"Lala, Lala! "That's what they call me. Lala, write me down too, that's how I became famous." Evangelos Chatzidimitriou never recognized his given name. Born in the late '40s, he lived as an openly gay man in a Greece that was not ready to accept him. Very quickly, he found himself on the margins of family, school, and neighborhood.
His narrative spans the decades of the '60s, '70s, and '80s, until his death from AIDS in the early '90s, portraying a life full of challenges, relationships, conflicts, and upheavals. Through the transcription of tapes from the last interview he gave to a journalist, the backstreets of night-time Syngrou, the adult cinemas of Omonia, the hidden corners of Zappeio, and the legendary sandy beaches of Mykonos unfold.
His stories feature revue stars, forgotten actors and dancers of traveling troupes, PASOK union leaders, Jane Fonda and Marmo Pantheou, secret and open lovers, and anonymous passersby with a hand deep in the right pocket of their trousers. With humor and self-mockery, he unravels a world where desire clashes with social dictates, composing the mosaic of an era in which sexual freedom existed but was often marginalized.
Until the final battle with AIDS, Lala was never just a spectator - he was always the protagonist. A poignant and torrential confession about survival, love, and the non-negotiable need to be yourself. A journey through a changing era, but not always to the benefit of those who dare to live on their own terms.
