Letter to Theo

In the presence of the team and friends of Elodie.

Synopsis:

The filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos died on 24 January 2012, hit by a motorbike on the set of his latest film. In this unfinished film, he told the story of the victims of the Greek crisis. Ironically, the ambulance who was supposed to rescue him broke down, as budget restrictions meant that they could no longer maintain their vehicles. It was the crisis itself that killed Theo.

In a filmed letter to him, I return to Greece. And the list of victims of the crisis has continued to grow, a crisis responding to another that Theo had sensed coming: that of the massive arrival of refugees who find themselves trapped in Greece. Yet, a resistance movement is being organised to bring out of the shadows those who are now threatened with obliteration.

- The film is part of the retrospective dedicated to Elodie Lélu, in tribute to her work, along with Le rêve des cigognes and Retro Thérapie.

Festivals:

Selected for 20 festivals among others:

DOK de Leipzig,2018
Cinémamed Brussels, 2018
Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, 2019
Jeonju international Film Festival, Korea, 2019
It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival, Brazil 2019
Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada, 2019
RIDM, Montréal, Canada, 2019

Director's Biography:

Born in 1982 in Brittany, Elodie Lélu studied art history and cinema before working closely with Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos until 2012, the year of his accident on set. In 2018, she made the documentary “Letter to Theo,” which pays tribute to Angelopoulos’ work while addressing the crisis in Greece. After her short film “Driving Lessons,” she created the comedy series “Match” (2021) and her first feature film “Retro Therapy” (2024), a family comedy about Alzheimer’s disease. She passed away in August 2024, after completing her documentary “The Stork’s Dream” about medically assisted procreation.

********** Nederlands **********

In the presence of the team and friends of Elodie.

Synopsis:

The filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos died on 24 January 2012, hit by a motorbike on the set of his latest film. In this unfinished film, he told the story of the victims of the Greek crisis. Ironically, the ambulance who was supposed to rescue him broke down, as budget restrictions meant that they could no longer maintain their vehicles. It was the crisis itself that killed Theo.

In a filmed letter to him, I return to Greece. And the list of victims of the crisis has continued to grow, a crisis responding to another that Theo had sensed coming: that of the massive arrival of refugees who find themselves trapped in Greece. Yet, a resistance movement is being organised to bring out of the shadows those who are now threatened with obliteration.

- The film is part of the retrospective dedicated to Elodie Lélu, in tribute to her work, along with Le rêve des cigognes and Retro Thérapie.

Festivals:
Selected for 20 festivals among others :

DOK de Leipzig,2018
Cinémamed Brussels, 2018
Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, 2019
Jeonju international Film Festival, Korea, 2019
It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival, Brazil 2019
Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada, 2019
RIDM, Montréal, Canada, 2019

Director's Biography

Born in 1982 in Brittany, Elodie Lélu studied art history and cinema before working closely with Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos until 2012, the year of his accident on set. In 2018, she made the documentary “Letter to Theo,” which pays tribute to Angelopoulos’ work while addressing the crisis in Greece. After her short film “Driving Lessons,” she created the comedy series “Match” (2021) and her first feature film “Retro Therapy” (2024), a family comedy about Alzheimer’s disease. She passed away in August 2024, after completing her documentary “The Stork’s Dream” about medically assisted procreation.

********** Français **********

En présence de l’équipe et des ami·es.

Synopsis

Le cinéaste Théo Angelopoulos meurt le 24 janvier 2012, renversé par une moto, sur le plateau de tournage de son dernier film. Dans ce film inachevé, il racontait les destins des victimes de la crise grecque. Ironie du sort, les ambulanciers censés le secourir sont tombés en panne, les restrictions budgétaires ne leur permettant plus d’entretenir leurs véhicules. C’est la crise elle-même qui a tué Théo.

Dans une lettre filmée que je lui adresse, je retourne en Grèce. Et la liste des victimes de la crise n’a cessé de s’allonger, cette misère répondant à une autre que Théo avait senti venir : celle de l’arrivée massive de réfugiés qui se retrouvent piégés en Grèce. Pourtant, une résistance citoyenne s’organise chaque jour pour faire sortir de l’ombre ceux qui sont aujourd’hui menacés d’effacement.

- Le film fait partie de la rétrospective dédiée à Elodie Lélu, en hommage à son œuvre, ainsi que Le rêve de cigognes et Retro Thérapie.

Festivals:
Sélectionné à plus de 20 festivals, parmi lesquels :

DOK de Leipzig,2018
Cinémamed Bruxelles, 2018
Festival du documentaire de Thessalonique,2019
Jeonju international Film Festival, Korea, 2019
It’s All True – International Documentary Film Festival, Brésil 2019
Hot Docs, Toronto, Canada, 2019
RIDM, Montréal, Canada, 2019

Biographie de la réalisatrice:

Née en 1982 en Bretagne, Elodie Lélu a étudié l’histoire de l’art et le cinéma avant de travailler avec le cinéaste grec Theo Angelopoulos jusqu’en 2012, année de son accident sur le tournage. En 2018, elle réalise le documentaire “Lettre à Théo”, qui rend hommage à l’œuvre de Theo Angelopoulos tout en abordant la crise en Grèce. Après son court-métrage “Leçons de Conduite”, elle crée la série comique “Match” (2021) et son premier long-métrage “Retro Thérapie” (2024), une comédie familiale sur Alzheimer. Elle est décédée en août 2024, après avoir terminé son documentaire “Le Rêve des cigognes” sur la procréation médicalement assistée.