Greek Filmmaker Christos Nikou, the Director of ‘Apples’ and ‘Fingernails,’ on Creating ‘Tender Cinema’
Nikou, who directed “Apples” and “Fingernails,” started by underscoring the importance for filmmakers of “finding their voice.” He said, “The best...
Key points
- Nikou, who directed “Apples” and “Fingernails,” started by underscoring the importance for filmmakers of “finding their voice.” He said, “The best compliment I have ever heard about the things I’m doing is that they have a very unique tone and identity.
- It’s not what I’m trying to do, but it’s what somehow comes from my heart, my soul.” “How can you find your voice?” he asked, adding that he feels “that a lot of filmmakers are trying to follow what the film funds need, and also what the festivals need.” Popular on Variety He continued, “I never call myself a director, I call myself a cinephile, and the reason why I’m doing this is because I love watching films.” Nikou, who likes to watch three movies a day, said that even if he doesn’t know who the director of a film is before watching it, he’ll know in the first five to 10 minutes, and loves to discover “really unique voices, and unique identities.” He added, “That’s our goal: to create unique voices.” He said “Apples” had been rejected by funds and festival workshops in several countries as they didn’t understand the tone of the film.
- We can tell stories that are not only about what we see, but also about what we love.
- So, for me, it’s very important that a filmmaker is doing films that are very close to their heart and what exactly they love watching in films.” Nikou didn’t attend film school and is self-taught.
What happened
Nikou, who directed “Apples” and “Fingernails,” started by underscoring the importance for filmmakers of “finding their voice.” He said, “The best compliment I have ever heard about the things I’m doing is that they have a very unique tone and identity. It’s not what I’m trying to do, but it’s what somehow comes from my heart, my soul.” “How can you find your voice?” he asked, adding that he feels “that a lot of filmmakers are trying to follow what the film funds need, and also what the festivals need.” Popular on Variety He continued, “I never call myself a director, I call myself a cinephile, and the reason why I’m doing this is because I love watching films.” Nikou, who likes to watch three movies a day, said that even if he doesn’t know who the director of a film is before watching it, he’ll know in the first five to 10 minutes, and loves to discover “really unique voices, and unique identities.” He added, “That’s our goal: to create unique voices.” He said “Apples” had been rejected by funds and festival workshops in several countries as they didn’t understand the tone of the film. We can tell stories that are not only about what we see, but also about what we love. So, for...
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