by James Karas
“EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.” That is the subtitle of God
Loves Caviar, a film directed by Iannis Smaragdis that will premiere at
the Toronto International Film Festival. Perhaps not coincidentally it is a
phrase that describes one of Smaragdis’ most cherished convictions.
The film tells the story of Ioannis Varvakis a Greek pirate
who made his fortune in Russia selling caviar and eventually became a great philanthropist
during Greece’s War of Independence. He gave all for love.
Smaragdis is in Toronto for the premiere of his film. Asked
how he chose the subject of the almost unknown Varvakis for his film he replies
that it was a gift or largesse from a Higher Power. He believes that a Higher Power or an Ultimate
Source gave him the opportunity and he went about executing it. Smaragdis also believes that if you want
something badly enough and seek it, it will be granted to you. He considers
himself to be the messenger or an intermediary of the Higher Power. In
practical terms, the idea for doing a film about Varvakis was given to him by
former student of the Varvakio High School of Athens (which was originally
funded by the film’s hero and still bears his name). But according to Smaragdis
the former student was also a mere messenger.
Smaragdis was attracted to the story because he considers
Varvakis to be the prototype of the Greek of the Diaspora who leaves the motherland
and returns wiser and perhaps richer. The Greek goes on a great Journey, like
Odysseus, and returns to help those whom he left behind. He does not consider
Varvakis as merely a historical figure or a man of the future but a Greek of
the present, perhaps the ideal Greek of today and the best hope for Greece.
The Greeks are a great people with a long history and the
present crisis is a temporary setback from which they will emerge in a few
years stronger than ever, according to Smaragdis. They have come a long way and
they have a long way to go, he says with pride. He believes that directors and
producers and in fact all artists have a duty to bring out the best in people especially
when a country is going through a crisis. He considers God Loves Caviar as fulfilling such a responsibility.
This is Smaragdis’ third appearance at TIFF. He was first
here in 1996 with Cavafy and returned in 2008 with El Greco, the
award-winning telling of the life of his fellow Cretan. In fact Smaragdis was
born about three hundred meters from the house where El Greco was born. El Greco is probably the single film
seen by some half of the population of Greece thus making it the most watched Greek film.
One million, two hundred thousand tickets were sold at theatres alone and the
rest of the viewers saw it on DVDs, he states proudly. Then he adds that this
was despite the fact that most Greek critics gave it an emphatic thumbs down.
He knew that he will make God Loves Caviar even before he
started shooting El Greco. The
Message had arrived. Asked what problems he had in making the film, he replies
that he had only three: money, money and money. There were four delays while
filming the scenes with Catherine Deneuve alone, all related to the shortage of
funds. But if the messenger did not come with a cheque, the Higher Power did
grant luck to Smaragdis. He was able to find private investors who together
with the help of the Greek Film Centre, the film
was finally completed at a cost of €6.5 million. It is the most expensive
Greek film ever made. The previous record, at €6.2 million, was held by El Greco.
Smaragdis uses actors from six countries starting with the
German Sebastian Koch as Varvakis. No one could have done the role better than
Koch, Smaragdis states with utter conviction. John Cleese was a comic riot and
Catherine Deneuve is such a star that the cast and crew started applauding
instinctively when she walked on the scene in her costume as Catherine the Great,
Empress of Russia. He goes even further in his tribute: he credits the actors with
wanting to help Greece which is generally getting a battering from all sides.
He speaks with devotion and admiration about the music
composer Minos Matsas and with sheer enthusiasm about directing the film
despite all the difficulties.
He cannot disclose what his next project will be. As an
intermediary, he will no doubt be given the message or his “prayer” will be
answered. There is no doubt that a Messenger is out there ready to deliver the
good news.
For now the Messenger can find him in Toronto where God
Loves Caviar will premiere on Thursday, September 13 and will be shown again
on Friday and Saturday.
But He should not try to see the film – all tickets have
been presold. Then again, He should never be pessimistic – the recipient of His
message will remind him that Everything is Possible.
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