In search of Orpheus

In search of Orpheus, a documentary shot in Lesvos by cinematographer Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
The film In search of Orpheus follows, in a poetic way, the traces of the mythical musician in Lesvos, Greece, where, as legend has it, his head and his lyre were washed up on the shores of the island.
As we wander around the area that is linked with the legend, we come across ordinary people and ask them what they know about this subject. Their answers are staggering, as each one of them has modified the story according to their own imagination and experiences. In other words, they each add their own invented tale to the many stories about Orpheus.
Among these people, we encounter the famous Chinese lyric poetess Lanlan. For her, this place is always the cradle of ancient music and poetry. Her presence offers the film an unexpected yet very important dimension.

As the film was shot on coasts where refugees have been arriving for years, even before 2015, in the same places where – centuries before – the sea and the myth washed up Orpheus, the locals mention it very often.
In search of Orpheus, is part of a series shot in Lesvos, during the financial and migrant crisis under the title Silent Path. The series is filmed with a poetic approach, without seeking the classic documentation. It deliberately follows the natural course of the meetings with the characters, without aiming at a pre-determined outcome, leaving space for emotions and the unexpected. The aim of the series is to give a voice to everyday people who live their lives quietly, but know how to share, laugh, create, love, endure and keep on going with dignity, preserving a way of living in harmony with their environment. This is the "intangible cultural heritage" of Greece of Europe, the culture of everyday life of ordinary people with knowledge, practices and traditions, that are often deeply rooted in time, and to this day still define our collective memory and identity.

Crew
Directed by: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Cinematography by: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Editing by: Yorgos Savoglou, Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Color Grading: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou, Yorgos Savoglou
Sound editing by: Nikos Palamaris
Narration: Giorgos Kotanidis
Production manager: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou
Executive Producer: Massive Productions
Produced by: Tzeli Hadjidimitriou, Anemos Dimiourgias, Massive Productions