. Unfortunately I can’t get into much detail yet.

Is it an original screenplay?

It’s an original play. Basically when our Raiders movie got discovered, we were really trusted in the spotlight and then did a lot of meetings travelling around the world. At that time, Eric and I were working normal jobs. I came to Erik with an idea saying to him: “let’s quit our normal jobs, form a production company and make movies again for real!”. So we thought about it and that’s what we did.

How have the things been rolling since then?

Well, it has been changeling. I mean this was a number of years ago. Basically our film got discovered in 2003. And so from 2003 to 2009 Erik and I we are allegedly trying to do travelling, speaking, writing and doing researching and development on this project and then the economy really took a tank and then we were both pretty financially stretched because we hadn’t got to the financially place we thought we were going to get to with our project. So, we both had to go back to our traditional work. From 2009 until now, we have been working for the paycheck. Eric is the executive director at an arts center on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

How is it working together with Eric so many years since the making of the Raiders movie?

We’ve been known each other for many years. He is in Mississippi. I am in Los Angeles. Currently I am working at Sony Pictures and again I am just trying to pull a paycheck. But again we are still training our project along, talking to people, trying to put together the business documents to start, bringing the money in the project and wait to see what happens. But yes. It’s very exciting to working together again and focusing on these projects.

Any other projects that you are into?

We are working on a book with a writer who is based in Los Angeles and his name is Alan Eisenstock. Alan has written 12 books and he was executive producer and writer on a bunch of classical 70s and 80s TV Shows. Everything from “Welcome Back Kotter” to “Sanford and Son”, “Mork & Mindy” and all those classic sort of TV shows. He did that for years and then went off to become a writer. We met him through a book agent in New York and we teamed up with him and he is now writing the book about our Raider story. The book now is sold to Saint Martin’s Press in New York and is set for publication next year in 2012. When the book is published, we will start to go on tour and creating the movie.

Any recent updates regarding the course of the Indiana Jones Adaptation movie?

To bringing you up to speed there is nothing explosively new. We continue to screen our film and we continue to raise money for charity with our film. We just screened at The Seattle International Film Festival, we screened in Tupelo Mississippi and we are planning to do a small tour in NY, in New Jersey later in the year. So, we continue to screen and speak. The film about us that was set from Paramount has sort of cooled off. But we are considering the possibility of that with the new book that is going to be published next year, turning our story into an actual feature film. So, that’s exciting.

Do you continue to do a lot of screenings?

Not exactly. We book very selectively. We do a couple of screenings here, wait two months do a couple of screenings there and it goes on like that.

Any thoughts showing the film in Europe?

There has been a lot of discussion to screen our film in Europe. We did a successful tour in Australia. That was really fun. We had also a smashing premiere in London and in Germany.

How has the people reacted so far?

Amazing. It struck everybody in the same way.

Did you feel any disconnection from the movie at some point?

I did. I think in the beginning when it was rediscovered I felt a disconnection from it because I didn’t think it was that a big deal. I didn’t think that anybody would care. Eric and I spent our entire childhood remaking “Raiders of the Lost Arc”. And I just thought that who would be interested in seeing kids play Indiana Jones? But it turns out, it really struck forward people and it made people incredibly inspired, nostalgic and I think that was when I started to kind of open my eyes after our screenings in Austin when we had like 3-4 nights of screenings  in a row in staffed houses. It was very exciting and over the next 6 years when we started touring I felt really connecting and I felt revisiting the thoughts and memories of my childhood all over again in a positive way. So, that was exciting. To be able to see basically my whole childhood on screen through the eyes of other people. So that was pretty exciting. So, now we are synonymous with our little Raiders movie and now people even call us the “Raiders Gods”!  It’s funny.

Tell us about your relationship with Greece.

Both my parents are Greek and both their parents are Greek and on and on and on. Unfortunately I never learned the language because my parents never taught it to me which is a shame. When I was in Greece I had more than one person kind of shake their finger on me saying to me “Shame on you Christos! Shame on you. You never learned Greek!”

Do you understand when people speak Greek or know any words?

It’s so limited. I can understand though when people ask me “Hey can you speak Greek?”. And I can say some of the basic words like thank you- efharisto- and others. It’s like it’s in me but I just have to go back and learn it! (laughs) My mother is fluent. My dad not so much. He never bothered to learn it.

When was the last time you were in Greece?

Last time I was in Greece was in 1994. When I was there, I spent around 3-4 months going to the islands and visiting the villages where my family was from.

Do you have any Greek relatives?

I do. Though I don’t have a strong connection with them. My father and the other parts of my family have a strong connection with them. But I have a strong family. I have some relatives in the islands and if I remember correctly to a village called Ziropigado in the coast of Peloponesus. It’s a coastal area and my Grandmother is from Dervena. My father’s mother. My mother’s father is from Patmos.  I visited all those places. Patmos, Zinopigado and even Dervena. Although I didn’t find anyone there probably because it was off season, they had all gone to the beach or something like that.

What were your first impressions?

Being Greek in the States might be overstating.  It’s still kind of exotic though. And the Greek culture is something exciting. So, I always knew myself as a Greek person to my family and to the other people I knew. It was so excited to go to Greece and literally I just felt like “Oh! So this is where I am from..”. I just remembered looking to everybody’s eyes and seeing my family. It was this resident quality. Looking all these people and feeling a kind of a connectivity. Like, oh OK. This is where the culture comes from. This is why I do this. There was a cultural connection for me. It was frustrating to not knowing the language and I was frustrated with myself.

What have you heard so far about the economic situation in Greece?

I think the collapse has definitely cooled off. I am sure it’s an ongoing problem. The last thing I heard from the news was that Greece was undergoing economic collapse in regards to credit, mortgages and debt and that Greeks were pretty mad about it and that they hit the streets and started rioting. That there was a feeling of anger. Anger at the government and anger at the banks.

What are your hobbies?

I am married. I have been married for ten years. I have a daughter who is going to be turning four in July. Her name is Diana and then with working and my projects, being a husband and a father.. (laughs) I watch as many movies as I can. I love movies and I watch as many movies as I can of any type. I love watching any kind of movie I can get my hand on.

Do you have any projects set in Greece?

Actually I wrote one that is based in Greece and it’s about my grandfather. My grandfather’s name was Kostas. But I call the script Gus. It’s about his immigrant journey. Growing up in Greece extremely poor, working hard traveling from Greece to the US and actually starting the restaurant and night club culture in Mississippi. He was the first person to start a night club on the Golf coast of Mississippi. He became very successful and very well known. He has passed away now but he became very famous in the Mississippi for starting one of the largest night clubs in the South. And it was a classic nightclub in the 50’s and 60’s where world class entertainers used to come through. It had a lot of gambling and drinking. He was an uneducated man who never went to school. He just basically relied on himself and he became sort of a king in Greek. So, that’s the story. It has flashbacks, filtered with some part of Greek mythology and becomes metaphysical in some aspects. This is a project I would really like to do.

New Yorkers Love Drinking Greek Wines

Anastasia Chaini
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New Yorkers Love Drinking Greek Wines

More and more large, New York restaurants are suggesting Greek wines to their diners, due to the fact that they are considered the best in the world. Greek wines are impressing New Yorkers with their distinct taste so much, that it’s becoming a custom for them to ask for ”wine made in Greece”.

This is what famous American wine connoisseurs claimed at a conference organized by the National Interprofessional Organisation of Vine and Wine. As stated, Steve Olsen, who is also the official representative of Greek wines in the U.S.: ”All the fine restaurants in New York are rushing to put their lists of Greek wines on their tables at the moment, they have become very fashionable.”

“We are on our way,” said Sotiris Ioannou, Chairman of the National Interprofessional Organisation of Vine and Wine and added: ”It’s the first time that foreign professionals did not only compliment us on the quality of wines that Greece produces, but also came to assure us that the Greek wines have won a significant market share in their countries and have become a measurable entity. “

 

John Varvatos’ Fashion Show for Spring/Summer 2012

Lorraine Eyre
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John Varvatos’ Fashion Show for Spring/Summer 2012

John Varvatos took his audience back in time with his latest fashion collection in Milan. His fab seventies-inspired clothes were reminiscent of favorite styles worn by rockers such as Led Zeppelin, the Who, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. John Varvatos brought all the the flamboyance and flowing long hair of the 1970s to his stage and the mood was set for the evening.

The popular, American menswear designer, himself paraded down the catwalk wearing a loose blouse and a slightly flared pair of pants. He wore an eye-catching necklace and changed throughout the fashion show into a loose-fitting suit jacket, another military jacket and a long cardigan. He managed to create a bygone era of hippie-chic, rock and pop.

Male models picked especially for the concept, wore waistcoats, suede jackets, checked pants and scarves printed with the American flag. They also wore quarter-length leathers, military and fencing jackets and nostalgic white suits. Luxurious Varvatos boots finished off the striking 70s look. Watch highlights from the show below:

[youtube]1ztlYv6WGe0[/youtube]

John Varvatos, was himself born in Detroit, although his family are originally from the the village of Poulata on the Greek island of kefalonia. Throughout his life he has been involved in the fashion industry, first working for Polo Ralph Lauren in 1983, Calvin Klein in 1990 and then returning to Ralph Lauren as Head of Menswear Design, where he created the successful Polo Jeans Company.

In 1999, he set up his own company, designing tailored high fashion wear, including belts, handbags, footwear and fragrances. He then, opened his first boutique in Soho, in 2000. He is also well-known for creating a line of Converse All-Star shoes.

John Varvatos is able to stir up a burning interest in whatever he designs and as evidence of his extraordinary talent, he has received many accolades and was named GQ’s Designer of the year in 2007.

British Chef James Martin Promotes A Taste of Crete

Ioanna Stergaki
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British Chef James Martin Promotes A Taste of Crete

Culinary tourism has given Crete the opportunity to become famous once again as the result of a British TV production promoting Chania and the Cretan kitchen.

James Martin, an extraordinary celebrity chef, was spotted in recent days on Crete. One of the mornings, he was seen going to the local market, where he bought the most luscious vegetables and herbs. After that, he visited the local port and purchased fresh seafood from a local fishing boat.  All this preparation was done, in order to cook a traditional local fish soup “kakavia” and promote the delicious recipes of Crete.

While part of the show was filmed on the open boat close to the port, the rest of the production team were shooting scenes around the beautiful harbor. More filming is going to be done around the graves of the Venizelos family, in Akrotiri and inside a traditional taverna serving Cretan food.

Martin is thought to be one of the most famous chefs in Britain and his shows are watched by more than 1 million viewers. He travels to many countries bringing exotic cuisine into his viewers homes. This time, he and his production team will be filming in four countries in the Mediterranean: Greece, Italy, Spain, and France and his show will be divided into 10 parts to be broadcast in October.

Anthoula Katsimatides Talks About her Family & Acting Career

Markos Papadatos
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Anthoula Katsimatides Talks About her Family & Acting Career
Anthoula Katsimatides photo courtesy of Costa Nicholas

Multi-talented actress, producer, writer, and radio hostess, Ms. Anthoula Katsimatides, opens up about her Greek heritage, her acting career, and offers advice for hopefuls who wish to find success in the acting field.

Regarding her Greek heritage, Anthoula remarks, “my parents, Antonios and Calliope Katsimatides, were both born on the Greek island of Nisyros. It is quite small with an untamed beauty that truly gets under your skin. In its center is a volcano and, unlike Santorini, you can climb down into its crater and see and feel the heat emitting from its core. Nisyros is a magical place that makes me feel so comfortable – enough to call it my second home. Its people, customs and spirit are embedded inside me. My parents raised me in America to not only be Greek but to be Nisyrian. I am proud of that.”

“I love the Greek dancing, folklore, rituals, customs, and of course, the food! But most of all, I love the Greek passion, and relentless enthusiasm for life!” exclaims Anthoula on her favorite aspects of the Greek culture. Anthoula teaches Greek folk dancing privately, and dances every opportunity she gets.

Her greatest influences in life include her parents and her Uncle Steve Hartofilis.

“My parents emmigrated to this country and like most immigrants, struggled very hard to create a good life for their four children. They succeeded with little or no education. My folks were always helping people and they were loved by all.  I try to follow in their footsteps. My mom continues to inspire me with her strength and ability to persevere through life’s very difficult trials. My uncle has been my biggest fan and has encouraged me throughout my life. Of course, above all, my strongest influences now are my brothers and my father who have sadly passed away. In their memory I continue to reach higher because I know they are looking down on me, and I want to make them proud,” says Anthoula.

Anthoula went to college and majored in business with a specialization in advertising and business communications; moreover, she worked as an account executive for a top creative ad agency for three years. She went on to earn her graduate degree in education and ESL (English as a Second Language), and taught high school for three years.

Anthoula worked for former New York Governor George Pataki for approximately three years, assisting in community affairs and public relations. “It was wonderful because it kept me extremely busy, and I championed many Greek issues and received the Governor’s support for the Greek-American community,” she acknowledges.

After September 11, 2001, Anthoula worked on the re-development of Lower Manhattan at the World Trade Center.

“Unfortunately, I lost a second brother that day,” says Anthoula. “John was 31, and I was only 29. I worked for the government agency in charge of the project [The Lower Manhattan Development Corp], and my job was to keep the families of the September 11th victims informed of what was happening, in an effort to help them deal with all the questions, concerns, and problems. It was the hardest job I had ever had. I did that for three years, after promising to only do it for one year. I definitely needed a break. I needed to breathe and to do something that would make me smile. I took a year off and tried to figure out what to do.” Anthoula lost her younger brother, Michael, 26, just over a year before September 11, 2001.

On her inspiration to pursue acting, Anthoula reveals: “One night I went to see a local Greek play at a small theatre in Astoria and mentioned to a friend that I would love to act at some point in a Greek play. She was a director and cast me in a play translated from French to Greek by Moliere ‘A Doctor In Spite of Himself’ or ‘Giatros Me to Zori.’ I was hooked, and discovered the need to learn more about acting, so I started taking classes and discovering the diverse world of acting. A lot of people thought that I was crazy to start acting at 35 but that just fueled my desire. Luckily, I had the same amount of people supporting me and cheering me on. I remember a dear friend at the LMDC who pushed me into taking my first acting class, and I love her for it! Acting makes me very happy. It’s not just a career. It’s an opportunity to get to know yourself better, which is vital. I feel that I am a born performer. Even in my other careers, I found myself using that skill. It’s the ideal field for me, even though the constant rejection can be fierce and hard on the soul; however, my Greek work ethic and perseverance will not let me quit.”

Anthoula’s proudest professional accomplishment was working with the amazing Oscar-winning director Ang Lee for the movie “Taking Woodstock.”

“Ang Lee was unbelievably kind and thoughtful and taught me how to be subtle in front of a camera. I was also very proud to have worked with the legendary Living Theatre in NYC, and artistic director Judith Malina. Above all, I am extremely proud to be a ‘working’ actor pursuing my dream. What people don’t understand is that when an actor is on set or on stage, they are ‘playing’. The real ‘work’ comes before when one is hustling and auditioning and networking in order to bag that job,” she adds.

In addition to acting, Anthoula runs a small non-profit foundation in memory of her dear brothers called “The Johnny and Mikey Katsimatides Foundation for Life,” which is also known as Jam for Life. This foundation seeks to raise money and awareness about a variety of causes near and dear to the heart of Anthoula and her brothers; furthermore, she sits on the board of Directors for the National September 11th Memorial and Museum, the official September 11th entity responsible for building a memorial at the site of the former World Trade Center in New York City. “It’s a wonderful tribute to my brother John and the thousands of innocent lives lost that tragic day,” she says.

Finally, Anthoula volunteers as a radio host for Cosmos-FM, a Greek American bilingual non-profit public radio station, which has been on air for over twenty years. “The name of my show is ‘Color your Life’ and I interview people who enrich my listeners’ lives. It is so much fun and a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all different walks of life! It also introduced me into the world of voice-overs, both in English and in Greek. I just recorded two voice overs for the grant given to the Veria Library by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” says Anthoula.

On serving as a host for the 2011, Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund (HTSF) GALA, Anthoula states: “It was fabulous! I am a natural on the red carpet! I love talking to people and getting them excited about where they are and what they’re wearing, etc! The HTSF GALA holds a special place in my heart. Besides the fact that my cousins John and Margo Catsimatidis have hosted the event for twenty years now, it has been a joy to see students benefit from the scholarships they receive, and it’s a fun party!”

Anthoula continues, “I was also extremely fortunate to be a part of the 2011, Gabby Awards at Ellis Island! I was part of the actual program which was thrilling and quite emotional. I delivered a monologue as a ‘Picture Bride,’ a woman who came over to America with a picture in hand of the man she was arranged to marry. It was haunting to be on stage in the actual great hall where so many immigrants had passed in an effort to become Americans, and gain opportunities for their descendants. Without them, their struggles and their sacrifices, we Greek-Americans would not be here today.”

On the Greek-American community, Anthoula concludes “I am very proud to be Greek American. We have a community of people who care about one another. We joke and say that this caring can be overwhelming at times, but it’s a beautiful feeling that other communities envy. This community consists of hard-working, family-oriented individuals with a great pride and love of all things Greek. Thank goodness for people like Greg Pappas of the Greek America Foundation who works tirelessly to promote, preserve and perpetuate our Greek heritage and bring people closer to their own Greek identity.”

Anthoula’s plans for the future are to someday get a regular role in a television series, as well as to continue working hard, and to strive for greatness in every aspect of her life. In the meantime, Anthoula has booked her first Off-Broadway role in the play “My Big Gay Italian Wedding” and can be seen performing on July 1, 2011; furthermore, Anthoula is hard at work writing a one-woman show which she will produce herself. Anthoula has had producing experience outside of this industry, but also serves as co-producer for a show called “Opa! The Musical,” which she hopes to bring to Broadway someday.

For the Greek-American youth who wish to go into the acting profession, Anthoula advises them to “Go for it. They will need to be patient and to hold on tight, because it’s a bumpy ride. However, they should enjoy the journey. Also to be sure they love what they are doing! If they are in it to ‘become famous,’ then they shouldn’t be doing it.”

For more information on Anthoula Katsimatides, please be sure to visit her official website.

Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne & Victoria ”Leonidas” Celebrates 50 Years!

Anastasia Chaini
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The Pallaconian Brotherhood of Melbourne and Victoria “Leonidas” will celebrate its 50th anniversary since its establishment on Saturday, the 25th of June.

The event will be commemorated with a series of special events starting with the unveiling of commemorative plaques  at the lodge of the Pallaconical Brotherhood, by the Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu.

The schedule of events includes: a photo exhibition titled: “The 50 years of Pallaconical Brotherhood of Melbourne & Victoria”, lectures and presentations.

50 Giant Companies Run Anti-Bankruptcy Campaign

Ioanna Stergaki
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50 Giant Companies Run Anti-Bankruptcy Campaign

Chief executives of large companies in France and Germany have requested immediate rescue of European countries, which are heavily indebted, especially Greece.

50 “Giant Companies” in France and Germany are running a special campaign in favor of the heavily indebted countries to prevent their bankruptcy.

Companies such as Daimler, Siemens, Deutsche Telekom, BMW, Deutsche Post, Total and Renault have come to an agreement to run a campaign, asking politicians to show their solidarity, so that the Euro zone will be saved.

The entrepreneurs have realized that this issue does not affect only the Greek or Spanish people and this is why they point out  that a collapse of the euro would be a disaster for the whole of Europe. Furthermore, they stress that the competence has improved due to the common currency.

In their point of view, the EU was right to give all these rescue packages to Greece, Portugal and Ireland, because this crisis could be chaotic for Europe.

These companies have more than 5 million employees and turnover € 1.5 trillion. They demand a stable European policy so that any new crisis will be avoided. This situation will cost billions of euros, but the EU and the common currency will recover. This is why heavily indebted countries should obtain powerful allies.

Huffington Post Appoints Rita Wilson as New Editor

Diane Karas
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Huffington Post Appoints Rita Wilson as New Editor

The Huffington Post will launch a new site aimed at the baby boomer generation and Rita Wilson will be directing its content and vision.

AOL Huffington Post Media Group President and Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington, confirmed that the famous actress and producer will be the editor -at-large of  “Huff/Post 40” which will be launched in August. She even confirmed that Rita herself came up with the name of the new site.

This new site will appeal to both men and women over 40 and it will be about news and people sharing their experiences of being at this stage in life.

Huffington said that Rita: “…is always following her own passions and making things happen, so I think she’s a great role model”

With a career ranging from movie acting, to TV and theater to also to writing stories on style and health for O, The Oprah Magazine and Harper’s Bazaar where she’s also been a contributing editor since 2006, we can see why Wilson was chosen to oversee this project.

Statue of Alexander the Great Erected in the Centre of Skopje

Ioanna Stergaki
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Statue of Alexander the Great Erected in the Centre of Skopje

A statue of Alexander the Great will be erected in the centre of Skopje on Tuesday. According to local media, the statue, designed by the local sculptress Valentina Stevanovska, cost €9 million and is 23 metre tall.

The assembly of the statue began two weeks ago and the unveiling of the sculpture is scheduled for the 8th of September. This is the independence day of FYROM and the 20th anniversary of its independence. The statue is a part of the general plan of the country to improve the infrastructure of FYROM.

Stefan Füle, the Commissioner responsible for enlargement and European neighbourhood policy and Thomas Countryman, Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs is urging the FYROM government to avoid actions that could be provocative.

Greek Schools Face Closure in Albania

Ioanna Stergaki
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Greek Schools Face Closure in Albania

The Greek Minority in Albania is opposed to the intentions of the Ministry of Education in Greece to shut down the Greek school “Homer” in Koritsa and the Greek school in Chimara. For the last decade “Homer” has educated not only Greek children, but also Albanian students, who wish to have a solid education. Now, it faces difficulties because the Ministry of Education in Greece has given as the excuse of the financial crisis as the reason for not carrying on the funding which covers  the school’s functional costs. In this case, no one can be sure that the school is going to function this September. The Organization for the Dissemination of the Greek Language (O.D.G.L) will try to stop this action by all means possible.

The school in Chimara faces the same funding problems. The teachers and employees of the school have not been paid yet. If this situation goes on, the results would be a disaster for the Greek minority there. These schools are the symbols of dissemination for the Greek language and culture.

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