Tony Asimakopoulos
Tony Asimakopoulos is a Canadian film and television director based in Montreal. He often collaborates with the Montreal-based Canadian film production company EyeSteelFilm. He is best known for his autobiographical documentary Fortunate Son, about his relationship with his immigrant parents, which was one of the highest-grossing theatrical documentaries in Quebec in 2012.
Tony Asimakopoulos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Antonios Asimakopoulos |
| Nationality | Canadian of Greek origin |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1991–present |
Career
Antonios Asimakopoulos was born and raised in Montreal to Greek immigrant parents, Aristomenis and Vassiliki Asimakopoulos. He studied at Montreal's Concordia University, and earned a degree in film production in 1993. His short film Jimmy Fingers was awarded the "Prix de le Rélève", for most promising Quebec filmmaker, at the 1991 Festival de jeune cinema in Montreal. This was followed by his short Mama's Boy, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and in Montreal, Locarno, Gothenburg and Melbourne.
He moved to Ottawa in 1995 to enter treatment for drug addiction and alcoholism.[1] There, he helped develop and teach a video apprenticeship program for youth-at-risk, at the SAW Video Co-op, from 1997 to 2001. He was also featured in the documentary Confessions of a Rabid Dog directed by a fellow recovering addict, John L'Ecuyer.
After resuming his own work with Horsie's Retreat, a dramatic feature made at the Canadian Film Centre in 2004,[2] he returned home to Montreal to work on the Global docudrama series Canadian Case Files (2005–2006), as an editor and director.
His involvement with EyeSteelFilm began with their ground-breaking 2009 documentary RiP!: A Remix Manifesto, which he edited. With them, he went on to make Fortunate Son,[3] which played numerous worldwide festivals including Amsterdam (IDFA), Thessaloniki, the Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema, and the Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Sydney Greek Film Festival.
His latest doc, Return To Park Ex/ ""Retour À Parc-Ex"" (Canal D), premiered in English on the award-winning program CBC DOCS:POV in October 2018.[4][5][6][7]
Asimakopoulos has also directed several comedy videos for the CBC Radio One program WireTap.[8]
Filmography
- Director
- 1991: Jimmy Fingers (short)
- 1992: Mama's Boy (short)
- 2005: Horsie's Retreat
- 2005: Canadian Case Files (TV series)
- 2011: Fortunate Son (documentary)
- 2014: A Xmas Memory (fiction short)
- 2017: Return To Park Ex / Retour À Parc-Ex (documentary)
- Cinematographer
- 2011: Fortunate Son (documentary)
- 2017: Return To Park Ex (documentary)
- Screenwriter
- 2005: Horsie's Retreat
- Editor
- 1999: No One Believes the Professor (documentary short)
- 1999: Voices of Dissent: A Dance of Passion (short)
- 2005: Horsie's Retreat
- 2005: Canadian Case Files (TV series)
- 2007: Imitation
- 2007: Family Motel
- 2009: RiP!: A Remix Manifesto (documentary)
- 2011: Fortunate Son (documentary)
- 2017: Return To Park Ex (documentary)
References
- Hays, Matthew (August 16, 2012). "Addiction and anxiety but no catharsis". The Globe and Mail – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
- Harvey, Dennis (April 13, 2005). "Horsie's Retreat".
- Lacey, Liam (August 17, 2012). "Review: Fortunate Son: a Greek tragedy averted". The Globe and Mail – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
- "Return to Park Ex".
- "Home | Montreal Gazette | Montreal Gazette". montrealgazette. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
- "Fortunate Son (Le fils béni)" (in French).
- Klymkiw, Greg (2012-05-28). "The Film Corner with Greg Klymkiw: FORTUNATE SON - Review By Greg Klymkiw - This important new personal documentary by Tony Asimakopoulos is a journey into the lives of a Greek-Canadian family that makes for a compulsive, sad, funny and profoundly moving experience. It is NOT to be missed!!!". The Film Corner with Greg Klymkiw. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
- "WireTap Video". WireTap. CBC Radio. Retrieved August 4, 2013.