George Tzavellas, also rendered Giorgos Tzavellas, Yiorgos Tzavellas, or Yorgos Javellas ( el, Γιώργος Τζαβέλλας, 1916, Athens – October 18, 1976), was a Greek film director, screenwriter, and playwright. His filmmaking was particularly influential, with critic Georges Sadoul considering him "one of the three major postwar Greek directors" (along with Michael Cacoyannis and Nikos Koundouros). Tzavellas wrote at least 26 plays, in addition to writing the scripts for all of his films. Among his notable films are ''

Marinos Kontaras ''Marinos Kontaras'' ( el, Μαρίνος Κοντάρας), also known as ''The Corsair of the Aegean'', is a 1948 Greek film written and directed by George Tzavellas, adapted from a short story of Argyris Eftaliotis. It was the first Greek film ...

'' (1948), the drama ''

O methystakas The Drunkard ( el, Ο μεθύστακας), is a 1950 Greek drama film written and directed by George Tzavellas. It was the highest grossing Greek film in 1950, selling 304,438 tickets. Plot Haralambos Lardis (Orestis Makris) is a poor cobbler i ...

'' (1950), and '' Antigone'' (1961), a cinematic adaptation of the Sophocles tragedy. His adaptation of ''Antigone'' reimagined it in the language of realist cinema, omitting stylized elements of Greek stageplay such as the chorus, and attempting to convey the same information via setting and dialogue. In 1964 he was a member of the jury at the

14th Berlin International Film Festival The 14th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 26 June to 7 July 1964. The Swedish film '' 491'' by Vilgot Sjöman was rejected by festival director ''Alfred Bauer'' owing to its controversial nature. The Golden Bear was awarde ...

. His masterpiece, however, is the 1955 film ''

The Counterfeit Coin ''The Counterfeit Coin'' ( el, Ιστορία μιας κάλπικης λίρας, Istoria mias kalpikis liras, Story of a fake pound; also Η κάλπικη λίρα, ''I kalpiki lira'', "the fake pound") is a Greek comedy-drama film, produced ...

'' (''I kálpiki líra''), a film in four parts, linking the stories of several people through their transactions of a single counterfeit gold coin.

Filmography

*'' Applause'' (1944) *'' Forgotten Faces'' (1946) *''

'' (1948) *''

The Drunkard ''The Drunkard; or, The Fallen Saved'' is an American temperance play first performed on February 12, 1844.

'' (1950) *'' The Grouch'' (1952) *'' Lily of the Harbor'' (1952) *'' The Taxi Driver'' (1953) *''

'' (1955) *'' The Lovers Arrive'' (1956) *''

We Have Only One Life We Have Only One Life ( el, Μια ζωή την έχουμε) is a 1958 Greek comedy film directed by George Tzavellas. Cast * Yvonne Sanson - ''Bibi Koumoundouropoulou'' * Dimitris Horn - ''Kleon'' * Vasilis Avlonitis - ''Haralabos Bazouk ...

'' (1958) *'' Antigone'' (1961) *'' And the Wife Shall Revere Her Husband'' (1965)

References

External links

* 1916 births 1976 deaths Greek film directors Greek male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Greek dramatists and playwrights Film people from Athens {{Greece-film-director-stub