I have always been fascinated by the stories behind the camera. From the time I was a kid, climbing over the wall of the summer cinema in my neighborhood, to today, when good fortune has brought me close to all those mythical actors who – like other storytellers – recounted to me their behind-the-scenes “feats,” sometimes vividly and charmingly, and other times movingly and tearfully. What wonderful tales, and what unforgettable evenings I spent with all those mythical actors who were part of my own dream!

So, behind the bright lights, microphones, clappers, and cameras, they played another “film,” perhaps more genuine, more human, and certainly more entertaining. It is these little behind-the-scenes scenes that I wanted to capture in this book and share the stories as I heard them from the very protagonists, who whispered them to each other and had a great time with them.

In the following pages, we will delve into the depths of the backstage of our own Hollywood and mentally transport ourselves to all those historical studios and sets, meeting familiar beloved faces, simple, everyday, without embellishments, lights, and makeup, just before they transform from ordinary mortals into dazzling mythical figures.

A red thread tied… And the stories of the backstage of Greek cinema begin…