By Nick Stamatakis
When the effort started for the creation of the movie “Kapodistrias” a few years ago, I do not think the director Giannis Smaragdis could have foreseen how timely the re-acquaintance of all of us Greeks with the First Governor would be. I would even dare say that seven months ago, when, with a group of friends, we started a team to gather financial support for the movie, we could not foresee how vital the movie’s message would be! But now, things have dramatically changed after the turmoil of the last few months, with over two million people demanding “justice” for the Tempi railroad disaster.
Everyone now agrees that the Tempi disaster was the trigger that revealed everything wrong with Greece’s corrupt political system. Not surprisingly, all that is wrong with this system traces back to the Ottoman era, when 400 years of Ottoman occupation made the Greeks see their government as an alien body, as their tyrant and enemy.
Kapodistrias, the first governor of Greece, knew about all these problems 200 years ago… Tho motive for his assassination by the Mavromihalis brothers was (if you can believe it) their insistence to collect import tariffs in the geographical area they controlled (Mani, Messinia) for themselves!! Yes, they thought of themselves as Ottoman “tax collectors” having the right to exploit a small part of the state… Very much like modern Greeks do today in so many ways: if the state does not employ their children and does not pay them salaries and pensions and does not award them “contracts”, then they are NOT citizens of Greece…
And so, as we are at a turning point in the history of Greece, as “the old has died, but the new is not born yet,” going back to Kapodistrias and revisiting his revolutionary, enlightened efforts to build from scratch the modern state of Greece, is beyond helpful. It can be the guiding light in this renewed effort to establish a political system worth our ancient ancestors’ heritage.
The status of production of “Kapodistrias”
Ten days ago, after Giannis Smaragdis was admitted to the European Academy of Arts and Sciences, the movie’s filming started in Bucharest and will continue in Athens, Aegina, Nafplion, Corfu, Switzerland, and Vienna. The plan is for the first screening in New York early next year, which excites us all very much!! A lot of preparatory work has been finished, so it is feasible.
The movie has a budget of $5.5 million, and about $4 million had been raised before we started our effort to help collect the remaining $1.5 million in October. Since then, many have contributed small amounts and big, and so only about $300,000 is the remaining balance for the movie’s production.
TO READ MORE INFORMATION AND DONATE, PLEASE VISIT KAPODISTRIASMOVIE.COM
BELOW, GIANNIS SPARAGDIS ADDRESSES THE OMOGENIA, FOLLOWED BY A PRESS RELEASE BY THE GROUP THAT INITIATED THE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
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PRESS RELEASE, MARCH 20, 2025
IN SUPPORT OF GIANNIS SMARAGDIS’ MOVIE “KAPODISTRIAS”
By A Group Of Greek-American Organizations and Individuals
During the last two months, we, a group of Greek-Americans, have been in close cooperation with Giannis Smaragdis, the famous director (and now a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts), creator of such successful films as “El Greco”, “God Loves Caviar,” “Kazantzakis” and others. The goal of our cooperation with Mr. Smaragdis is to help fund the missing $1.5 million (out of a total budget of $5.5 million) for the new film “Kapodistrias”.
The director himself has explained in numerous appearances in the news media that, almost 200 years from the assassination of the leader of “Filiki Etairia” and the first Governor of Greece, there are still powers that are objecting to the celebration of his memory: For example, still today the British Foreign Office’s archives on Kapodistrias assassination are sealed! And many “shady actors” in Greece have tried to undermine the creation of this movie.
In view of these facts, we thought that the Hellenic Diaspora had to lead the effort to finish this great patriotic movie. Kapodistrias was an outstanding member of the Diaspora at his time. We, Greek-Americans, are leaders of today’s Diaspora; we embody the symbolic message of the movie.
Associations and organizations who would like to contribute, please look at our KAPODISTRIAS SPONSORS’ PACKAGE
We underline here that any donations made on the above website are directly deposited in the special bank account for the movie with the National Bank of Greece. There are no middlemen and no “commissions.” Larger contributions can be wired directly into the same account. The director explains, “The movie is the product of primarily volunteering work.”
Below is the initial list of sponsoring organizations. All are invited to participate, especially help from the news media, which is necessary to spread this information and collect funds.
Bill Mataragas, Ηellenic American National Council – HANC
Lou Katsos, Eastern Mediterranean Business Culture Alliance – EMBCA
Nikos Kastrinakis, World Council of Cretans
Costas Vangelatos, World Federation Of Cephalonian and Ithacian Societies, «Odysseus»
Nikos Alyssandratos, «Kefalos» Cefalonian Society Of America
Nikos Bardis, Ionian Cultural Federation
Theodore Pavlakos, Former President of Pan-Laconian Federation of the USA and Canada, “Know Thyself Initiative”
Stelios Tatsis, Former President, “Panchiaki Korais”
Costas Kantzoglou, producer, Globe Entertainment, “Know Thyself Initiative”
Nick Stamatakis, business owner, publisher of «Helleniscope», “Know Thyself Initiative.”
