Greek-Speaking Films
Togo Mizrahi
Poster of The Girl Refugee
Mizrahi had a successful experience with Greek cinema for he produced and directed four Greek-speaking films which were a success in Greek cinema theatres. It was customary for Greek theatrical troupes to finish off their season with a grand tour to different countries where they would perform their plays before the Greek communities. The largest and most important Greek community was the one in Egypt. That is why most of the Greek theatrical troupes were in the habit of regularly presenting their plays in Alexandria, Cairo, Port Said and Ismailia from the turn of the twentieth century till the fifties.
When Mizrahi met the Kaltos Sisters Troupe in 1937, while they were performing in Egypt, he approached them with a translated script of a film he had already directed, Dr. Farahat, which he proposed to produce and direct for the troupe. The troupe immediately agreed to his proposal and the film was accomplished and shown in Greece under the title of Doctor Abaminodos. The success of the film seems to have triggered competition for in 1938, the owner of the largest Greek troupe, Sofia Fembo, approached Mizrahi with a script, which he was to direct and produce for her and in the same year, he was to direct and produce another Greek film for the Kaltos Sisters Troupe. Finally, in 1943, he directed and produced The Sailor for the Kaltos Sisters, a film which he had already directed in 1935.
His Greek-Speaking Films:
1937: Δκρ·Επαμινόνδας - Doctor Epameinodas (Doktor Epameinodas)
1938: Προσφυγοπούλα - The Girl Refugee (Prosfigopoula)
: Ότανοσήζυγοςταξιδέυει - When the Husband is Absent (Otan o syzygos taxidevi)
1943: ΚαπετάνιοςΣκορπιός - Captain Scorpion (Kapetan Skorpios)
Alvise Orfanelli
The success of Mizrahi’s experience with Greek films encouraged Alvise to convert his film My Maid, which he had directed in 1938, into a Greek-speaking film. He approached Lukonoma, the Greek theatrical troupe, which agreed to his script. It was produced and directed by Orfanelli and shot by Bruno Salvi. In the following year he produced another Greek-speaking also starring the same troupe.
1938: Αραβόναςμετεμποδίων - An Engagement with Problems (Arravon met' empodion)
1939:Αγνούλα - Agnoula (Agnoula)
1954: Ανεμοςτουμησους - Wind of Hate (Anemos tou misous, O)
