25/09/2013 - The award-winning director is joined by new board members Phoebe Angelopoulou (widow of late Theo Angelopoulos) and writer Petros Markaris.

Though spring is usually followed by summer, local industries are worried Greek cinema might turn the clock around and head back to its old winter, after Adonis Lykoyresis (photo) was named new president of the Greek Film Centre.

Adonis Lykouresis' anointment (following Giorgos Papalios’ resignation a few weeks back) signals the return of the unions to Greek filmmaking’s centre stage: Lykouresis has been one of the Greek Directors’ Guild’s most vociferous members and considered a right-hand-man of 12 consecutive year reigning Guild president Haris Papadopoulos.

Papadopoulos’ name made headlines earlier this year, when he was appointed member of both proposal and approval committees for film funding at ERT (national radio and television company), all the while presiding over the GDG. Dust was raised later on, when a 350,000 euro fund was approved for a TV production by Antonis Sekeris, long-considered a Papadopoulos protégée.

Lykouresis, State Award winning director of Slaves in their Bonds, had his cinematic debut as an actor in Theo Angelopoulos’ Reconstruction, while new GFC board member Phoebe Angelopoulou has production credits for 11 Angelopoulos films. Petros Markaris, who has held various positions at the GFC in previous years, has worked on 11 scripts for Angelopoulos and co-wrote Lovers Beyond Time for Lykouresis.

While local professionals are dreading a return to the ‘80s, Lycouresis addressed the press saying that “the situation is suffocating for old and young alike, but seeing Nikos Panayotopoulos (The Limousine) being as active as Alexandros Avranas (Miss Violence [+see also:
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