Black Nights Film Festival that starts in less than two weeks awards the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously to the Greek film director Theo Angelopoulos.

Theodoros “Theo” Angelopoulus who died in a car accident this January is being hailed as one of the most outstanding masters of the European cinema. His films have been frequently awarded at festivals yet only a few were commercially successful.

"Angelopoulus’ biggest achievement in addition to being the man behind Greek film’s international breakthrough is his ability to analyse and explain Greek and Balkan history aesthetically and philosophically in his films – and that’s where the roots of Western culture are. Angelopoulos is in his films an artist, philosopher and historian; and this is the reason why we have decided within the Greek focus to celebrate his lifetime achievement,” says festival director Tiina Lokk.

References to Greek history and mythology were consistent themes throughout Angelopoulus’ work, always used for the purpose of discussing the most burning issues of modern Greece and its society.

One of the leading modern filmmakers of his day, he managed to have all his later films co-produced by European investors, with some of the leading cinema figures in world cinema, such as Gian-Maria Volonte, Marcelo Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Harvey Keitel, Bruno Ganz, Willem Defoe and Michel Piccoli playing lead roles.

Frequently awarded – almost for every film he made – he earned a Venice Golden Lion for „The Beekeeper” in 1986 and the European Film Academy Award for „Landscape In The Mist” (1988). Cannes gave him a Golden Palm for „Eternity and a Day” (1998).

Angelopoulus was killed in a car accident while close to completing „The Other Sea” featuring Toni Servillo.

The Black Nights Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented on 23rd November at Nokia concert hall during a concert of film music by Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou, dedicated to the director and entitled “Eternity and a Day”. Karaindrou will accept the award.

The biggest film event in the Nordic countries, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival takes place from 12 to 28 November. The Greek film music concert is supported by Coca-Cola Hellenic and Nordea bank as well as the Greece embassy.