Greek Island Murder Mystery ‘The Beach’ Puts Dark Spin on Summer of Love, Proves to Be Primetime Hit
Even before it became a primetime sensation last fall, Greek drama “The Beach” had all the elements of a smash hit. Set during the summer of free love in a hippie commune on the island of Crete, the sun-splashed series takes a dark turn with a mysterious murder, setting into motion events that have captivated Greek audiences across more than one hundred episodes to date.
For the creative team at Foss Productions, which co-produced the show with public broadcaster Ert, “The Beach” was an opportunity to push the envelope in a way that hadn’t been done before on Greek television.
“We thought, ‘Let’s try to approach a long-running show in the same way that we approach a mini-series,’” says Orestis Plakias, of the Athens-based outfit behind shows like the Netflix original series “Maestro in Blue” and 2023 Series Mania competition selection “Milky Way.”
“We wanted to introduce something different to the long-running shows,...
For the creative team at Foss Productions, which co-produced the show with public broadcaster Ert, “The Beach” was an opportunity to push the envelope in a way that hadn’t been done before on Greek television.
“We thought, ‘Let’s try to approach a long-running show in the same way that we approach a mini-series,’” says Orestis Plakias, of the Athens-based outfit behind shows like the Netflix original series “Maestro in Blue” and 2023 Series Mania competition selection “Milky Way.”
“We wanted to introduce something different to the long-running shows,...
- 4/5/2024
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Beta Film has acquired international sales rights to the Greek drama series “The Beach,” a primetime sensation for Greek public broadcaster Ert, the Munich-based production and distribution powerhouse announced on the eve of Mipcom.
The 24-part one hour series begins on an idyllic commune on the shores of Crete in 1969, where love and freedom intertwine, until a murder exposes the messy entanglements spurred on by the hippie residents. Yet even the straightlaced police officer assigned to investigate the crime finds he can’t resist the temptations of paradise.
Stefanos Blatsos (“Love After”) directs the hit drama set at Matala Beach in Crete with scripts from George Chrysovitsanos and Kostas Gerampinis. The cast includes Danai Michalaki (“Wild Bees”), starring as Hypatia, a London-based doctor coming back to her hometown, where she meets Harry, played by Dimitris Mothonaios (“A Day in the Life of a Teddy Bear”).
Since launching on Ert in early September,...
The 24-part one hour series begins on an idyllic commune on the shores of Crete in 1969, where love and freedom intertwine, until a murder exposes the messy entanglements spurred on by the hippie residents. Yet even the straightlaced police officer assigned to investigate the crime finds he can’t resist the temptations of paradise.
Stefanos Blatsos (“Love After”) directs the hit drama set at Matala Beach in Crete with scripts from George Chrysovitsanos and Kostas Gerampinis. The cast includes Danai Michalaki (“Wild Bees”), starring as Hypatia, a London-based doctor coming back to her hometown, where she meets Harry, played by Dimitris Mothonaios (“A Day in the Life of a Teddy Bear”).
Since launching on Ert in early September,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Imanol Rayo’s “Dog Days,” a coming-of-age story set one sizzling summer in the Spanish countryside, won the top prize at the Thessaloniki Film Festival’s Crossroads Co-Production Forum, which wrapped with an award ceremony Wednesday night.
The Basque director’s fourth feature took home the Two Thirty-Five Co-Production Award, offering full post-production image and sound to a film that’s currently in development. Producer Iker Ganuza of Spanish production outfit Lamia was on hand to accept the prize from the jury, which praised the film as “a story about both emerging and buried passions, approached with a very personal touch of sensibility.”
Speaking to Variety ahead of the Thessaloniki industry event, Rayo described his “sensual summer story” as “a reflection on the way in which the intervention of the human being or ‘climate change’ modifies the landscapes, habits and lives of ordinary people.” The director’s debut feature, “Two Brothers,...
The Basque director’s fourth feature took home the Two Thirty-Five Co-Production Award, offering full post-production image and sound to a film that’s currently in development. Producer Iker Ganuza of Spanish production outfit Lamia was on hand to accept the prize from the jury, which praised the film as “a story about both emerging and buried passions, approached with a very personal touch of sensibility.”
Speaking to Variety ahead of the Thessaloniki industry event, Rayo described his “sensual summer story” as “a reflection on the way in which the intervention of the human being or ‘climate change’ modifies the landscapes, habits and lives of ordinary people.” The director’s debut feature, “Two Brothers,...
- 11/11/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
“Pari,” the story of an Iranian mother’s search for her missing son in Athens, directed by Siamak Etemadi, an Iranian who lives in Greece, won the top feature film prize at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, an annual showcase for Greek cinema that wrapped its fifteenth edition on May 30.
“Parontes,” under its English title “Being Present,” a penetrating look at the Covid-19 crisis in Greece (pictured above), directed by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, took home Lagff’s documentary honor.
The waning pandemic once again prevented Lagff from holding its traditional red carpet closing night and Orpheus Awards Gala, but it didn’t dampen the international enthusiasm for the virtual event, which reached a global audience via the internet and spotlighted features, shorts, documentaries and – for the first time this year – animation. It also presented a series of webinars as well as live and prerecorded Q&As.
Artistic and Festval Director...
“Parontes,” under its English title “Being Present,” a penetrating look at the Covid-19 crisis in Greece (pictured above), directed by Yorgos Avgeropoulos, took home Lagff’s documentary honor.
The waning pandemic once again prevented Lagff from holding its traditional red carpet closing night and Orpheus Awards Gala, but it didn’t dampen the international enthusiasm for the virtual event, which reached a global audience via the internet and spotlighted features, shorts, documentaries and – for the first time this year – animation. It also presented a series of webinars as well as live and prerecorded Q&As.
Artistic and Festval Director...
- 5/31/2021
- by Peter Caranicas
- Variety Film + TV
All have projects at the Sarajevo Film Festival’s CineLink industry strand.
With the CineLink industry programme in full swing at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Screen profiles five producers from the region with an international outlook.
Jelena Angelovski (Serbia/Montenegro)
Serbian-born actress and producer Angelovski began to make her mark internationally when she produced Tamara Drakulić’s feature debut Wind through her Belgrade-based Monkey Production in 2016. It played at various international festivals including Torino and Goteborg.
Angelovski followed it up with two freelance projects: Ivan Salatić’s 2018 Venice Critics Week entry You Have the Night. made through Podgorica-based Meander Film,...
With the CineLink industry programme in full swing at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Screen profiles five producers from the region with an international outlook.
Jelena Angelovski (Serbia/Montenegro)
Serbian-born actress and producer Angelovski began to make her mark internationally when she produced Tamara Drakulić’s feature debut Wind through her Belgrade-based Monkey Production in 2016. It played at various international festivals including Torino and Goteborg.
Angelovski followed it up with two freelance projects: Ivan Salatić’s 2018 Venice Critics Week entry You Have the Night. made through Podgorica-based Meander Film,...
- 8/21/2019
- by Vladan Petkovic
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.