27/10/2005

Pantelis Voulgaris’ feature Brides (Nyfes), which has the name of Martin Scorsese attached to it, is not included in the 58 films listed by AMPA as possible Oscar candidates for Best Foreign Film. No official reason is given but Academy rules which state the film’s dialogues or most of it should be in the official language of the country of origin, probably deemed Brides ineligible. More than half of the film dialogue is in English.

The film, shot on a script by the director’s wife Ioanna Karystiani, swept the board of the Greek Film Prizes last year with a record 10 awards, including best film. It tells the story of Niki (Victoria Haralambidou) who is sailing to America, together with some 700 other brides to marry men they never met. Aboard the ship she meets American photographer Norman Harris (Demian Lewis) and they fall in love.

Voulgaris also produced it with Barbara De Fina and Terry Dougas and had American director Martin Scorsese as executive producer. The film was supported by the Eurimages and the European Script Fund. It is distributed by Odeon S.A. and Bristol Media International.