| Brando with a Glass Eye | |
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| Directed by | Antonis Tsonis |
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| Language | Greek |
Brando with a Glass Eye is a 2024 film by Greek Australian director Antonis Tsonis.
In Athens, aspiring actor Luca learns that he has gotten a scholarship to attend a prestigious New York City acting school. Since the scholarship will only pay for his attendance and not his living expenses in New York, Luca resolves to steal the money that he needs to move there. He and his brother Alekos attempt to commit a heist which fails and results in a bystander, the rich Ilias, being shot. Luka begins to befriend Ilias, who is unaware of Luka's involvement in the crime.
The film was shot on location in Athens and filmed in the Greek language. It was written and directed by Antonis Tsonis and produced by his wife Tia Spanos Tsonis and Blake Northfield of Bronte Studios with Executive Producers, Maria Drandaki, Panagiotis Fafoutis and Peter Kallos. [2] It is Tsonis' first feature film. [3] Its cinematography was inspired by 1970s aesthetics, and the character of Luca was influenced by Tsonis' experiences and the career of American actor Marlon Brando. [4]
The film had its world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in the United States on January 20, 2024 and made history as the first Greek-language film to compete in the Narrative Feature category. [5] [6] It won Best Feature in London at the 2024 New Renaissance Film Festival. [2] Brando with a Glass Eye represented Greece at the 2025 European Union Film Festival in Canada with screenings in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver. [7]
Martin Kudláč of Cineuropa wrote that "While the film’s meta-cinematic approach manages to pay homage to the art of acting and classic cinema, it also serves as a channel for a variety of metaphors, including the quest for identity and the portrayal of a personality disorder." [8] Erin Free of FilmInk also praised the film, "Awash with gorgeous imagery courtesy of cinematographer Jorg Gruber, and rich in a distinctly 1970s-derived aesthetic, Brando with a Glass Eye is [a] swirling, occasionally dreamy tale." [9] Peter Grey of The AU Review wrote "ambitious and a riveting character study, but it feels as if it’s ultimately trying too much at once. I can’t deny that Yiannis Niarros delivers a fascinating turn, and the character’s relentless spirit in chasing his dreams is likely mirroring Tsonis’ own, but the film’s personality-plus temperament overwhelms a little strongly throughout." [10]